Privacy Statement

At Focus on Potential, we work hard to ensure the integrity, security and privacy of personal information.

We are committed to the principles and requirements set out in the Privacy Act 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Code 1994.

This statement lets you know:

  • The information we collect
  • How we use the information
  • Who we share information with
  • How we store information
  • How you can view, correct, change or delete

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner provides further details of the New Zealand Privacy Act and how it protects personal information in New Zealand.

Information that we collect and use

We take reasonable steps to ensure that the person we are collecting information from is aware of what is being collected, why it is being collected and who might receive it.

Our team obtain consent from clients to discuss and collect their personal information at the outset of the relationship. The information that we collect and use includes:

  • Name and contact details (name, age, address, email address and telephone numbers)
  • Unique identifiers (such as ACC number)
  • Personal information e.g. relating to health, medical history, criminal history. This information is only collected and used where it is needed to provide the service that has been requested or to comply with legal obligations.

We may collect your information from you in a variety of ways including face-to-face, over the telephone, through an on-line form, through a paper form or by email.

Sometimes we will collect personal information from a third party or a publicly available source if it is unreasonable or impracticable to collect the personal information directly from you.

We may also collect information about you from another source if you have given your consent for this.

How we use personal information

We use your personal information only to provide services including assessment and rehabilitation or if it is necessary for us to meet legal and regulatory obligations.

  • If you do not consent for us to collect and use your personal information in these ways, it may mean that we will be unable to provide you with our services.

Who we share information with

We will only share personal information if we are using it for the reason we collected it, if you have given your consent, or where there are other legal or compliance reasons.

  • We will obtain your consent to share information with relevant parties, however if your consent is not given, funders may withdraw supports.
  • We may also share information where disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious threat to public health or safety, or the life or health of any individual.

How we store information

We are committed to keeping personal information secure and safe.

  • The health-related information we collect for the purpose of client assessment and rehabilitation is stored securely in specialised software.
  • We operate our cloud computing according to New Zealand Government standards.
  • We do not hold a large amount of paper-based information, however we ensure that hard copy documents are secured appropriately in locked areas and kept for a 10-year period as per our legal requirements.

How you can view, correct, change or delete

We will ensure that all personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up-to date.

If you have assessed your personal information and it is incorrect, you can request us to change it.  We will let you know when we have received your request and have started checking your information with the original author.

If we are holding factually incorrect information, we will update the information on your file and on any documentation produced by us.

Sometimes we may not be able to make the change you have requested. This is usually because it relates to opinion-based information such as a medical assessment, or is part of documentation completed by a third-party which we do not have authority to amend. If this is the case:

  • we will contact you and explain why we can’t make the change
  • you can choose to provide a written statement of correction, which we will add to your file. This statement shows that you requested a change to your information, but that we haven’t made the change
  • we will contact you to let you know what we have done.

If you wish to request your information or request an update to the information we have on your file, please speak with your clinician or contact us through our online request form.