Privacy Policy

1. Our commitment to your privacy

Continence Care Northland respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal and health information. We comply with the Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code 2020 (New Zealand).This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your personal information.

2. What is personal information?

“Personal information” means information about an identifiable individual. This includes health information, which is considered highly sensitive under New Zealand law.

3. Information we collect

We may collect the following information when providing our services:Name, date of birth, address, phone number, and emailNHI number (where relevant)Health information relevant to continence and pelvic health careMedical history, assessment findings, and care plansReferrer details (e.g. GP or specialist)Appointment notes and correspondencePayment and invoicing informationWebsite enquiries and contact form submissions. You may provide this information: In person, Via phone, email, or online forms, During clinical consultations, Through referrals from healthcare providers (with consent or lawful authority)

4. How we use your information

We collect and use your information only where necessary to: Provide safe, appropriate continence and pelvic health careCommunicate with you about appointments and careCoordinate care with other health professionals involved in your treatmentMeet legal, professional, and regulatory obligationsManage billing, invoicing, and administrationImprove our services and quality of careWe do not use your health information for marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

5. Disclosure of personal information

Your information may be shared only when necessary and lawful, including with:Other healthcare providers involved in your care (e.g. GP, specialist, physiotherapist)Laboratories or diagnostic services (if relevant)ACC or insurers (with consent or legal requirement)Professional advisers (e.g. accountants, insurers) where requiredRegulatory or legal authorities if required by lawWe take reasonable steps to ensure any third parties handle your information securely and confidentially.

6. Storage and security

We take reasonable safeguards to protect your information from loss, unauthorised access, misuse, or disclosure. This includes:Secure electronic record systemsPassword-protected devices and softwareLocked storage for any paper recordsLimiting access to information on a need-to-know basisHealth records are retained in accordance with professional and legal retention requirements in New Zealand.

7. Overseas storage

Some electronic systems (such as secure clinical software or email providers) may store data on servers located outside New Zealand. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure privacy protections comparable to New Zealand standards are in place.

8. Your rights

Under the Privacy Act 2020 and Health Information Privacy Code, you have the right to:Access your personal and health informationRequest correction of your information if it is inaccurate or incompleteBe informed about how your information is usedRequests can be made in writing. We will respond within the timeframes required by law.

9. Privacy concerns or complaints

If you have any concerns about how your information is handled, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.Privacy OfficerContinence Care NorthlandEmail: [insert email]Phone: [insert phone]If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ) at www.privacy.org.nz.

10. Website informationWebsite use

When you visit our website, we may collect non-identifying information such as browser type, device, and pages visited. This information is used to improve website performance and user experience.CookiesOur website may use cookies to enhance functionality and analyse website traffic. You can choose to disable cookies through your browser settings.Third-party linksOur website may include links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The most current version will always be available on our website.