Privacy Policy No 18

Procedure

1. All information is gathered directly from the source if possible.
2. Clients have signed a confidentiality form outlining how their data is treated and the conditions under which information may be shared.
3. The information we hold will only be used for the purpose for which it was provided or as permitted by the Privacy Act 2020.
4. Personal information will not be disclosed to any third party except where necessary for the provision of services or as authorised or required by law.
5. Clients will be advised of their rights under the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights by practitioners at ACROSS.
6. Clients will be notified of the Complaints Policy which is available on the ACROSS website.
7. Personal information will be stored securely in our cloud-based database.
8. Information provided for statistical purposes will be anonymised to ensure client privacy is maintained. The statistical data is used to identify usage of services for community requirements.
9. Client data will be held for a minimum of 10 years after exiting our services. After 10 years a client may request that their data be destroyed. Electronic copies of files will be held for 50 years.
10. Client information volunteered via phone call, website enquiry form or office visit which has not resulted in use of our services will be destroyed quarterly (end of months March, June, September, December).
11. All clients and former clients may request access to their files by filling out the Release of Information Request Form and may ask to amend their file, in accordance with the ACROSS Policy No. 16 Request for Information and No. 17 Request to Amend Information Held.
12. Access to confidential client data is limited to the practitioners directly involved with the client, in line with the requirements of the relevant professional Code of Ethics, and third-party contractors to the extent necessary for those contractors to provide web services, software support and maintenance.