Privacy and Dignity Policy
Purpose
Melbourne Disability Services provides our participants with access to services and supports that respect and protect their dignity and right to privacy.
Scope
This policy applies to all participants and staff of Melbourne Disability Services and other service agency representatives.
Policy
Melbourne Disability Services is committed to protecting and upholding all stakeholders' rights to privacy and dignity, including participants, staff, management and representatives of other service agencies.
Melbourne Disability Services is committed to protecting and upholding the participants' rights to privacy and dignity as we collect, store and handle information about them, their needs and the services provided to them.
Melbourne Disability Services requires staff and management to be considered and consistent when writing documents regarding a participant and when deciding who has access to this information.
Melbourne Disability Services is subject to NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission rules and regulations. Melbourne Disability Services will follow the guidelines of the Australian Privacy Principles in its information management practices.
Melbourne Disability Services will ensure that each participant understands, and agrees to, the type of personal information collected and the reasons for collection. If the material is to be recorded in an audio or visual format, the participant must agree to their involvement, in writing, before any material can be collected. The participant must also be informed at the time material is being recorded in an audio or visual format.
Melbourne Disability Services will advise each participant of our Privacy Policy using the language, mode of communication and terms that the participant is most likely to understand (Easy Read documents are made available to all participants).
Melbourne Disability Services will ensure that:
- it meets its legal and ethical obligations as an employer and service provider, concerning protecting the privacy of participants and organisational personnel
- participants are provided with information about their rights regarding privacy and confidentiality
- participants and organisational personnel are provided with privacy and confidentiality is assured when they are being interviewed or discussing matters of a personal or sensitive nature
- all staff, management and volunteers understand the requirements to meet their obligations
- participants are informed of Melbourne Disability Services’ confidentiality policies using the language, mode of communications and terms they are most likely to understand
- Melbourne Disability Services will attempt to locate interpreters and will use easy access materials.
This policy conforms to the Federal Privacy Act (1988) and the Australian Privacy Principles, which govern the collection, use and storage of personal information.
This policy will apply to all records, whether hard copy or electronic, containing personal information about individuals and to interviews or discussions of a sensitive personal nature.