Western Queensland Primary Health Care (WQPHN) is subject to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). The Privacy Act contains thirteen (13) Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) which are rules about how WQPHN may collect, use, dispose, and store personal and sensitive information, including health information and how you may access and correct records containing your personal or sensitive information. WQPHN is committed to complying with all applicable privacy laws and protecting your privacy in accordance with the APPs.

This Privacy Statement sets out, in brief, how WQPHN handles personal information. For further information, or to receive a copy of WQPHN’s full Privacy Policy, please ask a WQPHN staff member, telephone WQPHN, or write to WQPHN, PO Box 2791, Mount Isa, QLD 4825.

WQPHN’s primary function is to assess and understand the health needs of the South West, Central West and North West Hospital and Health Service regions https://www.wqphn.com.au/what-we-do/who-we-are, and to engage with, and commission, service providers to provide health services within the Western regions of Queensland, to meet identified and emerging health care needs.

WQPHN may collect, use or disclose personal information such as names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, position details and other identifying information directly or indirectly to/for:

• comply with legislative, regulatory and/or funding requirements; • assessment for provision of regional health care service needs;
• liaise with health professionals, or other third party health care providers;
• service providers engaged by WQPHN to provide health services, during the course of contract management;
• manage WQPHN service delivery processes relating to risk management, safety and security, and quality management system certification and accreditation activities;
• conduct quality assurance, improvement, audits and research activities in respect of the medical and allied health industry;
• engage service providers to provide services to WQPHN, or on behalf of WQPHN;
• collect data for statistical analysis, to provide broad advice to the government and industry, and to monitor demand for services;
• perform risk and probity checks in respect of contract management;
• oversee and undertake performance management of service providers;
• provide information about WQPHN products and services;
• perform administrative operations, including accounting, payroll, risk management, record keeping, archiving, systems development and testing;
• conduct marketing or client satisfaction research;
• develop, establish and administer alliances and other arrangements with other organisations in relation to the promotion and use of related products and services;
• develop and identify products and services that may interest clients and staff;
• tell clients about products and services that may be of interest to them;
• engage with you in your dealings with WQPHN and for other related purposes;
• maintain records as required under WQPHN policies and by law;
• an emergency where your life is at risk and you are unable to provide consent; or
• other purposes required or permitted by law. Where WQPHN outsources services, it takes reasonable steps in the circumstances to ensure that third parties (only organisations within Australia), have obligations under their contracts with WQPHN to comply with all laws relating to the privacy (including security) and confidentiality of personal information.

WQPHN will usually collect your personal information directly from you, but sometimes may need to collect it from a third party. WQPHN will only do this if you have consented, or where it is not reasonable or practical for WQPHN to collect this information directly from you.

The personal information WQPHN collects will be used only for the purpose for which it was provided and will not be disclosed without consent, except where authorised or required by law.  You have the right to access personal information held by WQPHN.

You can also request an amendment to personal information that WQPHN holds about you should you believe that it contains inaccurate information. You may request access to personal information held by WQPHN by writing to the Chief Executive Officer at WQPHN, PO Box 2791, Mount Isa, QLD 4825.

WQPHN will take all reasonable steps to:

• ensure that personal information collected and held is accurate, complete and up-to-date;
• protect the personal information from misuse, loss or unauthorised access or disclosure;
• store personal information securely, with access limited to only those people necessary to manage and use the information in accordance with this Privacy Statement and the WQPHN full Privacy Policy, Version dated 8 February 2022.