One of our readers reports that after a disastrous experience with surgery by Dr Brooks, he sent him three emails asking for copies of the medical records to which he was entitled to under the NSW Health Records & Information Privacy Act 2002, which weren’t even acknowledged by Dr Brooks, let alone responded to. So after a few months he made a complaint to the NSW Privacy Commissioner.
Dr Brook’s response to her was that it was because the email address on his website was set up so that emails from patients were weeded out and he didn’t receive them.
The reader comments that this was unlikely as one email he’d sent about money had been responded to straight away, and that technology experts had advised him that setting up ordinary emails in the way that was describe wasn’t technically possible. And, of course, there was nothing on Dr Brooks’ website warning that this was how it was.
(Of course, the Privacy Commissioner’s response was, “Oh yes, Dr Brooks, I find that a perfectly acceptable reason for you not to be responding to your patient’s requests.”)
So Dr Brooks purported to provide the copies requested to our reader, EXCEPT that a copy of one very important document wasn’t included. And repeated requests by fax to Dr Brooks for a copy of this document were, of course, ignored. And, of course, repeated emails to the Privacy Commissioner requesting her help with this were ignored.
And people keep using people like Dr Brooks, who, on the face of it are complete scoundrels!!!???
P.S: We note that Dr Brooks no longer has an ordinary email address on his website, or even an email form. It’s as though, for the Dr Brooks of this world, these incredibly convenient and efficient means of communication haven’t been invented yet!
