This policy applies to McH’s collection and handling of personal information, sensitive information, and health information. Health information and other sensitive information is subject to a higher level of protection than other personal information. These terms have specific meanings within applicable privacy laws.

Personal information generally means information or an opinion about an individual whose identity is reasonably identifiable from the information or opinion, regardless of whether the information or opinion is true and whether or not it is recorded in a material form. For example: a person’s name, address, marital status or family history.

Under normal circumstances McH collects personal information about an individual directly from that individual (for example, when you complete a form).  However, if McHcollects personal information about an individual from someone else (for example, when receiving a referral from another agency), McH will take reasonable steps to inform the relevant individual of the collection unless doing so would pose a serious threat to the life or health of any individual or would involve the disclosure of information given in confidence.

If you do not provide us with the personal information we request, we may not be able to respond to your requests or manage your case appropriately.  In some cases, the law may require you to provide personal information to us.

Health information generally means:

• personal information about an individual’s health, illness, injury or disability (for example, a medical diagnosis);
• personal information about health services provided to an individual, or the individual’s expressed wishes about the future provision of health services to him or her;
• personal information collected to provide health services to the individual;
• personal information collected for donations of body parts, organs and substances; and
• genetic information about an individual that could predict the health of the individual or a genetic relative.

Sensitive information generally means information or an opinion in specific categories, including health information (as discussed above) and other genetic and biometric information, as well as information about an individual’s criminal record, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious beliefs or affiliations, philosophical beliefs, membership of a professional or trade association, membership of a trade union, or sexual preferences or practices.

In addition to its duties under privacy legislation, McH has a responsibility to protect the security and confidentiality of all information which it collects, generates, stores and uses in the course of providing its services, whether or not that information directly relates to an individual who can be identified from the information.

Data Collection:

To offer its services, McH must collect a varying range of information. This may include:

• Identifying information such as name, address, telephone number, place and date of birth, gender, nationality, ethnicity, language spoken;

• Next of kin details, including place and date of birth of parents and siblings, family and relationship background information, name and contact details for significant others, guardianship information;

• Accommodation and respite support details, carer’s details and transport requirements;

• Personal information such as unique identifiers, social security information, Medicare number and concession cards;

• Sensitive content may include support requested and provided, psycho social history, counselling reports, court reports, behavioural history, likes and dislikes and interests, photos and videos of activities, assessment and therapy sessions;

• Special needs information including type, extent and support required, need assessment information, health details including medical records, medical summaries, medication reviews and history, and daily activity reports; and

• Program specific paperwork, forms and reports.

McH will only collect personal information where it is lawful to do so. We collect information by fair and lawful means and not in an unreasonably intrusive way.

Data Quality

McH must take steps that are reasonable in the circumstances to make sure that, having regard to the purpose for which the information is to be used, the personal information, sensitive information and health information it collects, uses, holds or discloses is accurate, complete, up to date, not misleading and remains relevant to its functions or activities.

McH complies with its legal obligations for retaining health records.  Otherwise, McH takes reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify personal information if it is no longer needed for any purpose.

‘Aggregated information’ may not be regarded as ‘personal information’ under privacy laws, however this kind of information must also only be used or disclosed as part of the duties of McH personnel or as directed by McH management.

Complaints, access and correction
Individuals can make a request to access or correct their personal information held by McH, or make an enquiry or complaint about McH’s information-handling practices, by contacting:

McComack Housing Operations Manager

Post:              PO Box 14278, Melbourne 8001

Telephone:    03 9413 7000

Email:            info@mccormackhousing.org.au

Unique identifiers
A unique identifier (usually a number) is assigned by an organisation to an individual to identify that individual for the purposes of the operations of the organisation but does not include an identifier that consists only of the individual’s name.
McH will not adopt a government identifier (such as a drivers licence or Medicare number) as its own identifier of an individual unless it is required or authorised to do so by law.

Anonymity
Wherever it is lawful and practical individuals must have the option of not identifying themselves or of using a pseudonym when dealing with McH.

Trans-border data flows
McH may transfer personal information, including health information, between Australian states (for example, information entered in our data management system may be accessible by McH personnel across state borders).
McH does not generally transfer personal information overseas. McH will only transfer personal information overseas if permitted to do so under the relevant privacy laws.

Closure of the practice of a service provider
If McH discontinues its health services it will give notice of the closure to past service users directly and by way of notice in a metropolitan newspaper.

Making information available to another service provider
McH will make health information relating to an individual available to another health service provider if requested to do so by the individual.

Dealing with unsolicited personal information
If McH receives unsolicited information, and determines that it could not have legally collected that information, McH will destroy the information or de-identify the information as soon as practicable, but only if it is lawful to do so.
If McH determines that it could have collected unsolicited personal information, McH may retain that information.

Direct marketing
McH will not use or disclose any information for the purposes of direct marketing.