Privacy Statement

Northland DHB is committed to protecting your privacy and developing technology that gives you the most powerful and safe online experience. This Statement of Privacy applies to personal information held on other channels and the Northland DHB Web site and governs data collection and usage. By using the Northland DHB website, you consent to the data practices described in this statement.

Collection of your Personal Information

Northland DHB collects personally identifiable information, such as your e-mail address, name, home or work address or telephone number. Northland DHB may also collect anonymous demographic information, which is not unique to you, such as your age, gender, preferences, interests and favourites.

There is also information about your computer hardware and software that is automatically collected by Northland DHB. This information can include your IP address, browser type, domain names, access times and referring Web site addresses. This information is used by Northland DHB for the operation of the service, to maintain the quality of the service, and to provide general statistics regarding the use of the Northland DHB Website.

Please keep in mind that if you directly disclose personally identifiable information or personally sensitive data through Northland DHB public message boards, this information may be collected and used by others. Note: Northland DHB does not read any of your private online communications.

Northland DHB encourages you to review the privacy statements of Websites you choose to link to from Northland DHB so that you can understand how those Websites collect, use and share your information.

Northland DHB is not responsible for the privacy statements or other content on Web sites outside of the Northland DHB and Northland DHB family of Web sites.

Use of your Personal Information

Northland DHB collects and uses your personal information to operate the Northland DHB Website and deliver the services you have requested. Northland DHB also uses your personally identifiable information to inform you of other products or services available from Northland DHB and its affiliates. Northland DHB may also contact you via surveys to conduct research about your opinion of current services or of potential new services that may be offered.

Northland DHB does not sell, rent or lease its customer lists to third parties.

Northland DHB does not use or disclose sensitive personal information, such as race, religion, or political affiliations, without your explicit consent.

Northland DHB keeps track of the Web sites and pages our customers visit within Northland DHB, in order to determine what Northland DHB services are the most popular. This data is used to deliver customized content and advertising within Northland DHB to customers whose behaviour indicates that they are interested in a particular subject area.

Northland DHB Web sites will disclose your personal information, without notice, only if required to do so by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on Northland DHB or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of Northland DHB; and, (c) act under exigent circumstances to protect the personal safety of users of Northland DHB, or the public.

Use of Cookies

The Northland DHB Web site use "cookies" to help you personalise your online experience. A cookie is a text file that is placed on your hard disk by a Web page server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.

One of the primary purposes of cookies is to provide a convenience feature to save you time. The purpose of a cookie is to tell the Web server that you have returned to a specific page. For example, if you personalise Northland DHB pages, or register with Northland DHB site or services, a cookie helps Northland DHB to recall your specific information on subsequent visits. This simplifies the process of recording your personal information, such as billing addresses, shipping addresses, and so on. When you return to the same Northland DHB Web site, the information you previously provided can be retrieved, so you can easily use the Northland DHB features that you customised.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Most Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of the Northland District Health Board services or Web sites you visit.

Transparency Statement

This transparency statement explains how Northland DHB collects, use and share information gathered about members of the public or other entities (directly or indirectly) in accordance with the Information Gathering Model Standards. 

Northland DHB does not have any law enforcement responsibilities and does not gather any information for these purposes. 

The security of our premises is managed in accordance with our health and safety policy and in accordance with government procurement standards and government Protective Security Requirements. The security of our information is managed in accordance our Privacy Policy, Information Security Policy, and in compliance with the Privacy Act 1993, the Health Information Privacy Code (1994), the Official Information Act 1982 and the Public Records Act 2005. The information we hold is used only for the purpose for which it is collected or as otherwise advised, including as described in our privacy policy. 

Note where have serious concerns regarding potential threats to the physical security of staff, or the security of information or places, we will engage an appropriate authority (such as the NZ Police).  

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.  

This statement applies to information gathered by us, our contractors, or any other third parties engaged by us.

Enquiries and complaints

If you have any enquiries about our information gathering activities or believe we have not acted in accordance with this statement, you should contact us at the following address:

Chief Executive

Northland DHB

Northland District Health Board

Ground Floor, Tohorā House

Private Bag 9742, Whangārei 0148

Security of your Personal Information

Northland DHB secures your personal information from unauthorised access, use or disclosure. Northland DHB secures the personally identifiable information you provide on computer servers in a controlled, secure environment, protected from unauthorised access, use or disclosure. When personal information (such as a credit card number) is transmitted to other Web sites, it is protected through the use of encryption, such as the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol.

Changes to this Statement

Northland DHB will occasionally update this Statement of Privacy to reflect organisational and customer feedback. Northland DHB encourages you to periodically review this Statement to be informed of how Northland DHB is protecting your information.

Complaining about our Privacy Practices

We want to know if you have concerns about our privacy practices, whether these relate to the way we collect or share information about you or our decision on your access request. This allows us to try and put things right for you and helps us to identify and fix any problems with our systems or processes.

In the first instance, let us know about your concerns and we will try our best to resolve it. This could include escalating your concerns to a senior staff member to ensure we have made the right decision and fully considered your concerns. You can raise your concerns with your Investigating Officer or, if you do not have a complaint with us, contact:

communications@northlanddhb.org.nz

If we cannot resolve your concerns, then you have the right to complain to the Office of the Ombudsman about our actions:

Complain to the Office of the Ombudsman

Contact Information

Northland DHB welcomes your comments regarding this Statement of Privacy. If you believe that Northland DHB has not adhered to this Statement, please contact Northland DHB at communications@northlanddhb.org.nz.  We will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly determine and remedy the problem.