Privacy and confidentiality

About this document

This document explains how we look after your privacy.

There is also a longer version for staff. You can download it here.

The law says we must protect your privacy. This document tells you how we do that.

Privacy means you have the right to keep your personal information to yourself.

Confidentiality means we have a duty to keep your personal information safe and private.

Questions? Just ask one of our staff.

Your privacy

This document tells you:

• what we know about you
• why we know things about you
• how we use what we know
• how we keep what we know safe
• what we do if your information is seen without your consent.

There are laws that protect your personal information.

What is personal information?

Personal information is anything about you, like:

• your name
• where you live
• your date of birth
• your job or day activities
• information about your disability.

We keep your information private

We will not tell people your personal information unless we have to.

You do not have to give us your personal information.

But if you choose not to, we may not be able to give you the support you need.

Why do we keep your information?

We ask for your personal information for a few reasons:

• It helps us give you the right services and supports.
• It helps us deal with your feedback and complaints.
• It helps us find the right support workers for you.

What information do we keep?

The personal information we keep might include:

• your name
• your date of birth
• your phone number
• your email address
• information about your disability.

Sensitive information

Sometimes your information is sensitive information.

Sensitive information is extra private. It can include:

• your cultural background
• your religious beliefs
• your sexual orientation
• information about your health.

Information about other people

We also keep some information about:

• other service providers who support you
• your family or carers
• our staff.

We will not tell anyone your personal information unless we have to.

The NDIS Commission might need some information to keep you safe.

How do we use your information?

We use your personal information to give you the best support.

Sometimes we need to tell other people about you, because they help support you too.

Consent means you say yes to us sharing your information.

You need to give consent before we share your information with others.

When might we share without asking?

We might share your information without your consent if:

• the law says we must
• it will keep you or someone else safe.

You can ask us at any time what information we keep about you.

You can also ask for a copy of your personal records.

How do we keep your information safe?

• We keep paper records locked up safely in our offices.
• We keep your information on computers that are protected with a password.
• Only staff who support you can see your personal information.

How long do we keep it?

We only keep your personal information for as long as we need it.

We safely destroy your personal information when we no longer need it.

If something goes wrong

Sometimes someone might see your personal information without our permission or your consent.

This is called a data breach.

If a data breach happens, we will:

• tell you what happened
• act to make sure you are not harmed
• find out why it happened
• improve the way we handle your information
• report it to the government if we have to.

A data breach will not affect the services we give you.