OUR OBLIGATION TO YOU UNDER
PRIVACY LEGISLATION
As a requirement of the Privacy Act 1988, and the National Privacy Principles deriving from that legislation, all clients of the Independent Living Centre of WA Inc. must be informed of:
- The reasons they may be asked to provide personal information,
- Their right to refuse to provide that information,
- The manner in which any personal information which they do provide will be stored, and
- The purposes for which such information may be used.
What will any personal information be used for?
The Independent Living Centre of WA Inc. (ILC) is a not-for-profit organisation which receives funding from a number of regulatory authorities (such as Disability Services Commission) in order to carry out its core business. ILC has a responsibility to report the type of work it is carrying out on behalf of the funder, as well as some details of the consumers who use its services. The collection of basic demographic data from clients assists ILC to provide this information to funding bodies, and thereby assists with service development.
From time to time, ILC also works with other health professionals who are providing services to clients, and there may be communication with these health professionals to carry out the process of service delivery. Other health professionals involved in such interactions are also bound by the National Privacy Principles.
The ILC has a strong commitment to service improvement, and may use information provided by clients to monitor the quality of its service provision by seeking direct feedback from consumers of its services.
The ILC also needs to send requested information to you if you contact us by phone, fax, mail or e-mail, and basic details are required to do this.
Where a financial transaction occurs between ILC and a client, relevant information is collected to complete that transaction.
What information will be collected about you?
The ILC will seek basic demographic data from you such as your name, address and/or phone number, fax number, e-mail address. In addition you will be asked to provide information about the nature of difficulty you may be experiencing, your diagnosis where relevant, and whether or not you have private health insurance .
Where an invoice is to be raised, billing details will be requested.
Your permission will be sought before any information is recorded and retained by ILC.
How will information be collected and stored?
ILC will collect personal information about you in the following ways:
- ILC will ask you directly over the telephone, or
- request that you complete a brief form when you attend the centre, or
- have information about you provided by another health professional.
The ILC uses physical and electronic measures to ensure that access to personal information is controlled, thereby minimising the likelihood of loss, misuse, or unauthorised use or disclosure of information.
To whom will this information be provided?
The Independent Living Centre of WA Inc. reassures its service users that all personal information it collects is strictly confidential and that ILC will not disclose such information to another party except in the following situations:
- Where there is a statutory obligation to do so,
- Where relevant regulatory bodies such as those who fund service provision require such disclosure,
- Where contracted individuals require the specific personal information to evaluate and monitor service provision from the ILC.
In the event that ILC is required to disclose personal information, ILC will require all involved parties to that disclosure to protect the information in the same way in which ILC protects such information.