Privacy policy
HammondCare leads the Dementia Support Australia program and is committed to handling your personal and health information responsibly in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW).
This policy explains how we collect, store, use and disclose the personal or health information that you provide to Dementia Support Australia. This policy applies to all of your dealings with Dementia Support Australia whether in person, in writing, by telephone or via our website.
Collection, use, disclosure and storage of your personal or health information
Why?
Collection: We only collect personal information if it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities. We only collect health information if we are providing a health service to you or where it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities and you have given consent.
Dementia Support Australia functions or activities relate to the delivery of dementia and aged care advisory services. We utilise health information for reporting to the Commonwealth Government and key stakeholders, advocacy, research, increasing community awareness and knowledge through presentations and communications and quality improvement and by providing your health information to DSA you consent to those uses.
Our reason for collecting personal information will normally be apparent from the way it is collected and if not, it will be explained at the time of collection. If at any time our purpose for collecting your personal information is not clear, please raise your concerns with the person collecting your information or contact us using the contact details at the end of this document.
Use or disclosure: Dementia Support Australia will only use your personal or health information for:
- The primary purpose(s) for which you have provided the information.
- A secondary purpose related to the primary purpose(s) of collection, such as reporting to the Commonwealth Government and key stakeholders.
- A purpose you have consented to such as advocacy, research, increasing community awareness and knowledge and quality improvement.
- A purpose otherwise permitted by law.
Dementia Support Australia may disclose your personal or health information to:
- Other people such as your next of kin, your appointed representative or your carer (unless you request otherwise).
- Your General Practitioner or other health professionals involved in your care.
- State and federal authorities where necessary.
- The Commonwealth Government and other key stakeholders for reporting purposes or in response to a request for information.
- Research partners, subject to protocols and ethics requirements.
- Contractors or service providers who assist in delivering Dementia Support Australia services or who support our internal business and administrative operations. In these cases, your personal or health information may be stored overseas. When we engage the services of such third parties, we take reasonable steps to ensure that they comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and maintain the confidentiality of any personal or health information.
What?
The types of personal or health information which we obtain from you will depend on the nature of your engagement with Dementia Support Australia. The types of health or personal information we may collect about you include your:
- Name.
- Date of birth.
- Address, telephone number(s) and email address.
- Government identifiers (such as your Medicare number).
- Medical history.
- Emergency contact details.
Any new personal or health information you give to us – for example, on each occasion you receive services from Dementia Support Australia – may be added to our records. You do not have to give us the information we request from you. But please note that not doing so may impact on our ability to provide you with the services you require.
How?
Directly: Personal and health information will only be collected from the person concerned, unless it is unreasonable or impracticable to do so. If personal or health information is collected about a person from someone else, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that the person whose information has been collected is notified.
Anonymously: You have the option of interacting with Dementia Support Australia on an anonymous basis or by the use of a pseudonym, where this is lawful and practicable. For example, you may choose to remain anonymous when lodging feedback.
Accurately: Dementia Support Australia takes reasonable steps to ensure that the information we hold about you is accurate, complete and up to date. To assist us with this, please provide us with correct information and inform us if your details change.
Securely: Dementia Support Australia takes reasonable steps to ensure that the personal or health information it collects and holds is protected from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Personal and health information kept by Dementia Support Australia in printed form is stored in secure premises; in electronic form, it is held in secure storage systems requiring login details and passwords. Access to personal or health information is limited to those who specifically require it to conduct their responsibilities.
While Dementia Support Australia uses all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the personal and health information you provide is protected from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, we cannot guarantee the security of any data transmission over the internet. Dementia Support Australia does not accept responsibility for the security of information transmitted to or from us via the internet. Subject to Dementia Support Australia legal obligations, we do not retain personal and health information any longer than necessary and we de-identify or dispose of it appropriately when it is no longer required.
Openly: You have the right to access your personal information and request its correction. Please contact us using the contact details at the end of this document if you wish to view and/or correct any personal or health information we hold about you. For security reasons, a written request may be required to access your health information. We are committed to granting you access to your personal information within a reasonable time frame. We will not refuse you access unless there are legal reasons for doing so. In such circumstances, we will explain those reasons to you.
If you have any concerns or wish to lodge a complaint regarding the privacy of your personal or health information, please forward the details in writing to Dementia Support Australia at the postal or email address listed at the end of this document. We will respond within a reasonable period and in the manner requested if it is reasonable and practicable to do so. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can contact the Australian Information Commissioner’s hotline on 1300 363 992 or on +61 2 9284 9749 from outside Australia. Alternatively, you can send written enquiries to enquiries@oaic.gov.au or GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001.
For further information about privacy issues in Australia, you can visit the Australian Information Commissioner’s website at 1300 426 666.
When?
The circumstances in which we collect your personal or health information may vary depending on the nature of your relationship with HammondCare. For example, we may collect your personal or health information from you when you are:
- Receiving dementia advisory services from the Dementia Support Australia.
- Using the “Contact Us” form on the Dementia Support Australia website.
- A subscriber to a Dementia Support Australia mailing list.
- A contractor or supplier to Dementia Support Australia.
Why?
Collection: We only collect personal information if it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities. We only collect health information if we are providing a health service to you or where it is reasonably necessary for our functions or activities and you have given consent.
Dementia Support Australia functions or activities relate to the delivery of dementia and aged care advisory services. We utilise health information for reporting to the Commonwealth Government and key stakeholders, advocacy, research, increasing community awareness and knowledge through presentations and communications and quality improvement and by providing your health information to DSA you consent to those uses.
Our reason for collecting personal information will normally be apparent from the way it is collected and if not, it will be explained at the time of collection. If at any time our purpose for collecting your personal information is not clear, please raise your concerns with the person collecting your information or contact us using the contact details at the end of this document.
Use or disclosure: Dementia Support Australia will only use your personal or health information for:
- The primary purpose(s) for which you have provided the information.
- A secondary purpose related to the primary purpose(s) of collection, such as reporting to the Commonwealth Government and key stakeholders.
- A purpose you have consented to such as advocacy, research, increasing community awareness and knowledge and quality improvement.
- A purpose otherwise permitted by law.
Dementia Support Australia may disclose your personal or health information to:
- Other people such as your next of kin, your appointed representative or your carer (unless you request otherwise).
- Your General Practitioner or other health professionals involved in your care.
- State and federal authorities where necessary.
- The Commonwealth Government and other key stakeholders for reporting purposes or in response to a request for information.
- Research partners, subject to protocols and ethics requirements.
- Contractors or service providers who assist in delivering Dementia Support Australia services or who support our internal business and administrative operations. In these cases, your personal or health information may be stored overseas. When we engage the services of such third parties, we take reasonable steps to ensure that they comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and maintain the confidentiality of any personal or health information.
What?
The types of personal or health information which we obtain from you will depend on the nature of your engagement with Dementia Support Australia. The types of health or personal information we may collect about you include your:
- Name.
- Date of birth.
- Address, telephone number(s) and email address.
- Government identifiers (such as your Medicare number).
- Medical history.
- Emergency contact details.
Any new personal or health information you give to us – for example, on each occasion you receive services from Dementia Support Australia – may be added to our records. You do not have to give us the information we request from you. But please note that not doing so may impact on our ability to provide you with the services you require.
How?
Directly: Personal and health information will only be collected from the person concerned, unless it is unreasonable or impracticable to do so. If personal or health information is collected about a person from someone else, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that the person whose information has been collected is notified.
Anonymously: You have the option of interacting with Dementia Support Australia on an anonymous basis or by the use of a pseudonym, where this is lawful and practicable. For example, you may choose to remain anonymous when lodging feedback.
Accurately: Dementia Support Australia takes reasonable steps to ensure that the information we hold about you is accurate, complete and up to date. To assist us with this, please provide us with correct information and inform us if your details change.
Securely: Dementia Support Australia takes reasonable steps to ensure that the personal or health information it collects and holds is protected from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Personal and health information kept by Dementia Support Australia in printed form is stored in secure premises; in electronic form, it is held in secure storage systems requiring login details and passwords. Access to personal or health information is limited to those who specifically require it to conduct their responsibilities.
While Dementia Support Australia uses all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the personal and health information you provide is protected from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, we cannot guarantee the security of any data transmission over the internet. Dementia Support Australia does not accept responsibility for the security of information transmitted to or from us via the internet. Subject to Dementia Support Australia legal obligations, we do not retain personal and health information any longer than necessary and we de-identify or dispose of it appropriately when it is no longer required.
Openly: You have the right to access your personal information and request its correction. Please contact us using the contact details at the end of this document if you wish to view and/or correct any personal or health information we hold about you. For security reasons, a written request may be required to access your health information. We are committed to granting you access to your personal information within a reasonable time frame. We will not refuse you access unless there are legal reasons for doing so. In such circumstances, we will explain those reasons to you.
If you have any concerns or wish to lodge a complaint regarding the privacy of your personal or health information, please forward the details in writing to Dementia Support Australia at the postal or email address listed at the end of this document. We will respond within a reasonable period and in the manner requested if it is reasonable and practicable to do so. If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can contact the Australian Information Commissioner’s hotline on 1300 363 992 or on +61 2 9284 9749 from outside Australia. Alternatively, you can send written enquiries to enquiries@oaic.gov.au or GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001.
For further information about privacy issues in Australia, you can visit the Australian Information Commissioner’s website at 1300 426 666.
When?
The circumstances in which we collect your personal or health information may vary depending on the nature of your relationship with HammondCare. For example, we may collect your personal or health information from you when you are:
- Receiving dementia advisory services from the Dementia Support Australia.
- Using the “Contact Us” form on the Dementia Support Australia website.
- A subscriber to a Dementia Support Australia mailing list.
- A contractor or supplier to Dementia Support Australia.
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