Privacy

Brighter Healthcare ensures that:

• It meets its legal and ethical obligations as an employer and service provider in relation to protecting the privacy of clients and organisational personnel.
• Clients are provided with information about their rights regarding privacy and confidentiality.
• Clients and organisational personnel are provided with privacy and confidentiality when they are being interviewed or discussing matters of a personal or sensitive nature.
• All staff and management understand what is required in meeting these obligations.

This policy conforms to the Federal Privacy Act (1988) and the Australian Privacy Principles which govern the collection, use and storage of personal information.
This policy applies to all records, whether hard copy or electronic, containing personal information about individuals, and to interviews or discussions of a sensitive personal nature.

Client Records

Client records will be confidential to clients and staff directly engaged in delivery of service to the client. Information about clients may only be made available to other parties with the consent of the client, or their advocate, guardian or legal representative. All client records will be kept on a securely protected database that is restricted to staff members directly engaged in delivery of service to the client.

All paper client records will be kept securely in a locked filing cabinet, in the office of the Practice Manager.

Responsibilities for managing privacy

• All staff are responsible for the management of personal information to which they have access, and in the conduct of research, consultation or advocacy work.
• the Practice Manager is responsible for content in Brighter Healthcare publications, communications and web site and must ensure the following:
• Appropriate consent is obtained for the inclusion of any personal information about any individual including Brighter Healthcare personnel
• Information being provided by other agencies or external individuals conforms to privacy principles
• That the website contains a Privacy statement that makes clear the conditions of any collection of personal information from the public through their visit to the website.
• the Practice Manager is responsible for safeguarding personal information relating to Brighter Healthcare staff, management, contractors.
• the Practice Manager will be responsible for:
• Ensuring that all staff are familiar with the Privacy Policy and administrative procedures for handling personal information
• Ensuring that clients and other relevant individuals are provided with information about their rights regarding privacy
• Handling any queries or complaint about a privacy issue

RELATED DOCUMENTS:

• Code of Conduct
• Privacy and Confidentiality Agreement
• Information Management Policy
• Referral Management Policy
• Stakeholder Communication Policy
• Workplace Communication Policy

PROCEDURES

Dealing with personal information

In dealing with personal information, Brighter Healthcare staff will:

• Ensure privacy for clients, staff, or management when they are being interviewed or discussing matters of a personal or sensitive nature
• Only collect and store personal information that is necessary for the functioning of the organisation and its activities
• Use fair and lawful ways to collect personal information
• Collect personal information only by consent from an individual
• Ensure that people know what sort of personal information is held, what purposes it is held it for and how it is collected, used, disclosed and who will have access to it
• Ensure that personal information collected or disclosed is accurate, complete and up-to-date, and provide access to any individual to review information or correct wrong information about themselves
• Take reasonable steps to protect all personal information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure
• Destroy or permanently de-identify personal information no longer needed and/or after legal requirements for retaining documents have expired.

Privacy information for clients

At the first interview clients will be told what information is being collected, how their
privacy will be protected and their rights in relation to this information.

Privacy for interviews and personal discussions

To ensure privacy for clients or staff when discussing sensitive or personal matters, Brighter Healthcare will:

• Only collect personal information which is necessary for the provision of services
  provided on the site;
• Which is given voluntarily; and
• Which will be stored securely on the Brighter Healthcare database

When in possession or control of a record containing personal information, Brighter Healthcare will ensure that:

• The record is protected against loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclose,
  by such steps as it is reasonable in the circumstances to take;
• If it is necessary for that record to be given to a person in connection with the
  provision of a service to Brighter Healthcare, everything reasonable will be done to
  prevent unauthorised use or disclosure of that record.

Brighter Healthcare will not disclose such personal information to a third party:

• Without the individuals consent; or
• Unless that disclosure is required or authorised by or under law

REFERENCES:

• NDIS (Quality and Safeguards) Commission 2018
• Privacy Act 1989
• National Standards for Disability Services 2013