Privacy Policy

Policy Statement

1. Compliance

Comply with all applicable federal and state/territory legislation, regulations, standards, and principles in relation to the collection, use, disclosure, retention, and storage of personal and sensitive information.

Conduct regular audits to ensure the integrity of information management and privacy protection processes.

2. Communication and Consent

Discuss with the client or family/alternate decision-maker/advocate their rights in relation to privacy and confidentiality in a language, mode, and method they are most likely to understand.

Explain to the client and/or family/alternate decision-maker/advocate the types of information collected, why it is collected, and how it is used and stored, in a language, mode, and method they are most likely to understand.

Obtain written consent from the client and/or family/alternate decision-maker/advocate before disclosing and sharing personal information with third parties.

Ensure the client is aware of their right to change or withdraw their consent in relation to their personal information at any time and support them to do so, if requested.

3. Access

Provide the client and/or family/alternate decision-maker/advocate with access to the client’s personal information and assist them to make changes to their personal information, if requested.

Discuss with the client and/or family/alternate decision-maker/advocate circumstances when their personal information may be accessed by authorised personnel (e.g., law enforcement, official investigation, public health order), in a language, mode, and method they are most likely to understand.

Take reasonable measures to ensure personal information is stored safely and securely and protected against misuse, loss, unauthorised access, or interference.

4. Complaints

Discuss with the client their right to lodge a complaint, both internally and externally, if they have a concern about their personal and sensitive information and privacy, and support them to do so if requested.

Discuss with the client their right to engage an advocate to speak on their behalf and raise any privacy or confidentiality concerns they have.

5. Information and Record-keeping

Ensure information and records are accurate and up to date.

Ensure the client has provided all required written consents.

Store the information securely to ensure privacy, dignity, and confidentiality and make sure it is accessible to the client and only other stakeholders authorised to access it.

6. Worker Training and Supervision

Maintain a skilled and trained workforce which is aware of clients’ human and legal rights and in particular, the right to privacy and dignity.

Maintain processes to adequately monitor and supervise workers.

Responsibilities

The Director is responsible for:

• Maintaining this policy, its related procedures, and associated documents.
• Ensuring the policy is effectively implemented across the service.
• Monitoring worker compliance with the requirements of this policy.
• Ensuring training and information is provided to workers to carry out this policy.

All workers are responsible for complying with the requirements of this policy.

Compliance

Deliberate breaches of this policy will be dealt with under the misconduct provisions, as stated in the Code of Conduct Agreement.