Privacy Policy

1. About this policy

EllaWinnie Care Services (“we”, “us”, “our”) respects your privacy. This policy explains how we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information, including health and other sensitive information, in line with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles and our obligations as a provider of disability supports. It applies to participants, families, guardians, referrers, job applicants, website visitors and anyone else who deals with us.

2. What information we collect

Depending on how you deal with us, we may collect:

• Contact details such as names, phone numbers, email addresses and suburb.
• Participant information provided in referrals and enquiries, such as date of birth, NDIS number (optional), funding management type, Support Coordinator details and the supports requested.
• Health and disability information (sensitive information), such as primary disability and relevant health or complex care needs, where this is reasonably necessary to assess and provide supports.
• Job applicant information such as work history, qualifications, availability and resumes.
• Website information such as pages visited, device and browser type, collected through cookies and analytics tools (for example Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics).

3. How we collect information

We collect personal information directly from you where practicable, for example through our referral form, enquiry form, careers form, phone calls and emails. We may also collect information from others with appropriate consent or authority, such as family members, guardians, Support Coordinators, Plan Managers, hospitals and health professionals.

Our website forms are not clinical records. Please share only the information needed to assess a referral or respond to an enquiry and do not upload detailed medical records through the website.

4. Sensitive information and consent

We only collect health and other sensitive information with consent (from the participant or a person authorised to act for them) or where otherwise permitted or required by law. If you refer another person, you must have their permission, or the permission of their guardian, to give us their details.

5. How we use information

We use personal information to:

• respond to enquiries and assess referrals;
• plan, deliver, coordinate and review supports safely;
• communicate with participants, families and the participant’s care team;
• meet our legal, regulatory, NDIS and quality and safeguarding obligations, including incident management and complaints handling;
• consider applicants for employment;
• improve our website and services.

We do not sell personal information and we do not use health information for marketing.

6. Who we may disclose information to

We may disclose personal information, where appropriate and lawful, to:

• members of a participant’s care team, such as health professionals, Support Coordinators and Plan Managers, with consent;
• the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) and the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission where required or authorised by law;
• trusted service providers who help us operate, such as IT, website hosting, email and form providers, who must handle the information securely;
• other parties where required or authorised by law, or where necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health or safety.

Some of our technology providers may store data on servers located outside Australia. Where this happens, we take reasonable steps to ensure the information is handled in a way that is consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles.

7. Storage and security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. This includes access controls, secure systems and staff confidentiality obligations. When information is no longer needed and we are not required to keep it, we take reasonable steps to destroy or de-identify it.

8. Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to understand how the site is used. This information is generally not used to identify you. You can adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies, although some parts of the website may not work as intended.

9. Accessing and correcting your information

You may request access to the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct it. We will respond within a reasonable time. In limited circumstances permitted by law we may refuse access and will explain why.

10. Anonymity

You can make a general enquiry without identifying yourself. However, we will usually need personal information to assess a referral or provide supports.

11. Privacy complaints

If you have a concern about how we have handled personal information, please contact us using the details below. We will acknowledge and investigate your complaint and respond as soon as practicable. You can also read our Complaints & Feedback page.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at oaic.gov.au or on 1300 363 992. Concerns about NDIS supports can also be raised with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission on 1800 035 544.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be published on this page.

13. Contact us

If you have any questions, please contact us:

EllaWinnie Care Services
ABN 88 671 631 986
Haynes, WA 6112
Phone: 0450 420 452
Email: info@ellawinniecareservices.com.au