Privacy Statement

AbilitySeer takes your right to privacy and the confidentiality of your information seriously.

We commit to:

• Only collect and store personal information necessary to deliver safe and effective services to you and to meet our obligations as a registered service provider.
• Collect your personal information sensitively and only for a specific and specified purpose using fair and lawful ways.
• Only collect your personal information with your consent.
• Let you know what sort of information is held about you, why it is held and how it is collected, used, disclosed and who will have access to it; and how you can access it.
• Make sure the information we collect, or share, about you, is accurate and complete and give you the opportunity to review your information and correct information if it is wrong.
• Only let staff see your personal information and files if they need that to do their job properly.
• Work hard to protect your personal information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
• Destroy or permanently de-identify personal information that is no longer needed and/or after legal requirements for keeping documents have expired.
• Notify individuals, the National Disability Insurances Service (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission of all data breaches and notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) if there has been a data breach (or suspected breach) of personal information that could cause serious harm to the person whose privacy has been breached.

What Information May We Request?

We will only request and retain personal or health information that is necessary to:

• Develop and maintain tailored and responsive support plans.
• Monitor and manage high-quality and safe services.
• Monitor program quality.
• Meet our audit requirements to the NDIS Quality and Safeguard Commission. The information used for audit, evaluation and reporting is de-identified.
• Meet the reporting requirements of the National Disability Insurance Agency.

Information AbilitySeer collects will vary depending on the service we are providing but may include the following:

Participant Intake Form:

• Residency arrangements
• Contact details
• Nominee or guardian details
• Disability and medical conditions
• Health care providers

Initial Assessment Form:

• NDIS number
• Income source
• Supports and or services desired
• Participant goals
• Impacts and supports related to disability and or health challenges
• Social and Community Participation – key contacts and summary of engagement
• Living arrangements
• Hobbies/ interests
• Self-assessed independence level against Daily Living Skills
• Transport modes used
• Medications
• Employment and/or vocational history and aspirations
• Emotional Wellbeing

Your Responsibilities

You are responsible for:

• Providing us with accurate information about your needs and circumstances.
• Completing all consent forms and returning them to us in a timely way.
• Respecting the privacy of other people’s personal information.
• Being sensitive and respectful to other people who do not want to be photographed or videoed or who are in photographs and videos you hold.

Access to Your Information

• You have the right to see the information AbilitySeer holds about you without providing a reason for requesting access.
• You are able to make corrections to the information if you consider it is not accurate, not complete or not up to date.
• You can make the request in writing or verbally:
• Written and emailed requests should be addressed to the Managing Director.
• Requests made verbally to other AbilitySeer staff will be recorded via email back to you to confirm the details of the request and then forwarded by the receiving staff member to the Managing Director.
• Please let us know if you need assistance accessing your information.
• We will respond to your request within two working days.
• Within 45 days of receiving your request, we will:
• Provide you access or your information.
• Correct your information or let you know why we can’t change the information as you have requested.

• If there is a delay, we will let you know why and what we are doing to respond to your request.
• If we cannot provide you with access to the information you have requested, we will tell you why.

Exceptions

Situations that may result in access to information being denied, in part or in total, are set out in the Information Privacy Act 2014 (ACT), and include:

• The request is frivolous or vexatious.
• Providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals.
• Providing access would pose a serious threat to the life or health of any person.
• AbilitySeer is involved in the detection, investigation or remedying of seriously improper conduct and providing access would prejudice that.

Disclosure of Participant Information to a Third Party

Your personal and health information will only be disclosed to a third party:

• For medical treatment or in an emergency.
• To outside agencies with your consent
• With written consent from another person with lawful authority such as the parent or guardian.
• When required by Commonwealth law or to fulfil legislative obligations such as mandatory reporting.

Safe Storage of Confidential Information

AbilitySeer provides adequate and appropriate secure storage of personal information collected by staff:

• Participant files are kept in a secure filing cabinet and in a private room at the AbilitySeer office which is kept locked outside of operational hours.

• Electronic records are stored safely and secured with a password for access.

Data Breach

If a breach of your privacy does occur, we will immediately let you know what information is involved and the circumstances related to the breach.

We will report all actual or suspected breaches to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and, if the breach may result in serious harm to the individuals whose privacy has been breached, we will also immediately report it to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

How to Make a Complaint or Give Us Feedback

We aim to create a blame-free and resolution-focused environment where complaints and concerns, compliments and suggestions are welcomed as an opportunity for acknowledgement and continuous improvement.

We welcome your compliments, complaints and feedback about our services and our staff.

All AbilitySeer staff will comply with the principles of procedural fairness and natural justice and comply with the requirements under the NDIS (Complaints Management and Resolution) Rules 2018.

Tim O’Hare

Managing Director 

P: 0421 794 901

E: [email protected]

W: www.abilityseer.com.au

A: D214 Canberra Technology Park 49 Phillip Avenue WATSON ACT 2602