CASSI respects the privacy and confidentiality of all people who use our services, staff and volunteers who work for CASSI and others associated with our service. To this end we have implemented the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) and Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), as administered by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.
CASSI is an incorporated association that provides support to people with a disability.
To provide effective and appropriate support for people who choose our service we need to collect and retain information that is generally considered to be private and confidential.
When collecting personal information CASSI will, where appropriate and where possible, explain to you why we are collecting the information and how we plan to use it.
We will only use sensitive information:
- for the primary purpose for which it was obtained
- for a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose. For example, the use of CASSI’s rostering system will hold personal details which may be available to certain CASSI staff.
- with your consent or where required or authorised by law.
CASSI will
- take reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of any information provided to us by a third party.
- only use or disclose your personal information with consent or where required and authorised by law. We will do this using a current “Authority to Release Information” form or “Authority to Obtain Information” form.
- ensure personal information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse, loss, and/or unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.
- ensure that you have access to your personal information as permitted under the APPs.
- take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information is accurate, complete, and current.
In the case of service users, CASSI obtains and discloses sensitive information to:
- better understand each individual’s support needs,
- assist each individual to access the services and resources in the community,
- design our support strategies to better meet the needs of each individual,
- effectively manage the resources available to CASSI to provide support.
The following people may use personal information held on service users files for the purposes outlined above:
- Company Directors;
- Management and administration staff
- Staff and other individuals requiring access to the information to allow them to undertake the requirements of their role;
- Accountant/bookkeeper;
- Third-party service providers
In the case of staff and volunteers:
CASSI keeps and handles human resources records to enable us to properly manage our organization and the employment of staff and contractors. This is to
- ensure that we recruit staff and volunteers with suitable skills, experience and qualifications,
- offer staff and volunteers suitable professional development opportunities,
- improve and develop the quality of our service, effectively manage and administer our responsibilities as a support service and as employer.
CASSI may use or disclose sensitive secondary information when it is directly related to the primary purpose of collection. For example, the use of CASSI’s rostering system will hold personal details which may be available to certain CASSI staff. If you want further clarification regarding this, please contact CASSI operations manager or CEO.
The following people may use personal information held on human resources files for the purposes outlined above:
- Company Directors;
- Management and administration staff
- Staff and other individuals sitting requiring access to the information to allow them to undertake the requirements of their role (for example supervisors accessing telephone numbers to cover shifts);
- Accountant/bookkeeper;
- Third-party service providers
In the case of others such as third party service providers, contractors and other agencies, CASSI obtains and discloses sensitive information to:
- design our support strategies, whether these be implemented by CASSI or contractors, to better meet the needs of each individual,
- effectively manage the resources available to CASSI and our contractors, to provide support
- ensure that contractors and other agencies recruit staff and volunteers with suitable skills, experience and qualifications,
- improve and develop the quality of our service,
- effectively manage and administer our responsibilities as a support service.
- process or address other human resources and/or employment law matters.
- Provide appropriate training to assist the provider in facilitating services and training.
If there is a breach of privacy, as described by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, the breach will be duly handled, and affected parties notified as the Commissioner has outlined.
CASSI stores all such information in a private and secure manner. If you wish to gain access to the information that has been obtained or retained about you, then contact the CASSI CEO on 5562 3800
