Your privacy

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Access SA is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information. We do this by ensuring the way we collect, use, store and disclose your personal information, and respond to requests to access or correct it, complies with the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

 

The information below explains how we handle your personal information and the rights and obligations that you and Access SA have in relation to it.

 

How we collect your information

 

We primarily collect personal information directly from you, for example through meetings, appointments, correspondence, telephone conversations and emails.

 

We may also collect information about you from third parties in specific circumstances, for example through a referral form or communication from another organisation or agency.

 

Where we collect information in this way, it will generally include your name, contact details and information relevant to the nature of the referral or service you are accessing.

 

Kinds of information we hold about you

 

We only hold information about you where it is relevant to the service you are receiving.

 

Generally, this may include your name, contact details and information about your circumstances relevant to the service. It may also include information about your family and other key relationships gathered during an intake or assessment process.

 

We may hold sensitive information about you, such as information about your health or ethnic origin, where it is relevant to providing services to you.

 

How we hold your information

 

Depending on the circumstances, we may hold your information in hard copy or electronic form, or both. We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

 

How we use your information

 

We may use your personal information:

 

• to provide services to you

• for assessment, risk management and review relating to the service you are accessing

• to identify and inform you about other relevant services or programs that may be of interest to you.

 

How we disclose your information

 

We only disclose your personal information in limited circumstances. Generally, disclosure will only occur for a purpose directly related to the service we are providing to you.

 

Disclosure may also occur where permitted or required under the Privacy Act 1988, including with your consent or where we are legally required to disclose information. This may include circumstances involving a court order, significant risk of harm or a medical emergency, where information may need to be provided to relevant authorities or emergency services.

 

Access SA operates within applicable information-sharing requirements and guidelines, which may allow information to be shared or sought without consent where reasonably necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to the life, health or safety of a person or group of people.

 

How we secure your information

 

We hold hard copy and electronic records containing personal information securely to protect them from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

 

Our workers follow information-handling procedures, and access to personal information is limited to those who require it to provide services to you.

 

We securely dispose of personal information when it is no longer required, subject to our legal and record-keeping obligations.

 

Your right of access

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You may request access to personal information we hold about you at any time by contacting your Access SA counsellor or consultant directly, or by sending a written request to:

 

Access SA
Privacy enquiries
45 Wakefield Street
Adelaide SA 5000

 

You do not need to provide a reason for your request. Please let us know how you would prefer to access your information.

 

Once we have verified your identity, your request will be forwarded to the appropriate manager and access will be arranged in an appropriate manner. Where your personal information is held together with information about another person, we can only provide access to information relating to you.

 

In limited circumstances, and where permitted under the Privacy Act 1988, we may not be able to provide access to some or all of your information. This may include situations where providing access would have an unreasonable impact on another person's privacy or where we are required by law to withhold information. If we are unable to provide access, we will explain why.

 

Correcting your information

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If you believe personal information we hold about you is out of date or incorrect, you may ask us to correct it.

 

If we disagree about the accuracy of information and are unable to change it, you may provide a statement disputing its accuracy and ask us to associate that statement with your information.

 

Changes to our Privacy Policy

 

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, practices or legal obligations. Any updated Privacy Policy will be published on the Access SA website.

 

Making a complaint

 

If you are not satisfied with how we have handled your personal information, you may make a complaint by contacting your Access SA counsellor or consultant, or by contacting us at:

 

Access SA
Feedback & complaints
45 Wakefield Street
Adelaide

SA 5000

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Alternatively, contact us on (08) 8215 6799 or online here.

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We will ensure your complaint is directed to the appropriate person and will work with you to respond to your concerns.

 

If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or you do not believe your concerns have been adequately addressed, you may lodge a complaint with the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner (HCSCC). Information about making a complaint is available on the HCSCC website.

 

Further information

 

If you would like further information about this Privacy Policy or the personal information Access SA holds about you, please contact us on (08) 8215 6799 or online here.