Personal Information Protection

Information Collected

The Department of Health and Human Services delivers integrated services and coordinated care to achieve the best health and wellbeing outcomes for its clients.

These services are provided to the Tasmanian community through its three service delivery groups:

• Acute Health Services;
• Community Health Services;
• Human Services

Acute Health Services has responsibility for the delivery of high quality hospital and ambulance services within Tasmania.

Community Health Services aims to improve the health and well being of all Tasmanians through the provision of primary health, population health and community support services delivered to people in community settings.

Human Services provides a range of complementary services that seek to improve the health, wellbeing and safety of children, young families, individuals and the communities that support them. It is also responsible for the delivery of services to people with a disability and works in partnership with many other organisations and individuals to improve access to safe and affordable housing which enhances the health and wellbeing of Tasmanians.
Under the Personal Information Protection Act 2004 the Department of Health and Human Services is the custodian of personal information and the collection, use and disclosure of that information is governed by the Act.

The type of personal information we collect includes names, addresses and telephone numbers, together with any specific information about a person that may be required to enable us to provide the service.

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, complete and up to date. Where practicable, we will check on the accuracy of your personal information before we use it.

Sensitive Information

Sensitive Information includes things like health information, criminal record, racial origin and sexual preferences. Generally we will only collect sensitive information with your consent. However, in some circumstances the collection of sensitive information may be required or permitted under a law which does not require your consent.

Anonymity

If you are making a general enquiry, it may not be necessary to identify yourself. However, if you want to obtain a service, identification may be necessary.

Unique Identifiers

We do not assign unique identifiers to people unless it is necessary for us to carry out our functions efficiently or is required by law. We do not adopt as our unique identifiers the unique identifiers from another organisation. However, we may collect the unique identifiers assigned to you by another organisation, but we will not disclose these without lawful authority.

Access to and Correction of Information Collected

The Personal Information Protection Act 2004 provides that you can access your personal information that is held by the Department of Health and Human Services.

If you consider the personal information to be incorrect, incomplete, out of date or misleading, you can request that the information be corrected.

Requests to access or correct your personal information held by the Department of Health and Human Services will be processed under the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 1991.

For further information see www.dhhs.tas.gov.au, or contact the
Department’s:

Freedom of Information Coordinator
Executive & Portfolio Services
Department of Health and Human Services
3/34 Davey Street
Hobart Tasmania 7000
Telephone: 03 6233 4874 or 03 6233 3089
Facsimile: 03 6233 4946

Depending upon the nature of the request a fee may be charged for this service.

If you are not satisfied with the handling or outcome of your request for access to or correction of your personal information, you can lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman. The Ombudsman's Office can be contacted on 1300 766 725 (cost of local call outside Hobart area) or 03 6233 6217, and by email at ombudsman@justice.tas.gov.au

Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

Our staff are only provided with or have access to the information that is necessary for them to carry out their functions within the Department of Health and Human Services. All staff are bound by confidentiality requirements.

Personal information will be used only for the purposes described in the Information Collected section above. Your personal information will only be disclosed to organisations or individuals operating outside the Department’s integrated services with your consent, or if it is required by or authorised by law.

There may be a need or requirement to disclose some or all information we collect to contractors and agents of the Department of Health and Human Services, nongovernment organisations, law enforcement agencies, courts or other public sector bodies.

The Personal Information Protection Act permits the disclosure of 'basic personal information' (that is, name, address, date of birth and gender) that is collected in conjunction with the provision of a service to other public sector bodies for data quality purposes.

Some de-identified personal information we have collected may be used in research, statistical analysis, state or national reporting, awareness programs, public statements or training, but not in a way to compromise the protection of personal information.

Personal information in written submissions on policy matters or matters of public consultation may be disclosed in reports that are made public, unless the submission was submitted and/or accepted on a confidential basis.

Security of Personal Information

We use a number of procedural, physical, and technical safeguards, including access controls, secure methods of communication and back-up and recovery systems to protect information from misuse and loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

Generally, there is an intention that information is destroyed or permanently deidentified when it is no longer required, but this can only be done in accordance with processes approved by the State Archivist under the Archives Act 1983.