|
moran health
care group privacy
policy |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
We Respect Your Privacy Moran Health Care Group (MHCG) is committed to the highest standards of professionalism in the delivery of all our health services, whether those services are provided to: · residents in our care in MHCG’s aged care facilities; · individuals who have applied to take up residency in our facilities; or · the families and friends of our residents. MHCG understands that privacy is
important to you and respects the privacy of all our residents, their
families and friends, and other people we do business with (such as our
contractors and health service professionals we deal with). Our staff and the health professionals we
deal with are bound by their own ethical obligations of confidentiality as
health professionals. Since 21 December 2001, MHCG has been
subject to the requirements of the National Privacy Principles (NPPs).
The NPPs are contained in the Privacy
Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and govern
how private sector organisations like MHCG must
handle personal information. This
document sets out our Privacy Policy and describes how MHCG handles personal
information. We recommend that you read this
Privacy Policy and retain it for future reference. It applies to all entities which comprise
the Moran Health Care Group (as listed at the end of this Privacy Policy). 1.
What types of personal information is collected by the
Moran Health Care Group and how is it used?
In order for us to provide our
services and conduct our business, MHCG needs to collect a range of different
types of personal information. “Personal information” is any
information or opinion about an individual whose identity is apparent, or can
reasonably be determined from the information or opinion. Basically, personal information is
information or an opinion which identifies a person. Personal information also includes
sensitive information about individuals (such as details of a person’s race
or religion, or health information).
“Health information” includes information about a person’s health or
disability, how a person has requested to be provided with health services,
or any health service that is provided to a person. It covers information which may be stored
in paper form, electronically, or visually (such as x-rays). We have established procedures to ensure
that we only collect health information and sensitive information with the
consent of the relevant resident. We don’t collect personal information
that we don’t need and we use the personal information we do collect to
provide our health services, or in connection with providing health services.
The types of personal information
that MHCG collects will depend on the nature of your dealings with us: (i)
Residents.
If you are a resident in a MHCG facility (or if you have made an
application to be a resident), MHCG will collect a range of personal
information from you, including health information, (with your consent). This may include details of your medical
history, your age, your occupation and other information about your
lifestyle.
There may be instances where it is necessary for MHCG to
collect personal information about a resident (or a prospective resident)
without their consent. This includes
where the individual has limited capacity to provide such information, and
that information is needed to enable MHCG to provide its services to that
individual. In such cases, MHCG may
collect personal information from a person who has enduring power of attorney
in relation to the resident, or in emergency situations, from the
individual’s relatives or friends. We may also collect personal information without your
consent in circumstances where your health may be at risk, such as if we need
your personal information to give you urgent medical attention. (ii)
Family and friends. Sometimes we collect contact details from
the family and friends of MHCG residents.
We use this personal information in connection with the services we
provide to those residents, including where that resident has requested a
family or friend to be recorded as a contact person.
(iii)
Health care professionals. A number of health care professionals who
are not part of the MHCG help MHCG to provide health services to
residents. These persons include
doctors, specialists and pharmacists. We
use personal information collected from such persons (including name,
business address and business contact details) in connection with the
delivery of those health services.
(iv)
Business contacts. We may collect the business contact details
of other people we do business with, such as external service providers or
government agencies. This information
is only used for the business purpose for which it was collected, such as
managing a particular contract. We may
also associate personal information with details of our previous business
dealings with you.
Sometimes we are legally required to
collect personal information, including where there may be a threat to public
health, or in circumstances where we need to report
on the details of a person’s treatment, or in connection with the monitoring
of health services provided by MHCG.
Our use (and disclosure, as discussed below) of personal information
in such instances will be in accordance with the Privacy Act. Please be aware that personal
information about you may be shared between the entities in the MHCG. For example, this may occur if you are a
resident and you are transferred to a different facility. The entities in the MHCG are listed at the
end of this Privacy Policy. 2.
Will Your Personal Information Be Given To Anyone Else?
MHCG will not sell, rent or trade
personal information about you to or with third parties. Personal information may be disclosed
outside of MHCG in circumstances which include: (i)
where you have consented
to the disclosure, or (if you are a resident) a competent person has
consented to the disclosure on your behalf;
(ii)
where that disclosure is
in accordance with the purpose for which we collected the information, or is
directly related to the purpose of collection. For example, we may disclose a resident’s
health information to a health professional if the information is needed to
treat that resident;
(iii)
where specialised functions as part of our health services are
performed by parties outside MHCG, such as where MHCG outsources those
functions. MHCG takes reasonable steps
when contracting with those third parties to ensure that your personal
information is handled in accordance with the Privacy Act; and
(iv)
when we have a legal
obligation to disclose personal information (such as to government or as
required under health regulations) or where such disclosure is permitted by
law (including under the Privacy Act).
3.
Security of Your Personal Information
MHCG takes all reasonable steps to
safeguard the security of personal information we hold. We have procedures to ensure that your
personal information is protected from unauthorised
access, use, modification or disclosure.
MHCG staff are provided with access to
personal information on a “need to know” basis. 4.
Access and Correction
Under the Privacy Act, you have the
right to request access to the personal information which MHCG holds about you . You also have
the right to ask us to update or correct personal information about you if it
is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
There are some exceptions to these rights, including where providing
access would pose a serious threat to the life or health of a person (in the
case of health information), and where the personal information was collected
before 21 December 2001, and has not been used or disclosed by MHCG since
that time. If you wish to exercise your right
under the Privacy Act to seek access to the personal information that MHCG
holds about you, we ask that you contact the Director of Nursing at the MHCG
facility you deal with. MHCG has
developed a Procedure for Access to and Correction of Personal Information (the Procedure). Under the Procedure, we will ask you to
complete a Request Form, which will enable you to set out exactly what
personal information you wish to access or correct. MHCG’s policy is to acknowledge your
request for access or correction within 7 days. Depending on the type of personal
information you are seeking access to, we will strive to provide access
promptly, usually within 30 days from the date of your request. It may be that your personal information is
held across a number of different MHCG facilities. If so, it may take a little longer to process
your request. 5.
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions or comments
about the Moran Health Care Group Privacy Policy, or if you wish to make a
complaint about how we have handled personal information about you, please
contact the Operations Logging System: by letter at: Operations
Logging System Moran
Health Care Group Pty Limited Locked
Bag 28 Australia
Square NSW 1215 by email at moran@moran.com.au by facsimile on +61 2 8272 0022 by telephone on +61 2 9247 6666 Our Privacy Policy was last updated
on 12 August 2004. The Moran Health Care Group Privacy Policy may change from
time to time. 6.
The Moran Health Care Group
This Privacy Policy applies to all
the entities in the Moran Health Care Group, including:
|