Purpose

To outline the ongoing obligations of Advanced Pharmacy Australia (AdPha) in respect to managing the personal information of Directors, staff, members, volunteers and stakeholders. This policy discloses what personal information is held by AdPha and how such information is collected, stored, used and disclosed, as well as your rights regarding your personal information.

Policy

For governance, financial and legal purposes, AdPha is required to retain information collected from its Directors, staff, members, volunteers, stakeholders and customers. This information is stored securely in accordance with APP legislation, protected from misuse, loss, interference, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure through the use of current, compliant and secure software systems, membership database clients and financial transaction software and systems.

The AdPha operating system is monitored by external IT providers, Modex, who also provide current anti-virus and anti-malware software to protect AdPha data. We encourage staff, members and customers to have the appropriate safeguards on their devices. However, the internet is not an absolutely secure platform of transmitting information. While AdPha accepts responsibility for the information and data once delivered to AdPha servers, AdPha cannot accept responsibility for the security of information you send or receive from us while in transmission. AdPha does not sell member lists.

Where information is requested from the members or customers, that information will only be used for the specific defined purpose it was collected.

This policy is applicable to all office bearers, staff, and members and those acting on behalf of AdPha. They are: Board Directors, members of the Board committees, Branch office bearers, Specialty Practice Group and Leadership Committee members, Secretariat staff, conference organising committees, and members involved in the planning and delivery of AdPha activities.

What is Personal Information and why do we collect it?

Overview

Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual.

AdPha only collects information that is required for us to provide our services or to complete legal transactions. Information collected may include name, address, email, telephone numbers, place of practice, AHPRA number.

AdPha uses your personal information to:

• maintain your membership records, and hold CPD records entered by you directly
• maintain your customer records
• provide membership services and distribute promotional material
• provide mailing lists for distribution of the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research (JPPR) and e-News
• complete financial transactions such as payments and receipts
• comply with all applicable laws

AdPha does not collect, hold, use or disclose sensitive information about you.

AdPha collects personal information for the primary purpose of providing services and information to members, stakeholders, clients and for marketing.  AdPha may also use personal information for secondary purposes closely related to the primary purpose, where it would be reasonably expected.  Where appropriate and where possible, AdPha explains the reasons for collecting the information and how it is to be used.

AdPha may from time to time contact you regarding our education, activities, membership and our publications. We may also inform you of any new developments, goods or services that we believe may be of interest to you.

You may opt-out of receiving this material through the unsubscribe function on each direct communication, amending your communication preferences on your account via the website or by notifying us on info@adpha.au.

AdPha only uses the most recent and up-to-date information you provide to us. Every effort is made to maintain accurate information, with prompts regarding changes to your personal information requested from time to time. For example, members are reminded to update or amend their personal information at the annual membership renewal.  In addition, members can log on to the AdPha website to update or amend their personal information at any time.

Sensitive Information

Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinion about such things as an individual's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political Association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health information.  Sensitive information will be used by AdPha only:

• for the primary purpose for which it was obtained
• for a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose
• with consent
• where required or authorised by law.

AdPha collects information that is necessary to administer the accounts of members and customers in the provision of services and goods. In addition, it helps us improve our level of service to you and maximise the benefits you enjoy. AdPha also collects information from suppliers to facilitate logistics and accounting purposes, and to comply with legal and accounting requirements

AdPha may collect information in a range of ways, including:

• when you provide it directly to AdPha, for example, by submission via our website, any electronic or paper forms, email, surveys, telephone or social media conversation
• in the course of providing you with your requested goods or services from publicly available sources (e.g. Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency website)
• from our records of your use of our services (e.g. accessing AdPha website, viewing AdPha e-News, subscriptions to CPD e-News)

Third Parties

Where reasonable and practicable to do so, AdPha will collect personal information only from an individual.  However, in some circumstances AdPha may be provided with information by third parties.  In such a case, AdPha will notify the individual concerned when it collects personal information from a third party either at the time of collection or as soon as practicable thereafter. 

Website Information

The AdPha website ‘www.adpha.au’ is owned and operated by Advanced Pharmacy Australia. AdPha also owns and operates other websites from time to time for specific purposes (eg MM Conference).

AdPha gathers user information through membership data, optional, voluntary requests to receive electronic information and publications, to participate in forums, to register for conferences and other events and in polls and surveys.  Users may remove themselves from these mailing lists by following the link provided.

From time to time, AdPha may offer polls or surveys to users so they can share their opinions.  It is optional for the user to supply a name and other details.  Results of polls are aggregated and are not identifiable to any user.  AdPha may share the aggregated demographic information with sponsors, advertisers and partners.  AdPha never shares any information about specific individuals with any third party.

AdPha never shares information about individual users or mailing lists with third parties, including advertisers, sponsors or partners, except to comply with applicable law or for a valid legal process or to protect the personal safety of our users or the public.

AdPha privacy statement

AdPha will

• only collect personal information for lawful purposes and only if the personal information is necessary for one or more of AdPha’s functions or activities 
• only collect personal information from the individual to whom it relates when reasonably possible.  When AdPha collects personal information from a third party, the individual concerned will be notified either at the time of collection or as soon as practicable thereafter 
• state what the personal information will be used for and who will receive the personal information 
• state if the collection is voluntary, and the consequences for individuals if it is not, or only in part, provided 
• provide contact details regarding who to contact about access to and correction of the personal information
• take reasonable steps to ensure that personal information holdings are relevant, accurate, up to date, complete and that the collection does not unreasonably intrude on the personal affairs of individuals 
• retain personal information for no longer than is necessary and then dispose of it lawfully and securely 
• protect personal information from loss, unauthorised access, use, modification or disclosure or other misuse 
• ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to ensure that personal information is not used or disclosed by external service providers without authorisation.

Compliance

AdPha operates in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the national privacy legislation. AdPha holds your information securely. Your information is protected from misuse, loss, interference, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure using secure systems.

Your payments to AdPha via your credit cards are processed via an international e-commerce organisation via Secure Sockets Layer protocol (SSL), and AdPha does not keep a copy of your credit card numbers.

Our computer system is protected by up-to-date anti-virus and anti-malware software. However, the internet is not a secure platform of transmitting information, and we cannot monitor the status of your computer. We therefore cannot and do not accept responsibility for the security of information you send or receive from us over the internet.

Member’s information would only be provided outside Australia in the event of a contract arrangement to provide core AdPha activities or benefits, for example, to the publisher of the JPPR and dissemination of the e-News. When member’s information is provided to an overseas company, AdPha ensures that the recipient of the information is subject to legislation or policies which aim to protect the privacy of the information. 

The Privacy Policy is available on the AdPha website and is provided to all contractors. This policy should be read in conjunction with AdPha’s Code of Conduct, the Conflict of Interest policy and the Code of Ethics.

According to the APPs to request access to and correction of information we hold about you. If you find an error, or you think certain information is outdated or missing, you can notify us and we will amend the records. To request access to or to correct your personal information, please contact AdPha at info@adpha.au.

Version Control

Approved by: Chief Executive
Date approved: August 2024
Previously approved: January 2022, January 2020, January 2018, May 2016
Version: 5.0
Audience: AdPha staff, Directors, Branch Committee members, contractors, consultants, volunteer members working on AdPha events, projects or activities and any other representative of AdPha
Next review: January 2026