Privacy & Security Policy

Purpose and Scope:

From the Heart WA is committed to protecting the privacy of personal and health information that is supplied to the agency in the course of carrying out its stated functions.

From the Heart WA is bound by the requirements of the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 and the Health Records Act 2001. From the Heart WA has adopted the National Privacy Principles as the minimum standards in relation to the handling of personal and health information.

Policy:

Section 1: Collection of Information

1. Information may be obtained verbally by telephone, from mail, electronic mail via the internet or from facsimile, or as a result of personal contact. Information may also include that which is formally requested by From the Heart WA via proforma registration forms for the purpose of maintaining membership records, referral databases and staff and volunteer records.
2. From the Heart WA will only collect and use information in a fair and lawful manner that is necessary for its functions and activities.
3. From the Heart WA will collect information from the person to whom the information relates and in a non-intrusive manner.
4. From the Heart WA will collect information from a third party where the collection of that information has been authorised by the person concerned, or someone legally authorised to provide information on their behalf.
5. From the Heart WA will ensure that a person knows why the agency requires information from them and how that information will be managed, including the secure destruction of the information.
6. From the Heart WA will take reasonable steps to ensure that all personal information collected and held by the agency is accurate and current. Individuals may inform From the Heart WA of changes to personal and health information or the agency may contact individuals to ensure that the information held is accurate and current.
7. At the request of an individual From the Heart WA will provide that person with access to their own information and will correct or remove information held. Information removed will be securely destroyed by the agency.
8. Personal information collected by From the Heart WA may be sensitive information under the National Privacy Principles (eg information about racial or ethnic origins, religious beliefs, or sexual preferences). This information will only be collected with the consent of the person to whom it relates and for the purpose of providing a relevant service.

Section 2: Collection of Support Call Information

1. In accordance with the Health Records Act (2001) From the Heart WA Staff and Volunteers will not retain any recorded identifying information relating to telephone calls. This means that all notes taken during a support call need to be shredded once the call has been concluded.
2. The only exceptions to this situation include occasions when:
a) The caller agrees to a follow up call being made by the support worker. The support worker will only obtain enough identifying information from the caller to make the call possible, for example, first name and telephone number.
b) The caller requires and requests the support worker to personally refer them to another service, for example the worker telephoning a service on a client's behalf and supplying the agency with identifying information.
In both these situations the identifying information can be recorded on a contact sheet with a very brief description of the circumstances surrounding the call. Records will be stored in a locked, secure filing cabinet each day and at any time the From the Heart WA office is unattended
The client being offered a follow up support call is to be informed that their information is being recorded and stored securely and that it will be shredded once the contact arrangement has been satisfied.
c) The caller requires printed information to be posted to them directly in which case names and addresses will be recorded, whenever possible, directly onto the envelope for posting. If details are written separately, to be transcribed onto the envelope at a later time, this information then will be shredded.
3. From the Heart WA Staff and Volunteers will only use and disclose information for the primary or directly related purpose for which it was collected.
4. From the Heart WA Staff and Volunteers will only use and disclose information for other specified purposes with the consent of the person concerned e.g. research.
5. From the Heart WA Staff and Volunteers will only use and disclose information as authorised by law, including where it is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the wellbeing of any person.
6. Requests for support via email will be responded to in the same way and the email deleted once dealt with.

Policy Section 3: Information Security

1. From the Heart WA will take reasonable steps to keep personal and health information held by the agency secure from loss, unauthorised access, use or disclosure.
2. If information is no longer required by the agency, From the Heart WA will arrange for that information to be securely destroyed.

Policy Section 4: Privacy of Members

1. From the Heart WA needs to collect personal information from individuals in order to create and administer memberships. This information will only be collected on the prescribed form.
2. Membership information may also be used by From the Heart WA to advise members of activities within the organization, or that the organization has access to, for example newsletters, education/training workshops.
3. From the Heart WA may also use non-identifying membership information for the purposes of research.
4. From the Heart WA shall take responsibility for ensuring that personal information collected is protected from misuse or unauthorised access.

Policy Section 5: Privacy of Volunteers

1. From the Heart WA needs to collect personal information about volunteers who assist the organisation in its functions. From the Heart WA uses this personal information in the training, placement and supervision of volunteers. Personal information is also collected to satisfy occupational health and safety obligations and insurance requirements.
2. Personal information is collected to assist From the Heart WA in advising volunteers of From the Heart WA's activities or activities that From the Heart WA has access to. Personal information relating to volunteers will be collected on the prescribed form.
3. From the Heart WA will ensure that personal information collected will be protected from misuse or unauthorised access. Volunteers representing From the Heart WA at external functions and agencies may have personal information relevant to the performance of their volunteer duties released by From the Heart WA to the external agency. This will be done with the consent of the volunteer concerned.
4. From the Heart WA will ensure that the agencies in receipt of personal information act in accordance with the National Privacy Principles.

Policy Section 6: Privacy of Practitioner Database Members

1. From the Heart WA will maintain an electronic data base of information relating to individual practitioners specialising in or with special interests in the management of antenatal and postnatal mood disorders.
2. The information collected and held on the database will be used for the purposes of referral in response to requests for information and support from callers to the support line.
3. Information will only be collected on the prescribed email/paper form and supplied by the practitioner themselves.
4. From the Heart WA may use information collected from practitioners to advise of activities or information relevant to the service.
5. From the Heart WA will ensure that information collected will be protected from misuse and unauthorised access.

INQUIRIES RELATED TO PRIVACY

Inquiries related to the management of personal and health information held by From the Heart WA should be directed to the President of the From the Heart WA Committee. If a person wishes to obtain access to correct or remove information held about them by From the Heart WA the President of the From the Heart WA Committee should be contacted.

The President can be contacted at:

From the Heart WA
PO Box 548 Subiaco WA 6008

PH: (08) 9340 1622
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