Effective date: 25 October 2026

About this policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Australian Community Nursing (ACN) collects, uses, stores and shares personal information about our clients, their families and representatives, contractors, service providers and others we work with.

As a health service provider, ACN must comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles. Where we provide services to people in other states, including by telehealth, state health records laws may also apply.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your information with care, so we can provide safe, high-quality nursing care.

What is personal information?

Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified person, or a person who is reasonably identifiable. Some personal information is sensitive information and has extra protection, including:

• health information

• racial or ethnic origin, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status

• religious or philosophical beliefs

• sexual orientation

• criminal history

In this policy, "personal information" includes sensitive information unless we say otherwise.

What information we collect

Clients. We may collect your name, date of birth, contact details, address, emergency contacts and representatives, Medicare, NDIS or My Aged Care numbers, payment and billing details, photos (with your consent) and health information. We may also collect cultural, religious or other sensitive information where it helps us provide safe and respectful care. We only collect criminal history about a client where it is directly relevant to safe service delivery.

Contractors. We may collect your name, contact details, address, banking details, ABN, residency or visa details, qualifications, AHPRA registration, experience, references, driver's licence, NDIS Worker Screening and police check results, vaccination records and relevant health information.

Service providers and others. We may collect names, contact details and payment details.

How we collect information

We collect information directly from you wherever possible. We may also collect it from your authorised representative, family members involved in your care, referrers, treating health professionals, support coordinators, care providers and government portals such as My Aged Care and the NDIS, with your consent or where permitted by law.

If you do not provide the information we need, we may not be able to provide the care or services you have asked for.

Anonymity

You can make a general enquiry without giving your name. However, we need to identify you to provide nursing care, assessments or reports.

How we use your information

We use personal information to:

• provide nursing care, assessments, reports, care plans and consultations

• communicate with you, your representatives and others involved in your care

• meet our legal, professional and regulatory obligations

• send invoices and process payments

• monitor and improve the quality and safety of our services

• recruit, train and support our contractors

• manage feedback, complaints and incidents

• with your consent, tell you about our services

Who we share information with

With your consent, or where permitted or required by law, we may share personal information with:

• your GP, specialists, allied health professionals, pharmacists and other treating health professionals

• hospitals and health services you attend

• family members or authorised representatives involved in your care

• your support coordinator, plan manager or care provider, where relevant to your care

• government agencies, including the NDIA, Services Australia and the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing

• regulators, including the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

• organisations that help us run our business, such as IT, cloud storage, client management software, insurers and professional advisers

When another organisation engages us

Sometimes an NDIS provider, Support at Home provider, support coordinator or other organisation engages ACN to complete an assessment, report, care plan or education for a client. In these cases, we will share the relevant reports, plans and recommendations with that organisation, with the client's or their representative's consent, or where otherwise permitted by law. We only share the information that organisation needs to support the client's care.

Information stored or shared overseas

Our client records, email and documents are stored in Australia. Some of our other providers, such as our website, online forms and accounting software, may store or access information outside Australia, including in the United States. We choose providers with strong privacy and security practices and take reasonable steps to make sure they protect your information in line with Australian privacy law.

Our website and online forms

Our website uses cookies and analytics to understand how visitors use the site. This may include information such as your device, browser and the pages you visit. We use this information only to improve our website, and you can turn off cookies in your browser settings. When you complete an online form, such as a referral or enquiry, the information you give is sent securely to us and handled under this policy.

Technology and automated decisions

We may use secure software, including artificial intelligence tools, to assist with drafting and administration. All clinical assessments, recommendations and care decisions are made by an appropriately qualified clinician, who remains responsible for them. We do not use computer programs to make decisions about your care or services.

Keeping your information secure

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, change or disclosure. This includes secure, password-protected systems and limiting access to client records to the people who need it. All contractors sign confidentiality agreements, are trained in privacy and confidentiality, and can access only the records needed for their role.

We keep health records in line with applicable Commonwealth and state laws, including longer periods for records about children and for clients in other states. When records are no longer required, we destroy or de-identify them securely.

Data breaches

If a data breach is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify the people affected and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as required by the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

Research and quality improvement

We may use de-identified information for quality improvement, benchmarking and research. We will only use identifiable information for research with your consent, or where the law allows.

Accessing and correcting your information

You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct it if it is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete. We will respond within 30 days. In some situations the law allows us to refuse access; if so, we will explain why in writing.

Questions and complaints

If you have a question or believe we have not handled your information properly, please contact our Privacy Officer:

Privacy Officer, Australian Community Nursing Pty Ltd
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Email: hello@australiancommunitynursing.com.au
Phone: 0494 156 020

We will acknowledge your question or complaint within 2 business days. We will respond within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can make a privacy complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Concerns about NDIS or aged care services can also be raised with the relevant Commission.

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001 · 1300 363 992 · oaic.gov.au

Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission
1800 951 822 · agedcarequality.gov.au

NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
1800 035 544 · ndiscommission.gov.au

Changes to this policy

We review this policy at least every year, and whenever the law or our services change. The current version is always available on our website.

Last reviewed: October 2026 · Next review: October 2027