Overview
This is the Privacy Notice of Ford Health Group Pty Ltd ABN 36 097 173 656 (Ford Health/we/us).
In accordance with the requirements under the Privacy Act 1988 (the Act), this Privacy Notice is Ford Health’s external facing privacy policy.
Ford Health is committed to ensuring that you are comfortable entrusting your Personal and Sensitive Information to us. This Privacy Notice details how your Personal and Sensitive Information (which includes health information) is collected and used by Ford Health and affiliated third parties.
The Australian Privacy Principles
Ford Health respects and upholds your right to privacy protection under the law, including the Australian Privacy Principles. These principles regulate how we collect, use, disclose and hold your Personal Information. We have a detailed policy internally at Ford Health, and a set of procedures to ensure that only authorised staff have access to your Personal Information, and that appropriate treatment of that information is applied. This is to ensure that your Personal Information remains confidential and is only used for appropriate purposes and in accordance with this Privacy Notice.
Kinds of Information We Collect
‘Personal Information’ in accordance with the Act, encompasses a broad range of information, including information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable:
- whether the information or opinion is true or not; and
- whether the information or opinion is recorded in a material form or not.
Examples of Personal Information commonly collected by Ford Health include but are not limited to: name, address, phone number, date of birth, gender, age, employment history, financial information and qualifications.
‘Sensitive Information’ as defined by the Act, is encompassed within the definition of Personal Information, but refers, in particular, to information including, health information and medical history. We will only collect this Personal Information for the purpose of providing services undertaken by Ford Health.
‘Engagement Information’ encompasses the many ways that you engage with Ford Health, its representatives, or Ford Health’s platforms. This includes, but is not limited to, engaging by telephone, email, post or in person. This may mean, that in the course of your engagement with Ford Health, certain information will automatically be collected from you, including personal information, usage information, engagement records, log data and device information, cookies and payment transaction information.
‘Information from third parties’ will be provided to us where you’ve provided consent for us to collect that information. We do not control, supervise and are not responsible for how those third parties process your Personal Information. Any information request regarding the disclosure to us of your Personal Information by a third party, should be directed to those third parties.
The Collection of Personal Information
Your Personal and Sensitive Information, including any health information, will be collected as necessary to enable Ford Health to carry out its work and deliver services to you, as well as to contact you in the future.
Ford Health will not collect Sensitive Information unless you have voluntarily consented to giving this information and it is relevant to the work of Ford Health. We will always collect such information in a non-intrusive, lawful and fair manner.
Ford Health will automatically collect Engagement Information in order to administer services and analyse functionality trends.
How We Collect and Hold Your Personal Information
Your Personal Information will be collected in a number of ways, including but not limited to:
- from your employer if you have consented to this.
- via registration when you present to Ford Health.
- when completing a health assessment in the form of either an electronic or hard copy questionnaire.
- during the course of receiving health services.
- from any other involved healthcare specialists that you have consented to in the course of receiving care and services from Ford Health.
- sharing your personal story with Ford Health in the course of a project or program
Your Personal Information may be held by Ford Health in various forms, including but not limited to:
- paper records;
- electronic records;
- visual records – X-rays, CT scans, videos and photos; and
- audio recordings.
How We Keep Your Personal Information Secure
Ford Health holds all Personal Information securely, whether in electronic format, in protected information systems or in hard copy format in a secure environment.
Information you provide to us is only accessed by staff or contractors authorised by Ford Health.
Ford Health has in place robust information security protocols to protect your data.
Client Consent
Ford Health will only interpret and apply your consent for the primary purpose for which it was provided, including the use of your data in de-identified, aggregate datasets for analysis, and any additionally agreed purpose, as set out in Ford Health’s Privacy Statement
You may withdraw consent at any time.
Use and Disclosure of Information
De-identified, aggregated client data may be utilised for the purpose of corporate reporting, research purposes and program development by Ford Health and associated third parties. Minimum numbers apply for any statistical analysis to ensure anonymity and confidentiality of personal and sensitive health information.
Personal Information will only be used and disclosed for the purpose of providing Ford Health’s services to you. To provide its services Ford Health may disclose your Personal Information to third party service providers, partners and consultants, including medical, allied health and specialist services, health care providers (including you GP) as well as third parties providing services such as recall, referral follow-up, research, surveys, accounting, legal support, information security, health coaching programs claims and billing and payments. Some disclosure of personal information may also occur to third parties engaged by or for Ford Health for business purposes, such as accreditation or for the provision of information technology.
If another organisation or entity were to seek to acquire Ford Health (or part thereof), Ford Health may share your Personal Information in the course of that transaction.
The third parties referred to above are required to comply with this policy and Ford Health takes steps to ensure that these service providers are required to protect your information. Ford Health will inform you where there is a statutory requirement to disclose certain personal information (for example, some diseases require mandatory notification).
Ford Health will not provide your Personal Information to your employer or any other third party (except as provided above) unless it is required in order to provide Ford Health’s services to you or with your consent.
Exceptions to disclosing your Personal Information without your consent are set out above and also where the information is:
- required to be disclosed by law;
- necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health or safety or public health or safety, and it is impractical to obtain consent;
- to assist in locating a missing person;
- to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim; or
- for the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process.
Ford Health may use any Personal Information in relation to direct marketing. You may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying Ford Health.
Ford Health evaluates all unsolicited information it receives to decide if it should be kept, acted on or destroyed.
Accessing, Correcting or Updating your Personal Information
You may request access to the Personal Information that we hold about you. We encourage you to make this request in writing, and Ford Health will respond as soon as reasonably practicable.
In the unlikely event that we are unable to provide you with access to your Personal Information for legal reasons as specified in the Privacy Act, we will provide you with reasons for denying access.
Ford Health will take reasonable steps to correct Personal Information where we are satisfied that it is not accurate or up to date.
From time to time, Ford Health will ask you to verify that the Personal Information we hold about you, is correct and up to date.
You may also request, at any time, that Ford Health corrects or updates your Personal Information. Again, please make any such requests in writing.
Please note, you may also request that your Personal Information be deleted, and Ford Health will action this request, unless prohibited as a result of regulatory obligations.
Changes to our Privacy Notice
Ford Health may, without notice, amend or modify this Privacy Notice by posting the amended Privacy Notice to Ford Health’s website. By continuing to use Ford Health’s services, you will be agreeing to the amended terms.
Feedback and Complaints
Ford Health takes your privacy seriously.
If you would like any further information regarding Ford Health’s Privacy Notice, or If you have any complaints, questions or concerns about the information that Ford Health holds or about the accuracy of that information, please contact our Privacy Officer at:
Privacy Officer
Postal address: Suite 13/541 Boundary Street, Spring Hill Q 4000
Email: privacy@fordhealth.com.au
Phone: 1300 660 986
To lodge a formal complaint, please send details to the Privacy Officer in writing. Ford Health treats all privacy complaints seriously and any complaint will be assessed by our Privacy Officer in a timely manner. We request your cooperation with us, including providing us with any relevant information that we may need to investigate your complaint appropriately. If your complaint is not resolved by our Privacy Officer, you can refer it to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
The contact details of the OAIC are:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Postal address: GPO Box 2999, Canberra, ACT 2601
Phone: 1300 363 992
Fax: 02 9284 9666
Website: www.oaic.gov.au
If your concern relates to your health information you may also contact your State or Territory Privacy Commissioner.
