Privacy Policy

The Colostomy Association of NSW Inc. (CA) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to the support of members who have undergone surgery resulting in a colostomy, ileostomy, ileal conduit, urostomy or other external pouch procedure.

CA is committed to client service and this policy summary outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your Personal Information.

Third Parties

Where reasonable and practicable to do so, CA will collect your Personal Information only from you.  However, in some circumstances we may be provided with information by relevant professional health workers (as required by law).  In such a case we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of the information provided to us by such third party.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Your Personal Information may be disclosed in a number of circumstances including the following:

–  third parties where you consent to the use or disclosure; and
–  where required or authorised by law.

Security of Personal Information

Your Personal Information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information.  However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.

Access to your Personal Information

NPP #6 provides you with the right to access the Personal Information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions.  If you wish to access your Personal Information, please make out your request to us in writing.

In order to protect your Personal Information we may require identification from you before releasing such information.

Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information

It is an important part of providing the services to you that your Personal Information is up to date.  NPP #3 provides that we take reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete and up-to-date.

It is important that you advise us at the earliest opportunity of any changes to your Personal Information so that our records can be updated.

Policy Updates

This Policy may change from time to time. The CA Privacy Policy can be made available at our office for viewing.

Complaints

You can lodge a complaint with us about any breach of our Privacy Policy and our privacy obligations to you by contacting us.

Anonymity 

The CA of NSW must specifically identify and verify the eligibility of all individuals wishing to claim ostomy appliances via the Federal government’s Stomal Appliance Scheme (SAS).  This is the law.