POLICY STATEMENT
TASC National Limited (TASC) is committed to transparency in its operations and to ensuring it is open to public scrutiny. It must also balance this with upholding the rights of individuals to privacy and of TASC to confidentiality on sensitive corporate matters.
TASC will prevent unauthorised persons from gaining access to an individual’s confidential records and permit individuals access to their own records when this is reasonable and appropriate.
Accordingly, access to some TASC records will be limited to specified individuals and not be available to others for viewing.
This policy applies to the internal records, client records and unpublished materials of TASC.
PROCEDURES
Client records
Client records will be confidential to clients and to those staff members who have a direct working connection with the client.
Information about clients may only be made available to other parties with the consent of the client, or where the client is unavailable to provide consent, by the relevant Coordinator if the Coordinator is satisfied, in his/her discretion, that it is appropriate and in the client’s best interests to provide the information.
All client records will be kept securely and updated, archived and destroyed according to TASC’s client records policy.
REQUEST FOR ACCESS
All clients have the right to access their records and advise TASC of any inaccuracies.
The Organisational Development Coordinator will:
- inform clients about their right to access records containing personal information about themselves and how they can request this
- record client requests to access files
- making fair and appropriate decisions about permitting or refusing access to personal information
- provide access for clients or former clients to access their own confidential information
- advise clients refused access to personal information how to appeal (if appropriate)
- enable clients to change records they believe to be inaccurate or misrepresenting, when appropriate.
Requests for information about clients from outside agencies or individuals will be referred to the Organisational Development Coordinator. Before any information is released, the Organisational Development Coordinator will contact the client concerned to obtain consent.
In a case where there is a request for release of information without client consent, the Organisational Development Coordinator shall consider the provisions of the Right to Information Act 2009 and the Information Privacy Act 2009 and the Information Privacy Principles before deciding whether to release the requested information.
APPEALS
Individuals who are refused access to their own records or information files may appeal by contacting the Organisational Development Coordinator who will refer the request for review of the decision to the Board of Directors.