1. General
At all times Deaf Children Australia recognises and respects each client's, donor's, job seeker's and employee's right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality in all aspects of his or her life and ensures that all clients, donors, job seekers and employees enjoy:

  • freedom from intrusion and public attention,
  • being treated with honour, respect and worthiness,
  • an assurance that written and spoken information is protected from access and use by unauthorised persons.

2. Deaf Children Australia Privacy Officer
The CEO shall appoint a Privacy Officer to continually monitor and ensure staff awareness and adherence to this Policy, and handle access requests and complaints.

 

3. Deaf Children Australia Privacy Policy
Consistent with the National Privacy Principles and State Legislation, Deaf Children Australia guarantees that:

    3.1 Collection: Deaf Children Australia will only request personal information that is pertinent to the transaction. When this information is provided, Deaf Children Australia guarantees to protect that information and prevent any security breaches. That information, however, may be stored and processed on a secure database in order to meet personal needs and improve service.

    3.2. Use and disclose: Deaf Children Australia will not divulge any information gathered from clients, donors, job seekers and employees to any third party without prior written consent (or the written consent of a legal guardian) except:

  • non-identifying data required by funding bodies and by government departments for planning purposes,
  • where it is reasonable that the disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen serious threat to the life or health of the client or another person,

3.3 Data Quality: Deaf Children Australia will endeavour to take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information collected, used or disclosed, is accurate, complete and up-to-date.

3.4 Data Security: Deaf Children Australia will ensure that all personal information held is protected from misuse, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Deaf Children Australia will destroy or de-identify personal information that is no longer required. Under the Health Records Act , Deaf Children Australia is required to retain client records for seven years after closure of the file.

3.5 Openness: Deaf Children Australia will take reasonable steps to provide clients, donors, job seekers and employees, on request, with details of personal information being held. Deaf Children Australia will inform all clients, donors, job seekers and employees of the type of personal information held and the purpose for it being held, the method of collection, use and disclosure of the information.

3.6 Access and Correction: A right of access is available regarding personal information held, by way of a written request to the Deaf Children Australia Privacy Officer. Deaf Children Australia will provide this access within twenty-one days of original request.

3.7 Identifiers: Deaf Children Australia will not adopt as an identifier of clients, donors, job seekers and employees that which has been assigned by an external agency or contracted service provider.

3.8 Anonymity: Deaf Children Australia will give clients and donors the option of not identifying themselves when entering transactions with Deaf Children Australia, whenever it is lawful and practicable.

3.9 Sensitive Information: Deaf Children Australia will only collect or disclose sensitive information about clients, donors, job seekers and employees with consent or if it is required by law.

3.10 Historical Records: Deaf Children Australia was established in the 1860s and has accumulated an important collection of historical data, including details personal information on clients and students of our schools. These records are retained as part of the most important historical record of the deaf community in Victoria and access to will be at the Board's discretion.

 

REFERENCES:

  • VICTORIAN DISABILITY SERVICE STANDARDS - Standard 4 - Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality: To ensure that each client's right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality in all aspects of his or her life is recognised and respected.
  • ISO 9002 - Management Responsibility, Statistical Techniques, Purchasing, Contract Review, Process Control, Control of Non-conforming Product, Corrective and Preventive Action, Document and Data Control, Control of Customer Supplied Product, Control of Quality Records.
  • DEAF CHILDREN AUSTRALIA GOVERNANCE POLICIES - GP3.3: Fundraising, GP3.8: Treatment of Staff, GP3.9: Treatment of Consumers, GP3.10: Public Affairs.
  • Information Privacy Act 2000 (Vic)
  • Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)
  • Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000 (Commonwealth)

POLICY IMPLEMENTATION:
This policy has been implemented in part or full by our Quality Procedure/s that are listed below:

  • QP001: MANAGEMENT REVIEW, STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
  • QP02: STAFF SELECTION AND TRAINING
  • QP03: DOCUMENT AND DATA CONTROL
  • QP04: GRIEVANCES AND PROBLEMS AND CORRECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE ACTION
  • QP05: INTERNAL QUALITY AUDITS
  • QP07: CLIENT SERVICES (Including QP07A to QP07C)
  • QP10: PURCHASING OF EXTERNALLY SUPPLIED CLIENT SERVICES
  • QP11: ACCOMMODATION
  • QP12: RECREATION
  • QP13: DEAF CHILDREN AUSTRALIA EMPLOYMENT