Quit SA
Quit SA is an independent initiative of The Cancer Council South Australia and the Heart Foundation SA.
The National Privacy Principles
The Australian Government introduced legislation that came into force on 21 December 2001 to protect the privacy of individuals. This legislation comprises ten National Privacy Principles that apply to private sector organisations.
Any recorded information that can identify a person and which may or may not be sensitive, e.g. ethnic background, medical history, is subject to the legislation.
Quit SA respects and upholds your rights to privacy protection under the National Privacy Principles by regulating the way in which we collect, use, disclose, hold and destroy your personal information. To ensure compliance with the legislation, the following principles will apply to all databases containing personal / sensitive information held by any member of staff or volunteer in relation to any program or activity.
Collection of Information:
- Personal information is only collected as necessary for agreed Quit SA programs or activities.
- Personal information about an individual is, where possible, collected from that individual.
- Individuals about whom personal information is collected are made aware of:
- Quit SA and its contact details
- the fact that they can access the information
- the primary purpose for which the information is collected
- any possible secondary purpose such as evaluation and quality assurance.
Use and Disclosure of Information:
- Personal information about an individual is not used or disclosed for a secondary purpose unless:
- the purpose is closely related to the primary purpose and the individual would reasonably expect the information to be used in this way, or
- the information is health information and its use is necessary for research or statistical analysis relevant to public health, or
- the individual has consented.
(Note: Legal obligations to disclose personal information may override the provisions of this privacy legislation).
Quality of Information:
- Reasonable steps are taken to ensure that all personal information collected and used is accurate, complete and up to date.
Security of Information:
- Reasonable steps are taken to protect personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised use, modification or disclosure.
- Information is destroyed or permanently de-identified when it is no longer needed for any purpose for which it was collected.
Openness of Information:
- This policy document is available to anyone who asks for it.
- Reasonable steps are taken to let any person, on request, know generally what sort of personal information is held, for what purpose, how it is collected, stored and used.
Accessibility of Information:
- Information held about an individual is accessible at no charge to that individual on request (except where the request is frivolous or vexatious), and reasonable steps taken to ensure the information is accurate and up to date.
Identifiers:
- Identifiers used will be unique to this organisation.
Anonymity:
- Individuals have the option of not identifying themselves when dealing with Quit SA.
Sensitive Information:
- Sensitive information about an individual is not collected without that individual's consent, or
- the information is collected in the course of Quit SA activities where the individual is in regular contact in relation to those activities and the individual understands that the information will not be disclosed without consent, or
- the information is necessary for research relevant to public health, compilation or analysis of public health statistics, the management or monitoring of a health service and that purpose cannot be served by collection of non-identified information and it is impracticable to seek the individual's consent.
Confidentiality:
- Personal / sensitive information is collected and recorded on confidential data bases in support of agreed Quit SA programs and activities.
- Staff and volunteers who have access to the information in the course of their duties, respect its confidentiality and do not disclose it to any third party.
- Breaches of confidentiality attract severe penalties.
