Privacy Policy

Our Policies

Following pages informs about our key policies, procedures and standards that we will endeavour to achieve through our services.

These policies, procedures and standards will be regularly reviewed and continuously improved so that we keep on providing quality services to our participants.

Each policy is composed of the following components:

Purpose and Scope – mentions the reasons for having the policy and scope it covers

Policy – mentions the policy itself

Procedures – mentions how the policy will be implemented

Standards – how we will ascertain that policy is being implemented and process that will inform us about improvements

Review – when the policy will be reviewed

Privacy, Dignity and Confidentiality 

Policy Statement

The purpose of this policy is to establish standards of privacy, dignity and confidentiality in the agency’s dealings with prospective, current and past users of the agency’s services. The policy has been framed around individuals’ rights as they are specified in the Privacy Act (1988), Freedom of Information Act (1982), Disability Services Act (1993) and Standard 4 of the Disability Services Standards (1993).

The agency is committed to ensuring that all participants of the agency have the same level of privacy, dignity and confidentiality as is expected by the rest of the community.

Standards

1. Only collect information about the participant that can be shown to be directly relevant to effective service delivery and the agency’s duty of care responsibilities. 

2. Seek the written consent of the participant or family prior to obtaining information from or to any other source. 

3. Ensure that personal information is stored securely and is not left on view to unauthorized agency staff or the

4. Ensure that only those agency staff who need access to the above information will be granted access. 

5. Ensure that personal information about a participant is only held by the agency as long as it is remains relevant to the delivery of effective services and the agency’s duty of care obligations.

6. Promptly investigate, remedy and document any consumer grievance regarding privacy, dignity or confidentiality.

7. All personal information Orison Care collects to manage incidents must be handled in accordance with the Privacy and Confidentiality Policy and Procedure.

8. Photos, videos and other recordings are a form of personal information. Staff must respect people’s choices about being photographed or videoed and ensure images of people are used appropriately. This includes being aware of cultural sensitivities and the need for some images to be treated with special care.

Procedures

1. All participants and their families will be provided with a copy of the agency’s policies and procedures including policy on privacy, dignity and confidentiality. 

2. Participants and families will be informed why the information sought is required by the agency. 

3. The agency will maintain a participant information system that houses all personal information pertaining to an individual participant in one locality. 

4. Participant files are stored in lockable filing cabinets in a non-public place in the office and files are returned to their proper location as soon as they are no longer required. 

5. Any grievances will be addressed in accordance with the privacy, dignity and confidentiality principles outlined in this policy

6. Staff must keep information about incidents confidential. They may only disclose necessary detail if they are required to do so by law, or if not disclosing is likely to place the safety, health or wellbeing of any person at risk.

7. All information regarding incidents is kept securely. All records regarding incidents must be retained for at least 7 years from the date they were created.
8. Staff shall be provided orientation to be culturally sensitive and respecting people’s choices about being photographed or videoed and their images to be used carefully

Please refer to the following attached Easy Read that is a part of this Policies and Procedures that is ‘Privacy’

The following documents and templates/forms related to this policy:

• Policies and procedures (ref: privacy and dignity policy)
• Participant welcome packs (ref: privacy and dignity policy)
• Easy read Privacy policy