Privacy Notice
How will my personal information be managed if I use the Head to Health – National Mental Health Website (headtohealth.gov.au)
The law protects how your personal information will be managed. The Head to Health website is maintained by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (the Department) and the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information will be managed in accordance with the Department’s Privacy Policy. When you tick the tick box on the website relating to the terms of use and the Privacy Notice, you are giving the Department consent to collect your information through the Head to Health website and to manage that information in accordance with this privacy notice and the Department’s Privacy Policy.
What information will be collected and why?
The website will not collect your personal information unless you choose to provide it or request a carer or support person to provide it for you. You can use the website either anonymously or by using a name which is different to your real name. However, the website will need to collect some information about you in order to present you with content which may be useful to you. Most of the information about you is needed for the Head to Health quiz and for helping you to find medical health practitioners, mental health centres, or Primary Health Networks which are close to your postcode, or to arrange a call-back to your preferred name and telephone number from your closest Primary Health Network. The information collected in the Head to Health quiz includes information about your age, mental and physical health needs and status, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander status, multi-cultural status, parental status, sexuality, military or veteran status, gender, living arrangements, general financial position and email address.
These features of the website require some personal information to provide you with information and assistance. The website may not be able to provide the information or assistance in the same way (or at all) if your personal information is not provided.
If you are currently seeing a health service provider, your health service provider can also provide information about you (only with your consent) to find appropriate online resources for you and provide you with information about these resources.
Who will my personal information be shared with?
The website will only share your information with other parties to provide you with details about online health resources which may be useful to you, or where you have requested a service such as a call-back from a health service provider. Parties which may receive the information you provide include:
- University of Melbourne who may use anonymous quiz responses to enhance and develop the Head to Health quiz to continue providing suggested online health resources. Your name and other identifying details will not be shared with the University of Melbourne; and
- health practitioners and health service providers.
The Department may need to share your information with another party if it is required to do so by law, or if the information needs to be shared in order to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual, or to public health and safety.
Since the Department does not keep the personal information that you provide through the Website, your personal information will not be disclosed to overseas recipients.
How can I access or correct my personal information, or make a complaint about how my personal information is managed?
The Department’s Privacy Policy has details about how you can access your personal information, and how you can ask the Department to correct your information if it is wrong. However, please note that the Department does not keep any record of the personal information you provide through the website as your information is sent directly to a relevant service provider. For example, the details you provide in a call-back request such as your phone number, preferred name (including any nicknames) and your postcode or suburb will be sent directly to your selected Primary Health Network.
The Department’s Privacy Policy also has details about how you can make a complaint if you believe the Department has breached the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) or the Privacy (Australian Government Agencies — Governance) APP Code 2017 or mishandled your personal information.
Departmental privacy enquiries
You may contact the Department using the following contact details to find out more about privacy within the Department, or to make a privacy enquiry or complaint.
Phone: 02 6289 1555
Freecall: 1800 020 103
Privacy officer: privacy@health.gov.au
Postal address:
Department of Health
MDP 62
GPO Box 9848
Canberra ACT 2601