Privacy

Adelaide PHN gives priority to protecting your personal information. We do this by handling personal information in a responsible manner and in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

This Privacy Statement sets out how Adelaide PHN collects, stores, uses and discloses personal information.

What is Personal Information

Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. This includes sensitive information which is information related to racial or ethnic origin, political opinion, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or criminal record, and/or health information.

Purposes for which Adelaide PHN collects, holds and uses personal information

We collect, hold and use personal information if it is reasonably necessary for one or more of our business functions or activities. This may include:

  • commissioning health and community services
  • providing referral management services through the Central Referral Unit
  • recruitment functions
  • stakeholder and relationship management
  • training and events
  • surveys and general research
  • goods and service transactions
  • reporting of quantitative and qualitative information to funding bodies

Kinds of information Adelaide PHN collects and holds

The personal information we collect and hold is necessary for one or more of our business functions or activities and generally includes your name, date of birth, gender, address, contact details and information specific to the service or business relationship you have with us.

Where we commission health and community services and provide referral management services through the Central Referral Unit, we also collect and maintain your sensitive information. This includes information about your health, as well as referral information and case notes which describe the interventions provided by our commissioned health and community service providers. Sensitive information is only collected and stored with your consent.

For employment applications, we collect your name, address, contact details, current and past employment information, educational qualifications and professional associations. We also collect information about and proof of your residency status, the name and contact details of your referees and other information required for recruitment purposes. Where we seek your consent to conduct a background check, we also collect details of your proof of identity from you. 

How Adelaide PHN collects and holds personal information

We collect personal information directly from you in person, in writing, over the telephone, from our website and by electronic messages.

We collect your personal information (with your consent), including sensitive information, from our commissioned health and community service providers.

We may also collect personal information about you through publicly available information sources (which may include telephone directories, the internet and social media sites) and direct marketing database providers.

We may hold your personal information in a number of ways, including:

  • in our computer systems or databases,
  • in paper records; and/or
  • in telephone recordings

Where personal information has been collected from our commissioned health and community service providers, they will also hold copies of your information.

Website and other data tracking

We may collect information about your visit to our website and use cookies to assist us to measure and improve our website and understand how to improve our services.

Cookies are small information files that an end user's web browser places on their computer when a website is visited. For information on disabling these cookies, please go to the privacy settings section within your browser.

Email

We retain the content and associated data of any email that you send to us if we believe we have a legal requirement to do so. Your email message content may be monitored by our employees and our response to you may also be monitored for quality assurance issues.

Direct Marketing

We will only use or disclose your personal information for direct marketing purposes with your consent.

You can opt out of receiving direct marketing communications from us by contacting the Privacy Officer in writing or accessing our website and unsubscribing appropriately.

Disclosure of Personal Information

We will only disclose your personal information for the purpose for which it is collected and with your consent, unless authorised by law to do so, or in the interests of your health and safety.

We will only disclose your personal information to an overseas recipient with your knowledge and where the recipient can demonstrate compliance with Australian privacy obligations.

Integrity and security of personal information

We will protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

If we hold personal information that is no longer needed for one of our business activities or functions and we are not required by law to retain it, we will destroy the information or ensure it is de-identified.

Contact us

Adelaide PHN aims to ensure that your personal information is accurate, up to date, complete and relevant. If you would like to seek access to, or revise, your personal information, or feel that the information we currently have on record is incorrect or incomplete, please contact our Privacy Officer, as follows:

We will respond to any enquiry within 30 days. A charge may apply for giving access to personal information.

Making a Complaint

If you believe that we have interfered with your privacy in our handling of your personal information, you may lodge a complaint by contacting us, as above.

If you are unhappy with the resolution of your complaint or the way Adelaide PHN has handled your complaint, you may refer your complaint in writing to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as below:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner

GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001

Fax: +612 9284 9666
enquiries@oaic.gov.au