Privacy & confidentiality
Ballarat Community Health (BCH) is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal and private information. Our privacy policy is based on the Privacy Act, Australian Health Privacy Principles, the Health Records Act, the Health Services Act and the Privacy and Data Protections Act. You can download our easy to read Privacy and Confidentiality factsheet.
What information do we collect?
BCH collects information about you to help us provide the most relevant services for you. This information includes name, date of birth, address, phone number, health and accessibility needs. Other information might include sexual or gender identity, cultural background or identity, language spoken, interpreter requirements, living arrangements, income information and details of your GP or other related service providers.
You can read more about why we ask some of these personal information questions here.
You can decline to provide any details at any stage throughout your care. You may choose to give a false name or ask that no name listed. A correct name is needed for Medicare related service (such as seeing a doctor). There are some situations where there are legal requirements to have correct details.
How is the information stored?
All personal information is stored securely and kept in the strictest confidence. Your information is stored within our secure client management system. It can only be accessed by unique passwords created by BCH for individual staff. Your information is only accessed by those involved in your care. All staff are trained on how to uphold the privacy and confidentiality of your information.
How is the information used?
Personal information will only be used for the purposes stated at the time of collection. It will not be used for any purpose other than reasonably expected. Your personal information may be used to:
- Deliver services that you request
- Provide you with further information about services
- Personalise and customise your experience with BCH
- Help us to review and enhance BCH services (deidentified information).
- Communicate with you
- Reporting to funding bodies (deidentified information).
When might we disclose you information?
If your information is shared without your consent, it will be done so safely. We may need to disclose your personal information without your consent:
- If there is a serious threat to life, health, safety or welfare. By sharing of relevant information may stop or decrease that threat level.
- To assess and manage family violence risk. This is if the information is linked to the use of violence towards a victim survivor of family violence. Sharing done under MARAM Information Sharing Schemes.
- Where there are risks to the safety and wellbeing of a child/children. Sharing done under MARAM Information Sharing Schemes.
- When required by law (e.g., court subpoenas)
- To the Victorian Department of Health or its authorised contractors. This is for them to send you a survey about your experience with us. You can read about the Victorian Health Experience Survey here.
How can you access or update your information?
You have the right to access your records and correct it if needed. You may make a formal request for all or part of their record. You can do this by completing and submitting the request to access client records form. Request Access to Client Records. Please speak to our BCH team members for more help, or to update your information.
Information Privacy Questions or Concerns?
We always welcome feedback in relation any experience you have had with BCH. You can access our Feedback form here. Any questions or concerns please contact (03) 5338 4500 or emailed to [email protected]. We will respond to you in a reasonable timeframe. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.
