The management and staff of VCS Foundation Ltd., trading as the Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer (ACPCC), understand the importance of protecting the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information and health information that is held by the organisation. The ACPCC collects a range of personal information and health information about individuals. The ACPCC may collect this information from the individual or from another person dealing with that individual, such as their healthcare practitioner. The type of information that ACPCC collects and the way in which it may use and disclose that information varies according to the services, activities and programs that the ACPCC provides or undertakes in relation to an individual.<\/p>\n
The ACPCC has strict privacy and confidentiality practices in place and all staff are required to abide by these. A Disciplinary Policy and Procedure is in place to ensure staff comply with these practices. All persons who may observe personal information or health information held by the ACPCC are required to sign a confidentiality statement annually.<\/p>\n
This policy details how the ACPCC manages and uses the personal information and health information it holds in relation to the services, activities and programs of its three pillars (or divisions) which are the following:<\/p>\n
All personal information and health information is stored on the premises of the ACPCC or in cloud-based storage in Australia. Backup tapes of the information system and some slides are stored in a secure facility off-site. Where services are contracted out, contractors must comply with ACPCC privacy and confidentiality requirements if any personal information is provided to them.<\/p>\n
VCS Pathology collects personal information and health information directly from individuals and also from other persons involved in the care or treatment of an individual, such as their health care practitioner that orders their pathology test. Where an individual offers information directly to the ACPCC, this may also be entered on the individual’s health record.<\/p>\n
VCS Population Health supports a range of population health programs and initiatives, such as cancer screening and immunisation follow-up services, clinical trials and targeted projects, that improve the health and well-being of communities by providing systems and services for the collection, storage, analysis and reporting of data.\u00a0 VCS Population Health collects personal information and health information directly from individuals, their nominated representatives and from other persons involved in the care or treatment of individuals, such as health care practitioners, laboratories or health care facilities.\u00a0 This information assists in maintaining accurate and up to date health records for program and project participants.\u00a0 VCS Population Health also receives personal information and health information from other public health organisations such the bodies which operate the National Cancer Screening Register and the Victorian Cancer Registry, for the purposes of providing data and reports to support cancer screening activities and programs. For some projects, data is collected by our stakeholders and other parties with which we interact and held within ACPCC systems.<\/p>\n
VCS Digital Health does not collect personal information directly from any individual.\u00a0 However, it may assist VCS Pathology or VCS Population Health to collect personal information for each of them, or it may collect personal information from either of them.<\/p>\n
If we interact or transact with an individual in circumstances other than those described above, we will ordinarily collect personal information directly from the individual; we may also collect such information from other parties with which we interact in relation to the relevant activity.<\/p>\n
If the ACPCC receives unsolicited personal information or health information, we will deal appropriately with such information including considering whether we could have otherwise lawfully collected the information. If we determine we could not have otherwise lawfully collected the information, we will destroy the information or ensure the information is de-identified if it is lawful and reasonable to do so.<\/p>\n
If you do not provide, or we are unable to collect, the personal whether we could have otherwise lawfully collected the information or health information we require, we may be unable to provide our services to you, you may be unable to participate in our activities or programs, or we may be unable to work or transact with you.<\/p>\n
The ACPCC collects and holds personal information and health information which is necessary for and related to the performance of its work and activities.<\/p>\n
The type of personal information and health information that the ACPCC collects and holds about an individual will vary according to the service we provide to the individual, the activity or program the individual might participate in or our relationship with that individual.\u00a0 The type of information the ACPCC collects and holds includes the following:<\/p>\n
VCS Pathology also collects and holds personal information regarding the healthcare practitioner ordering a pathology test for an individual. This includes the practitioner\u2019s name, address and Medicare Provider Number.<\/p>\n
The ACPCC may also collect personal information about individuals in other circumstances, such as if a person applies for a job with the ACPCC, undertakes pre-employment checks or otherwise deals or transacts with the ACPCC.\u00a0The type of information the ACPCC may collect in those circumstances includes: name, address, date of birth, financial details, health information, employment details and history and telephone numbers. All staff employed with the ACPCC and having access to personal information must have national police checks prior to employment.<\/p>\n
At times, and depending on projects, the ACPCC may collect and use other types of personal information and health information which is relevant for that project or to the performance of its work and activities \u2013 for example, information provided through consent-based research or other research approved by a Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC). If any additional type of personal information (other than as specified above) will be collected and used for those projects or activities, the individual\u2019s consent for that use and collection will be sought, unless the law permits otherwise.<\/p>\n
Given the nature of the services and activities we perform, it is not possible for you to deal with us anonymously or by using a pseudonym.<\/p>\n
Storage of historical records<\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong>The ACPCC holds an historical copy of the records transferred to the NCSR. This copy only contains records created before the date of transfer.\u00a0 These records are securely stored and protected by the ACPCC.<\/p>\n The ACPCC uses the personal information and health information it holds about an individual for the following purposes (as applicable):<\/p>\n In addition to the above, the ACPCC may also use your information if you have given your express or implied consent for the use for another purpose, or if we are permitted or required to do so by law.<\/p>\n This section provides further details regarding how the ACPCC uses your personal information and health information if you participate in the Compass Trial. More detailed information can be found in the Compass Privacy Statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n The personal and health information held on the Compass Register is used by the ACPCC for the following purposes:<\/p>\n The ACPCC may disclose your personal information or health information for the purposes set out in the previous section. It may also disclose your personal and health information in the following circumstances:<\/p>\n In addition to the above, the ACPCC may also disclose your information in other circumstances and to other persons if you have given your express or implied consent, or if we are permitted or required to do so by law (including under the Privacy Act 1988<\/em> and the Health Records Act 2001<\/em>).<\/p>\n The ACPCC does not disclose or transfer an individual\u2019s personal information or health information to any overseas organisation or person (other than the individual).<\/p>\n If you have chosen to participate in the My Health Record program operated by the Commonwealth Department of Health, your screening test result will be uploaded to your My Health Record by VCS Pathology unless you or your referring health practitioner has requested us not to by writing \u2018do not send reports to My Health Record\u2019 on the pathology request form. \u00a0You may change the access and privacy setting of your My Health Record through the My Health Record system.<\/p>\n You must tell us each time you have a screening test if your preference is not to have your result uploaded to your My Health Record. For more information visit: https:\/\/www.myhealthrecord.gov.au\/for-you-your-family\/howtos\/view-pathology-and-diagnostic-imaging-reports<\/a><\/p>\n You may request access to the personal information and health information the ACPCC holds about you.\u00a0 We will give you access to your information, unless we have a reason to limit or refuse access under the Privacy Act 1988<\/em> (or another relevant law).\u00a0 If we limit or refuse access to your information, we will provide reasons.\u00a0 If we give you access to your information, we will not charge you for that access.<\/p>\n Results of pathology tests are normally provided to the health care practitioner who ordered the test.\u00a0 The best way to get your results is in consultation with your healthcare practitioner so that your practitioner can explain your results in the context of your health care.<\/p>\n You may also request the correction of your personal information or health information we hold if you believe it is inaccurate.\u00a0 We will take reasonable steps to amend your information if we consider the personal information that we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.<\/p>\n The following section describes how you may request access to or correction of your information.<\/p>\n More detailed information on access to, or correction of, health information relating to the Compass Trial can be found in the Compass Privacy Statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you have any concerns or complaints about your privacy or the way the ACPCC has handled your personal or health information, please contact us in writing at the address below. We will endeavour to resolve your complaint promptly and will provide a written response to you.<\/p>\n Contact details for the ACPCC (VCS Foundation Limited):<\/u><\/p>\n Postal Address:<\/p>\n The Executive Director<\/p>\n Australian Centre for the Prevention of Cervical Cancer<\/p>\n PO Box 178<\/p>\n Carlton South VIC 3053<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Email: directorate@acpcc.org.au<\/a><\/p>\n Telephone: 03-9250-0300<\/p>\n Fax: 03-9349-1949<\/p>\n If we are unable to resolve your complaint satisfactorily, you may wish to direct your complaint to the Health Complaints Commissioner or to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.<\/p>\n Contact details for the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner:<\/u><\/p>\n Postal Address:<\/p>\n Health Complaints Commissioner<\/p>\n 26th<\/sup> Floor<\/p>\n 570 Bourke Street<\/p>\n Melbourne VIC 3000<\/p>\n Website: www.hcc.vic.gov.au\/make-complaint<\/a><\/p>\n Telephone: 1800-582-113<\/p>\n The Australian Information Commissioner is the statutory office-holder responsible for the regulation of privacy laws in Australia in accordance with the Privacy Act. The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) website<\/a> contains more information about the Privacy Act, including the Australian Privacy Principles and information about how to make a privacy complaint.<\/p>\n The ACPCC Director Corporate Services is responsible for this policy and can assist with any queries about:<\/p>\nHow is personal and health information used?<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
When and to whom is personal information and health information disclosed?<\/h2>\n
\n
My Health Records<\/h2>\n
How an individual may obtain access to, or correction of, their personal information<\/h2>\n
\n
How to make a complaint regarding your privacy?<\/h2>\n
Who is responsible for this policy?<\/h2>\n