Policy number OPS16
Version #1
Approved by Board 27 April 2020
Policy:
The Centre is committed to handling personal information responsibly and with respect for the principle that people have control over the way information about them is handled.
The Centre will endeavour to protect confidentiality, and will create an environment of respect and privacy for program participants, service users, staff and volunteers. Confidentiality applies to verbal information, written information and information stored electronically.
Staff may share information with their supervisor for the purposes of supervision and debriefing. Information disclosed will be treated confidentially by the supervisor.
Information about staff, volunteers, program participants and Centre users shall remain confidential except where the person gives consent or where it involves:
• serious illegal actions on the part of a person involved with The Centre
• any issue which could endanger the safety of other people
• any issue which could endanger a person and/or dependent children
• where a staff member is obliged to make a notification to the Department of Health & Human Services
In such a case, the person concerned must be informed directly that any information they give (ie on violent crimes, child abuse) may need to be reported to the relevant authority in accordance with Victorian or Federal laws.
Principles:
Personal information is collected for purposes directly related to a service or activity of The Centre.
When collecting personal information, we will be open about why it is being collected and to whom it might be disclosed. We will on request detail then reason(s) the information is being collected, who will have access to the information and where the information will be stored.
We endeavour to protect records by reasonable safeguards against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure, or against any other use.
A period for which each type of information is kept in hard copy and electronically is established.
Criteria will be developed for obtaining, retaining, destroying or de-identifying personal information.
If at any point confidential personal information is to be handled for purposes not in accordance with why it was collected, the person’s consent must be obtained.
Files created by staff when at work remain the property of The Centre.