Transparency Statement
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Taranaki is committed to protecting your privacy.
This transparency statement explains how we collect, store, use and share information gathered about members of the public for the purposes of providing health care and for detecting or investigating potential threats to the physical security of people or assets.
We take care to exercise our information gathering powers appropriately and meet our obligations under the Privacy Act 1993, State Sector Code of Conduct, and Information Gathering Model Standards at all times.
Any such information gathering must be approved according to our internal authorisation process. That process, and other related activities are regularly reviewed to ensure compliance with the law, our internal policies, and our risk management requirements.
This statement applies to information gathered by us, our contractors, or any other third parties engaged by us.
Providing health care
This section explains how we collect, use and share information to fulfil our obligations of providing health care to the population of Taranaki and ensuring that we maintain the quality of the services we deliver.
Collecting your personal information
Health NZ Taranaki collects personal health information to provide patients with the appropriate care, to improve, promote and protect the health of the population and Taranaki communities including planning for and funding health services, carrying out teaching and research, monitoring quality and improving the services we deliver.
The information collection practises of Health NZ Taranaki are governed by a wide range of relevant policies. These policies reflect the current law and recognised standards (Office of Privacy Commissioner, professional practise standards and New Information Gathering Model Standards as defined by the State Services Commission).
In addition the information is collected by employees who are bound by the State Services Commissioner’s Code of Conduct, clauses included within their employment contract which define the expectations of privacy and, in the case of many clinical professionals, in accordance with the standards imposed upon them by their professional bodies. With the overlay of Health NZ Taranaki Te Ahu Taranaki Values and expectations, the expectations on employees are very high.
Use and disclosure of your personal information
In accordance with New Zealand privacy law, the information we hold is used only for the purpose for which it is collected, as defined in the prior section or as otherwise advised.
Health NZ Taranaki is mindful that information collected and used by it is sacrosanct and under the Privacy Act 1993 and Health Information Privacy Code 1994 can only be disclosed in very limited circumstances.
We share personal information with other health care providers and agencies involved in your care. We treat your information as confidential and ensure that it is kept secure and only accessed by authorised persons. You have a right to request access to your records and to request correction of the information. If you give us your permission, we will share your information with family and support people. We will supply your information to other agencies where required by law.
Where the sharing or disclosure of personal information to third parties, including other Government agencies (e.g. WINZ), is required by other legislation, this will supersede the Privacy Act and Health NZ Taranaki will be obliged to share this information. This disclosure of information may occur without your prior notice or consent.
Personal information will also be used to evaluate the quality of services we provide to ensure continuous improvement, analysis for the purpose of evaluating population health outcomes and for the design of services to ensure that these meet the needs of the population we serve.
Storing your personal information
Health NZ Taranaki secures your personal information from unauthorised access, use or disclosure.
Our Information Technology Security Policy establishes the approach to managing information security risks in order to preserve confidentiality, integrity and availability of our “information resources”, which is in compliance with the Health Information Privacy Code 1994, Privacy Act 1993 and the Public Records Act 2005.
We use various third party providers to securely store, process our data and support business operations. We store some personal information we collect in the cloud locally and overseas. This means that the personal information we hold may be transferred to, or accessed from, countries other than New Zealand. We comply with the requirements, as required by the Ministry of Health, before approving the use of cloud providers.
Protecting our people and our assets
This section explains how we collect, use and share information when we are carrying out the functions such as considering and investigating compliance breaches, complaints and initiating our own investigations or inquiries.
The security of people and the protection of our assets are managed in accordance with our Health and Safety and Security policies. They communicate our commitment to providing a healthy and safe place of work for all its workers, contractors, volunteers, patients, students and visitors by complying with relevant health and safety legislation, regulations, New Zealand standards and approved codes of practice.
Health NZ Taranaki website
You may access information contained within the Health NZ Taranaki website without providing personal information. As you visit and browse through our website, read pages or download information, we automatically collect and store only information about your visit. ;This information does not identify you personally.We use this information to help us make the Health NZ Taranaki website more useful to visitors.
Where you voluntarily provide personal information (e.g. through the Customer Services Feedback form, email requests or applying for a job vacancy), we are required as a minimum to hold your personal information as directed under the Privacy Act 1993.
Access to your personal information
You have the right to copies of your health information we hold about you.
To submit a request you can visit, call or write to:
Medical Records Department
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora Taranaki
Private Bag 2016
New Plymouth
Phone 06) 753 6139 Ext 7907
Some information may be legally withheld in certain circumstances, e.g. where your health or the privacy or safety of another person is at risk. If this happens you have the right to be told why the information is being withheld.
You also have the right to request correction of your information. These requests may not always be approved, however in circumstances where they are not you will be informed of the reason why and a record of your request will be kept.
Changes to this Statement
Health NZ Taranaki will occasionally update this Statement to reflect company and customer feedback. Health NZ Taranaki encourages you to periodically review this Statement to be informed of how Health NZ Taranaki is protecting your information.
Should we identify a need to gather information in scope of the model standards in future, we will ensure compliance with Information Gathering Model Standards, and update this transparency statement accordingly.
Exclusions
The Transparency Statement of Health NZ Taranaki excludes the collection, use and storage of personal information related to staff. Please refer to our internal policies and procedures should you be a staff member and require further information.
Contact information
Health NZ Taranaki welcomes your comments regarding this Statement. If you believe that Health NZ Taranaki has not adhered to this Statement or you would like further information, please contact us via our online feedback, compliments and complaints form available on our website www.tdhb.org.nz/forms/feedback_dhb.shtml
Last updated: Wednesday, May 15, 2024