AMA Queensland Privacy Policy
The Queensland Branch of the Australian Medical Association Limited (trading as AMA Queensland) (ACN 009 660 280) maintains a policy of strict confidence concerning your (you, your) personal information (Privacy Policy).
AMA Queensland is the peak membership organisation representing doctors and medical students in Queensland. We support and represent our members through advocacy, policy development and the provision of a range of member services, benefits and events. We also seek to promote and protect the interests of patients and the wider community in Queensland by working with government, providing information, reports and commentary on health issues, advocacy and active involvement in health policy debate.
AMA Queensland is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of the information we collect from members, visitors to our website, people who contact us and from our suppliers and partners in accordance with relevant laws. This Privacy Policy has been developed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act). The Privacy Policy applies to the collection, storage, use and dissemination of your personal information by us. By accessing this site (Site) or otherwise using our services you accept the terms of this Privacy Policy. This Privacy Policy applies to information provided to us whether via the Site or any other means.
1. COLLECTING PERSONAL INFORMATION
AMA Queensland collects personal information from members, students or doctors enquiring about or applying for membership, members of the public, journalists, government agencies and other organisations seeking information or comment, visitors to our website, and persons purchasing services from us and from our suppliers.
The information you provide to us is collected to enhance your use of the Site, to improve the Site and to keep you informed of upcoming events and our activities that might be relevant to you. It is also collected to allow us to provide the functions and services offered on the Site to you.
Other personal information we collect is for the purpose of providing our services. We will generally collect personal information directly from you. This may include your contact details and sensitive information such as health information.
Much of this information is collected directly from the person concerned, including the member application and renewals processes, through emails, telephone calls, the AMA Queensland website, apps and mobile devices. We also collect this information from publicly available websites, directories and databases and via Twitter, other social media and the survey tool SurveyMonkey.
In relation to applicants for membership and, members, the information collected will include (where applicable) your practice and personal address and telephone/fax number(s), your email address, medical specialty and interests, languages spoken and membership of other medical associations, Colleges and professional groups.
We will need your name and full contact details for information regarding membership and membership services. For members of the public who contact AMA Queensland for general information, we will not need your name and will accept a pseudonym if preferred.
We may also collect personal information from third parties such as your representatives or publicly available sources of information.
If someone other than you provides us with personal information about you that we did not ask for and we determine that we could have collected this information from you had we asked for it, we will notify you as soon as practicable. However, this notice will not be provided if doing so would be a breach of an obligation of confidence. If we could not have collected this personal information, we will lawfully de-identify or destroy that personal information.
We will only collect sensitive information revealing your race, ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union memberships or details of health or disability if:
- you have given express consent to us to do so and the information is reasonably necessary for us to carry out our functions or activities;
- the use of this information is required or authorised under Australian law or a court or tribunal order; or
- the information is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of a legal claim.
2. COOKIES
When you visit the Site the server may attach a "cookie" to your computer's memory. A “cookie” assists us to store information on how visitors to the Site use it and the pages that may be of most interest. This information may be used to provide users of your computer with information that we think may interest them. If you choose, you could be able to configure your computer so that it disables “cookies” or does not accept them.
3. USE AND DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
We use personal information to provide our services.
AMA Queensland stores and uses this information to provide services to our members, to provide information and services to the media, government and community and to enable us to advocate on behalf of our members and the community on health issues.
We only provide others with information that would identify you if it is necessary to provide you with the service or information that you requested, you have agreed to us providing it to them or it is already publicly available information.
We may also provide your personal information, at our discretion, to related bodies including the Australian Medical Association Limited (ACN 008 426 793), the Australasian Medical Publishing Company Proprietary Limited (ACN 000 005 854), the AMAQ Foundation (ACN 093 701 083), the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (ASMOF) and the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation of Queensland (ASMOFQ).
We provide your information to AMPCo (ACN 000 005 854). AMPCo collects, stores and uses this information for the compilation and publication of the Medical Directory of Australia, distribution of our medical journal, the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) and other associated medical publications, for direct marketing of information, goods and services to persons on the AMPCo database and for statistical and industry analysis.
We will not disclose information that personally identifies you to any third party other than as set out in this Privacy Policy. In order to deliver our services, we may disclose your personal information to other organisations but only in relation to providing our services to you. We take reasonable steps to ensure that these organisations are bound by privacy obligations in relation to the protection of your personal information.
4. DIRECT MARKETING
We may use personal information about you for the primary purpose of providing you with our services. We may also use it for other purposes for which you might reasonably expect us to use that information.
We use your personal information to keep you informed about pertinent updates, member services, products, publications and events by post, telephone or any form of electronic communication. You authorise us to use any email address or other contact information you provide to us at any time for this purpose.
When a person applies for membership of the AMA Queensland they are provided with an opportunity to decline or to indicate what types of goods or services they are interested in receiving further information.
If at any time you have a concern about direct marketing material you have received from us or through use by others of our databases, or you wish to change your preferences in relation to receipt of future material, please contact us by emailing the Membership Manager at membership@amaq.com.au
You agree and acknowledge that even if you opt out of receiving marketing material, we will still send you essential information that we are required to send you relating to the services we provide.
5. ACCURACY OF YOUR INFORMATION
AMA Queensland members can easily update the information about them by logging in online to the AMA website. Alternatively, please contact the AMA Queensland membership team or phone (07) 3872 2222 to update your details.
6. THIRD PARTIES AND YOUR INFORMATION
We will only collect, store, use or disseminate information that personally identifies you as set out in this Privacy Policy unless we are required by law to protect our rights or property (or those of any third party) or to avoid injury to any person.
This Site may link directly to websites operated by third parties (Linked Sites). You acknowledge that Linked Sites are not operated by us. We encourage you to always read the applicable privacy policy of any Linked Site. We are not responsible for the content or practices of the Linked Sites or their privacy policies regarding the collection, storage, use and dissemination of your personal information.
7. TRANSFER OF INFORMATION OVERSEAS
We or our contracted data storage providers may use third party service providers who may disclose your personal information to parties in foreign countries.
For example, we use SurveyMonkey as a survey tool for member surveys and event evaluations. SurveyMonkey data is stored securely on servers in the United States. We may also exchange information with international subscriber medical journals from time to time.
By providing personal information to us you consent to this disclosure.
8. YOUR CONSENT
By your use of the Site and our services, you consent to the collection, storage, use and dissemination of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy and as otherwise permitted under the Privacy Act.
9. STORAGE AND SECURITY
We store your information at our premises, in electronic systems under our control and with contracted data storage providers. We take appropriate steps to protect the security of the information we hold about you, including protections against unauthorised access, virus or other electronic intrusions, fire, theft or loss. We require our staff and contracted providers to do the same.
While we will use all reasonable endeavours to keep your personal information in a secure environment, this security cannot always be guaranteed. Our procedures are designed to prevent your personal information being accessed by unauthorised personnel, lost or misused. If you reasonably believe that there has been unauthorised use or disclosure of your personal information please contact us (see below).
We generally keep your personal information active for as long as is reasonably required to enable us to meet your needs. Where we collect private information outside of membership registration, once the data is utilised it will not be retained.
We keep membership records and other personal information on file to enable us to undertake statistical and historical analysis and reporting. As part of our data security, we regularly backup and archive our electronic databases.
We also keep membership records and other personal information on file and may contact former members from time to time to offer them the opportunity to renew their membership of AMA Queensland or to provide them with information relevant to doctors and medical students in Queensland. If you do not wish to receive this information, please contact the, Membership Manager, AMA Queensland membership@amaq.com.au.
If we no longer need your personal information, unless we are required under Australian law or a court or tribunal order to retain it, we will, take reasonable steps to destroy or securely delete your personal information.
10. VARIATION AND CONSENT TO VARIATION
We may vary the terms of this Privacy Policy at any time. You should check this Privacy Policy regularly so that you are aware of any variations made to this Privacy Policy. You will be deemed to have consented to such variations by your continued use of the Site or our services following such changes being made.
11. ACCESS TO INFORMATION WE HOLD ABOUT YOU
If you request access to the personal information we hold about you, we will respond to your request within a reasonable period of time and, where reasonable and practicable, give access to the information in the manner you request. This will be subject to any exemptions allowed under the Privacy Act. You may request this information by writing to our Privacy Officer:
Membership Manager
Australian Medical Association Queensland
P: (07) 3872 2222
F: (07) 3856 4727
A: PO Box 123, Red Hill, QLD, 4059
E: membership@amaq.com.au
We may charge a reasonable fee for providing that information
When contacting us, you have the option to either not identify yourself or to use a pseudonym. However, this will not apply if it is impracticable for us to communicate with you that way or if we are required or authorised under Australian law (or a court or tribunal order) to only deal with individuals who have identified themselves.