Privacy

latest update: 5 October 2023

Privacy Policy

In this Privacy Policy, "us", "we" or "our" means QLife. We recognise the importance of privacy and are committed to protecting your privacy when handling your personal information.

This Privacy Policy explains how we handle personal information in an open and transparent manner in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“Privacy Act”) and other applicable privacy laws.

Personal information is information or an opinion about an identified individual or an individual who is reasonably identifiable.

This Privacy Policy is reviewed regularly to take account of new or amended laws, new technology and/or changes to our operations and practices and the changing business environment. All personal information held by us will be governed by the most recently updated policy.

Whenever this policy changes, we will publish a notice on our website, and leave it visible for at least 30 days.

QLife requires staff, peer supporters, and volunteers to be consistent and careful in the way that they manage what is written and said about individuals and how they decide who can see or hear this information.

For an Easy Read version of this Privacy Policy- click HERE.

The Privacy Policy for QProgram is slightly different in terms of the kind of information collected. Click HERE for an Easy Read version of the QProgram information.

What information we collect and handle

QLife aims to be an anonymous service. QLife does not automatically track or collect your IP address, phone number or other identifying details. We do request your postcode and other de-identified information like gender or background to help us better support you and that information is stored on our secure servers.

Aggregated, deidentified data is shared internally and externally for operational, planning, reporting and funding purposes.

During a call or webchat if you tell us about a risk to a child or an imminent risk of serious harm to someone of any age (such as a plan for a suicide attempt) we are obligated to notify the relevant authority. If you or someone else is at serious risk of harm you can choose & consent to sharing personal or contact information with us so we can get help to you. Anytime you consent to share personal information with us we store and handle the information according to our privacy policy and the Australian Privacy Principles.

The scripts of QLife webchats are kept securely for supervision and reporting purposes. If you provide personal information during a webchat, this information will be kept as a part of the webchat script. This information is stored securely and not used for any purpose other than training and supervision, except where required by law, such as mandatory reporting.

This policy relates to the facets of QLife that do involve the active collection of data. The personal information we may collect about you includes your name, contact details (including phone numbers and addresses), occupation, age, your health needs, and what supports you need, and other information which may assist us in conducting our business and providing and marketing our products and services.

Due to the nature of the QLife service, sometimes we receive sensitive personal information about service users, such as sexual orientation, intersex status, health information. This information has a higher level of privacy protection than other personal information.

How we collect information

We collect personal information through providing our services, or through our business relationships with our clients.

We will also generally collect personal information by way of forms filled out for the referral database, complaints or feedback forms you send us, face-to-face meetings, interviews, business cards, general electronic communications and telephone conversations. In addition, we collect personal information from our social media web pages (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn). We may collect your personal information when you request or acquire a product or service from us, register with us as a subscriber to our newsletter, provide a product or service to us or when you communicate with us electronically (including email and facsimile), by telephone or in writing.

If, at any time, you provide personal or other information about someone other than yourself, you must have that person’s consent to provide such information for the purpose for which you provide it to us.

Why we collect information

The primary purpose for which we collect personal information about you is to conduct our business, provide and market our services. In the case of sensitive information, this is only for us to provide our service to you.

What does keeping your information private mean?

Privacy means that we will:

• Only collect information we need to.
• We will not tell people about your personal information unless we have to.
• We will make sure your information is kept safe and is not lost or given to anyone unless we have to.

How we use personal information

• We use your personal information to make sure we provide the right services and supports to you.
• We also use personal information to contact you with details about our activities.
• We might need to tell other people about you because they give you the supports you need.

We will ask whether you consent to your information being used.

In addition to the primary purpose outlined above, we may use the personal information we collect, and you consent to us using your personal information (other than sensitive information):

• to provide you with news and information about our services; to manage and enhance our services;
• to communicate with you, including by email, mail or telephone;
• as part of any investigation in relation to you or your activity which we suspect to be a breach of any of our terms and conditions, serious misconduct or unlawful;
• as required or permitted by any law or regulation (including without limitation the Privacy Act).

Disclosing Information

We never disclose personal information unless otherwise granted permission to do so or otherwise required by law.

How we hold personal information – security

We will take all reasonable steps to protect the personal information that we hold from misuse, interference and loss, and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by means of secure premises, locked cabinets, firewalls, password access, secure servers and encryption of credit card transactions.

However, you acknowledge that the security of communications sent by electronic means or by post cannot be guaranteed. You provide personal information to us via the internet or by post at your own risk. We cannot accept responsibility for misuse, interference or loss, or unauthorised access, modification or disclosure in respect of your personal information where the security of the information is not within our control.

If you suspect any misuse, interference or loss, or unauthorised access, modification or disclosure in respect of your personal information, or any other privacy breach please let us know immediately.

You can ask about your personal information at any time. You can look at your personal information and make changes if anything is wrong.

We will destroy your personal information when we no longer need it. You can ask us to destroy or deidentify your personal information.

What will we do if your personal information is accessed without your consent?

If anything happens to your personal information, we will let you know. We will make sure that your information is safe and we will protect you if your information is accessed.

If you have any further questions about your privacy at QLife, you can contact ask@qlife.org.au

How to make a complaint

• If you are unhappy with how your privacy has been handled, you can make a complaint.

• You can make a complaint by emailing ask@qlife.org.au

• You can ring QLife on 1800 184 527 between 3pm-12am and ask a peer supporter to submit your complaint on your behalf

• You can write a complaint and send it to Suite 2101, Level 21, 233 Castlereagh Street Sydney NSW 2000

• If you don’t want anyone to know who made the complaint, you can make a secret complaint by filling out a complaint form at qlife.org.au/feedback