Privacy Statement
Acacia Healthcare is bound by the Australian Privacy Act 1988 as well as other laws that impose specific obligations in regard to handling personal and health information that directly or indirectly identifies a person. The privacy policy and principles in this document are in accordance with these laws.
Acacia Healthcare is committed to protecting the privacy of personal and health information. This Privacy Policy embodies this commitment.
The policy supports Acacia Healthcare’s need to collect information and the right of the individual to privacy. It ensures that Acacia Healthcare can collect personal and health information necessary for its services and functions, while recognising the right of individuals to have their information handled in ways that they would reasonably expect and in ways that protect the privacy of their personal and health information.
Personal and health information is collected and used by Acacia Healthcare for the following purposes:
- to provide services or to carry out Acacia Healthcare functions
- to assist Acacia Healthcare and its employees to fulfil its duty of care to children
- to plan, fund, monitor and evaluate services and functions
- to investigate incidents and/or defend any legal claims against the service, or its employees.
A complaint about information privacy is an expression of dissatisfaction Acacia Healthcare’s procedures, staff, agents or quality of service associated with the collection or handling of personal or health information. Acacia Healthcare will be efficient and fair when investigating and responding to information privacy complaints. The process for investigation and response to these complaints is set out in Acacia’s Complaints Procedure which can be access by calling the main office number.
The key Information Privacy Principles (IPPs) and Health Privacy Principles (HPPs) Principles are listed here. Only the key principles have been selected and are provided in summary. The full exceptions qualifying many of the principles are not included.
Collection: Acacia Healthcare must collect only personal and health information that is necessary for performance or functions. Individuals should be told why this information is required, what it will be used for and that they can gain access to their personal and health information.
Use and disclosure: Acacia Healthcare must only use or disclose personal and health information: for the primary purpose for which it was collected; for a related secondary purpose (which must be a directly related purpose in the case of health or sensitive information) that the person would reasonably expect; with the consent of the person and unless otherwise required, permitted or authorised by law principles.
Data quality: Acacia Healthcare must make sure personal and health information is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
Data security: Acacia Healthcare must take reasonable steps to protect personal and health information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.
Openness: Acacia Healthcare must document clearly expressed policies on management of personal and health information and make these policies available to anyone who asks for them.
Access and correction: Individuals have a right to seek access to their personal and health information and make corrections.