Your privacy at Mercy Health

Mercy Health is committed to managing your personal information in an open and transparent way, protecting the personal information we collect and meeting our privacy obligations under various laws. This page explains how we meet these obligations.

Mercy Health is a national Catholic provider of health, aged and home care services, and retirement living. Mercy Health Foundation is responsible for the management of our fundraising activities and donation program.

The information we collect, use and share depends on what services you are receiving or how you are engaged with us. For each of the services we provide, we set out below the kinds of information we collect and how we use and share it.

We also set out how Mercy Health Foundation collects, uses and shares information, and other ways in which personal information can be collected, used and shared by Mercy Health.

For information about the legal structure of Mercy Health, visit Corporate entity structure.

Information Mercy Health collects, uses and shares

Health Services

Personal information collected by Mercy Health to provide health services

Mercy Health collects personal information in order to provide health services.

If there is information about you that you do not want collected, please tell us. We will talk to you about any consequences of not providing this information.

Mercy Health usually collects the following kinds of information about patients and clients:

• name, address, phone numbers and date of birth

• health information, including information provided by a referring doctor

• information about care and treatment, both past and present

• next of kin or preferred contact person

• Medicare number, pension or Veterans’ Affairs number (if applicable)

• health fund details (for private patients).

CCTV is also installed in public areas at our health service sites.

Mercy Health may also collect personal information to:

• manage complaints or respond to inquiries

• contact a patient or client (for example, to send a text about an upcoming appointment)

• respond to requests for access to information

• enable fundraising activities.

We will usually collect personal information directly from patients or clients.

If that is not possible, we may ask the person’s family or others to provide this information.

How Mercy Health uses personal information

Mercy Health uses personal information for the purpose of providing health services. If you are a donor to the Mercy Health Breastmilk Bank, we will use your personal information for the purpose of providing pasteurised donor breastmilk to premature babies. We may also use personal information for related purposes such as:

• improvement activities

• research projects, studies or clinical trials approved by our Human Research Ethics Committee

• staff and student training

• other planning, financial or management purposes

• otherwise as permitted by law.

Personal information that Mercy Health shares Mercy Health may disclose personal information about patients and clients to assist with their care and treatment. Examples include giving information to:

• a patient or client’s general practitioner (GP)

• community health providers, such as home nursing services or maternal and child health centres

• other health professionals caring for a patient or client

• third parties who are involved in the provision of our services, including subcontractors.

We may upload information about our patients to their My Health Record, unless they advise us not to. We may also share information to help manage our services, for example by providing information to a patient’s health fund.

If services are funded by the government, Mercy Health may be required to provide patient or client information to the funding body or to another service provider at the request of the funding body.

We are also required by law to share certain information, for example in the case of reporting a notifiable disease to government health authorities.

Residential aged care

Personal information collected by Mercy Health

Mercy Health collects personal information in order to provide residential aged care services and to comply with the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth).

If there is information about you that you do not want collected, please tell us. This may affect the fees and charges you are required to pay and the services we provide. We will talk to you about any  consequences of not providing this information.

Mercy Health usually collects the following kinds of information about residents:

• name, address, phone number and date of birth

• information provided by Aged Care Assessment Teams

• health information, including information provided by GPs, specialists and hospitals

• next of kin or authorised representative

• financial information such as income, assets and pension status

• Medicare number and pension number.

CCTV is also installed in public areas at our aged care homes.

We will usually collect personal information directly from residents or their authorised representative. Sometimes we may collect personal information about residents from other people, such as GPs or the Aged Care Assessment Team.

How Mercy Health uses personal information

We use personal information to provide residential aged care services and to comply with the Aged Care Act 1997 (Cth). We may also use personal information for related purposes such as administration, training, assessments and reviews, or other purposes permitted by law.

Personal information that Mercy Health shares

Mercy Health may disclose personal information about residents to assist with their care. Examples include giving information to:

• third parties who are involved in the provision of our services, including subcontractors

• a resident’s GP, specialist or other healthcare provider

• a hospital where a resident is being treated

• another residential aged care home if the resident moves to that home.

We are also required by law to share certain information, for example to the Commonwealth Department responsible for aged care services.

Home care

Personal information collected by Mercy Health

Mercy Health collects personal information in order to provide home care services.

If there is information about you that you do not want collected, please tell us. This may affect your fees and charges and the services we provide. We will talk to you about any consequences of not providing this information.

Mercy Health usually collects the following kinds of information about clients:

• name, address, phone number and date of birth

• health information, including information provided by GPs, specialists and hospitals

• details of your next of kin, carer or preferred contact person

• financial information such as your income, expenses and pension status.

We will usually collect personal information directly from clients or their carer.

Sometimes we may collect personal information about clients from other people, such as GPs or an Aged Care Assessment Team.

How Mercy Health uses personal information

We use personal information to provide home care services. We may also use personal information for related purposes such as administration, training, assessments and reviews or other purposes permitted by law.

Personal information that Mercy Health shares

Mercy Health may disclose personal information about clients to assist with their care. Examples include giving information to:

• third parties who are involved in the provision of our services, including subcontractors

• a client’s GP, specialist or other health care provider

• a hospital where a client is being treated.

We are also required by law to share certain information, such as to the Commonwealth Department responsible for aged care services.

Retirement living

Personal information collected by Mercy Health

Mercy Health collects personal information in order to provide accommodation and services to people living in our independent living units and apartments.

If there is information about you that you do not want collected, please tell us. This may affect your fees and charges and the services we provide. We will talk to you about any consequences of not providing this information.

Mercy Health may collect the following kinds of information about residents:

• name, address, phone number and date of birth

• financial information required to enter into a retirement village or service agreement

• medical and other information required for an emergency contact, including next of kin or authorised representative

• in some cases, information to re-let a unit or apartment (such as bank account details for refunds).

We will usually collect personal information directly from residents.

How Mercy Health uses personal information

We use personal information to provide accommodation and services to residents. We may also use personal information for related purposes such as administration or other purposes permitted by law.

Personal information that Mercy Health shares

Mercy Health may share personal information about residents with:

• third parties who are involved in the operation and maintenance of our retirement villages including subcontractors

• agents and solicitors involved in purchasing or selling an apartment or unit.

Mercy Health Foundation

Personal information collected by Mercy Health Foundation

Mercy Health Foundation may collect information from you if you have:

• accessed our health services and agreed to share your information with Mercy Health Foundation

• donated via the Mercy Health or Mercy Health Foundation website

• donated to a Mercy Health Foundation appeal, event or program.

Mercy Health Foundation usually collects a donor’s name, address, phone number, email address and date of birth. If you are a regular donor, we may also collect your credit card details. If you have made a bequest to the Foundation, we may collect the details of your legal representative.

If you do not want Mercy Health Foundation to collect your details, please tell us. We will talk to you about any consequences of not providing this information.

How Mercy Health Foundation uses personal information

Mercy Health Foundation uses personal information to support fundraising for Mercy Health. We may also use personal information for related purposes such as administration or other purposes permitted by law. Mercy Health Foundation may send you information such as updates, newsletters, information about special fundraising initiatives or fundraising appeals.

Personal information that Mercy Health Foundation shares

Mercy Health may share personal information about donors with third parties who are involved in the operation of the Foundation, including subcontractors (for example, a mailing company) or for other purposes as permitted by law.

Mercy Health Foundation does not share or sell donor lists or information.

Mercy Health Foundation may store electronic information about its donors overseas.

Other activities

Mercy Health also collects personal information from other people, such as job applicants, employees, volunteers and contractors.

Personal information collected by Mercy Health

The information Mercy Health collects depends upon the type of relationship we have with you. This may include:

• contact and other personal details

• work history and referee checks

• tax file number

• bank account details

• medical history (where relevant)

• police check and working with children check

• professional registrations (where applicable).

CCTV is also installed in public areas at a number of Mercy Health sites.

How Mercy Health uses personal information

Mercy Health uses the personal information it collects in order to run our organisation. We may also use personal information for other purposes as permitted by law.

Personal information that Mercy Health shares

Mercy Health may share personal information about people in the course of its operations. Examples include providing information:

• to third parties who are involved in the provision of our services, including organisations who undertake police checks and working with children checks

• to referees

• where required by law, for example to the Australian Tax Office.

General information

Storage and protection

Personal information is stored in paper or electronic records. Information may be stored on site or off site in secure locations.

Mercy Health protects the personal information it collects. We do this through:

• confidentiality requirements on the use of information by Mercy Health employees and contractors

• relevant workplace policies and procedures

• security measures to prevent unauthorised access to our computer systems

• controlling access to record storage areas.

Access and correction

You have a right to request access to your personal information held by Mercy Health. You can also ask us to correct that information if you believe it is inaccurate or out of date.

To access your information, please speak to a staff member. You can find out more under ‘Access your information’. 

Requests for access to public hospital medical records in Victoria and NSW must be made in writing to the Freedom of Information Officer at the treating facility. The contact details for each of our facilities and offices are available under ‘Access your information’. A copy of Mercy Health’s Freedom of Information Access Request Form can also be found on the same page.

Complaints

If you have a complaint about how your personal information is managed, you can speak to a staff member.

If you would like to make a written complaint, please ask a staff member for a feedback form or address your concerns to our Privacy Officer (see ‘How to contact us’ below). Once we receive your complaint we follow our feedback process.

If you prefer, or if you are not satisfied with the handling or outcome of your complaint by Mercy Health, you may choose to lodge your complaint with the Australia Information Commissioner. Before making a complaint to an external complaint body, please visit their website or contact them for information about their complaints management process.

Australian Information Commissioner
1300 363 992
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website

How to contact us

Privacy Officer
Mercy Health
Level 2, 12 Shelley Street
Richmond Victoria 3121
Ph: 03 8416 7859
Email: [email protected]

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