Privacy and Confidentiality Policy
Better Hearing Australia Brisbane Inc. – Supporting Australia’s hearing health since 1946
Introduction
Better Hearing Australia, Brisbane Inc. highly values the relationship you have with us. As an important part of this relationship, we are committed to protecting the personal information that you entrust to us.
To provide our service to you, we ask you to give us certain information, including your name, address and contact details. When part of your family becomes a member we also ask for similar information, where necessary.
We understand that the confidentiality of personal information is important to you and we are committed to ensuring the information entrusted to us is protected against misuse.
Australian Privacy Principles
The Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), as set out in the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 represents a legal obligation that must be observed by organisations.
The Australian Privacy Principles control the way in which Better Hearing Australia Brisbane Inc. may collect, store, use and disclose the personal information that you entrust to us.
A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the ComLaw website: www.comlaw.gov.au
Collection of your personal information
Your personal information is collected primarily to enable us to enrol you as a member or to contact you or to send you notices, newsletters, magazines, information, or to enrol you in courses that you may undertake as part of our service.
Where it is reasonable and practicable, we will only collect personal information about you, from you directly.
The minimum personal information held about you will be your name, address, contact details including telephone and fax numbers and email address. Post office box number or other contact details may also be held.
We could also hold personal information in relation to your hearing impairment, such as your audiogram.
If you choose to provide medical information that needs to be accessed in case of emergency, we request that you place this in a sealed envelope marked with your name and date. This information can be accessed by you at any time.
Use and disclosure of your personal information
To ensure that we can effectively provide you with the quality of assistance and service that Better Hearing Australia Brisbane Inc offers, we will use and disclose personal information for approved purposes, including the following:
- Establish and update an in house membership data base
- Establish an in house data base mailing list
- Formulation of class rolls when classes are attended
Your personal information could be disclosed to the following persons:
- Session leaders within BHA Brisbane Inc.
- BHA Brisbane Inc. Board Members
- BHA Brisbane Inc. staff members
We will not disclose your personal information except as outlined above to any other organisation or individual or to any overseas recipients.
This excludes personal medical information which will be accessed ONLY in the case of a medical emergency.
Security and quality of your personal information
Better Hearing Australia Brisbane Inc will take reasonable steps to ensure that any of your personal information that we collect, store, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
We will also take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure in accordance with the requirements of our privacy policy and the Australian Privacy Principles.
Request for access to, correction of, or withdrawal of your personal information
You have a right to your personal information. You may request details of the personal information we hold about you. We will respond to your request within a reasonable period after the request is made.
If you are aware that any of your personal information is inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date following an access request, or because your circumstances have changed, please inform us so that we can update our records. We will then make the necessary amendments.
By continuing your relationship with us, you are taken to have agreed on your own behalf, and that of your family member, if applicable, your consent to use and disclose your personal information for the approved purposes identified in this privacy policy.
You may withdraw your consent to the use of personal information by sending us notification of withdrawal of consent.
Complaints
You can complain to us about any breach of this privacy policy.
In the event of any such alleged breach, you should bring your concerns to the Office Administrator. Should the matter not be resolved satisfactorily, you should then direct your complaint in writing to the Board of Management of Better Hearing Australia Brisbane Inc.
The Board is committed to having a member discuss with you any concerns you may have and to addressing these concerns promptly and appropriately.
Confidentiality Policy
Better Hearing Australia Brisbane Inc will endeavour to protect confidentiality wherever possible and will create an environment of respect and privacy. Confidentiality applies to both verbal and written information and information stored electronically.
