The Black Dog Institute is committed to protecting your privacy and the privacy of any personal information provided to us. In accordance with the amendments of the Privacy Act 1988 which came into effect on 21 December 2001 , we comply with the National Privacy Principles set out in the Act. This policy outlines how we manage privacy protection of your personal information.
The Institute is also actively involved clinically in the Mood Disorders Unit at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney.
To enable us to fulfill our responsibilities via research, education and training, clinical services and population health approaches, we need to collect a broad range of personal information from our clients, prospective clients, patients, prospective patients, relevant health service providers, other parties to a matter and suppliers.
This personal information may include sensitive information as well as health information.
We may also collect personal information from people seeking to work for the Black Dog Institute, from suppliers and other contractors involved in the provision of support services to our clinicians, researchers and other staff.
Information may be collected in person, in writing, by telephone, through our website and by other electronic communication channels.We collect this information through our staff and through our contracted agents and other service providers. Wherever practicable, we will ask you for the information directly.
We may need to obtain personal information from others to ensure that we are fully informed in relation to the issues that we need to address.
When accepting a request, instructions or involvement, we require an undertaking that personal information provided has been collected in accordance with the Privacy Act and that they will similarly protect the privacy of any personal information the Black Dog Institute supplies to them.
We collect personal information when recruiting staff or when people approach us expressing an interest in working with us. This information may be collected through material submitted to us, interviews and discussions with the person concerned or others nominated by that person.
We also collect personal information through events that we hold or are involved in, such as seminars, workshops and other promotional activities.
To keep you up to date with our services, publications and other resources, we may place you on a mailing list. At any time, if you no longer wish to receive this information just let us know and we will remove your details from the mailing list.
Unless we are required to provide your personal information to others by law, by court order or to investigate suspected fraud or other unlawful activity, your information will only be seen or used by persons working in or for The Black Dog Institute.
These people will include our own and our contract researchers and clinicians.
Some personal information may be shared between the Black Dog Institute and the Mood Disorders Unit, where the use of the information is directly related to the purpose for which it was collected and within the reasonable expectations of the individual concerned.
Any donations $50 and over will be acknowledged in the Black Dog Institute's Annual Report, unless the donor requests otherwise.
Our information systems and files are kept secured from unauthorised access and our staff and contracted agents and service providers have been informed of the importance we place on protecting your privacy and their role in helping us to do so. Information will be stored and disposed of in a secure environment, which may only be accessed by authorized personnel.
Although we will endeavour to protect your personal information, we are unable to guarantee that any information you transmit to us over the internet is 100% secure. Any information you transmit to us is conducted at your own risk.
Subject to any legal restrictions, we are happy to advise you what personal information we hold about you, should you request this. If your request is particularly complex or requires detailed searching of our records, there may be a cost to you in order for us to provide this information.
If you believe there are errors in our records about you, please let us know and we will be happy to investigate and correct any inaccuracies.
If you would like further information on our privacy policy or if you have any concerns over the protection of the information you have given to us or that we have collected from others, please contact the General Manager, Black Dog Institute, Hospital Rd, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031.
Depression and Bipolar Disorder Information Australia - Black Dog Institute.Copyright © 2012 Black Dog Institute
Page last updated: 10-Nov-2009