Centre for Palliative Care (CPC) is committed to protecting the privacy of individuals.
There are occasions where Centre for Palliative Care collects personal information, including sensitive health information, from individuals in order to fulfil its roles of providing support, awareness and advocacy.
Centre for Palliative Care complies with the National Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988.
Collection of personal information and health information
Centre for Palliative Care collects personal information about its members, Governing Committee members, advocates, senior consumer representatives, consumer representatives, staff and potential staff, stakeholders and other individuals who from time to time contact Centre for Palliative Care for advice or participate in Centre for Palliative Care activities.
The information may include both personal information (such as name, contact details and membership data) and, in some cases, health information about an individual. For example, health information may be collected where the individual wishes to provide this to support an application for practical assistance to be provided by Centre for Palliative Care.
All personal information is collected with the consent of the individual, and where possible, directly from the individual themselves. At the time of collection individuals are informed about why the information is being collected, how it will be used and whom it may be passed on to.
At times, Centre for Palliative Care may collect personal information from a source other than the individual (for example, when it is given to Centre for Palliative Care by a third party). Centre for Palliative Care will, as soon as practical after the time of collection, inform the individual that the information has been collected, how it will be used and whom it may be passed on to. If the information is not required, or the individual does not wish it to be retained, it will be removed from Centre for Palliative Care records.
Use and disclosure of personal information
Personal information held by Centre for Palliative Care will only be used or disclosed for the purpose it was originally collected or for a directly related secondary purpose if the person would reasonably expect this. For example, Centre for Palliative Care may wish to contact an individual to seek feedback on a Centre for Palliative Care activity they were involved in. Personal information will not be used or disclosed for any other purposes without the consent of the individual or unless required by law.
In addition, any disclosure of personal information to third parties (which may include for example government agencies that oversee a particular committee or contract staff) is subject to strict confidentiality agreements between Centre for Palliative Care and the third party.
Security of information
Centre for Palliative Care maintains hard copy files in a physically locked and secure environment and electronic data is password protected. The secure (members only) area on the website is also password protected. The Centre for Palliative Care computer system is protected by a firewall to enhance security.
Website privacy
Centre for Palliative Care collects statistical data about visits to the website including the number of hits per day, the most commonly downloaded files, how many visitors are return visitors, the average time spent on each page, the number of visits each individual makes and their relative activity on the site. The IP address and/or domain name of visitors is recorded. Centre for Palliative Care does use cookies. A cookie is a piece of information that is stored on the individuals hard-drive when they visit the website. If the individual returns to the website it indicates whether they have been there before. This information is used for statistical purposes only in order to assess and improve the Centre for Palliative Care website.
Personally identifiable information is collected if an individual chooses to provide this, for example, by responding via email to one of the contacts provided.
Centre for Palliative Care does not pass on to any third parties personal information collected on its website without the consent of the individual or unless required by law.
Access to, update and correction of information held by Centre for Palliative Care
Individuals are able to access personal information held about them and amend it if it is incorrect by making a request in writing to the Director.