Privacy Statement
At PGF, we care about privacy. This privacy statement sets out how we collect, use, disclose and protect your personal information as well as how you can access and correct any information we hold about you. We are guided by the principles of the Health Information Privacy Code (1994) which sets out how service providers should record, store, and treat client’s private information. All PGF Services staff sign and adhere to a confidentiality agreement.
Personal information
The term personal information covers any information about an identifiable individual. Personal information includes your name, contact details, and location information, as well as the content of any interactions you have with us.
What personal information do we collect?
At PGF Services, people accessing our services have the right to remain anonymous. When we collect information, we comply with the Health Information Privacy Code (1994). Under this code we may be required to collect the following types of personal information:
- Your interactions with us including online chat, phone calls, emails and face to face
- We can also collect your personal details including name, address, age, ethnicity and contact details, but this is not something you have to provide us if you do not want to.
How do we collect your personal information?
- For people using our online chat service anonymously, a transcript is created by the chat programme. This is deleted automatically after 3 months.
- For people accessing our services (registered clients) in person, telephone, online chat or email we are obligated to collect minimal information in accordance with our contract with the Ministry of Health.
How do we use your personal information?
We collect your personal information in order to:
- Help us to personalise our service to you
- Receive funding from Ministry of Health which helps us to help you
- Help us to get an overall picture of how gambling harm affects different groups of people in different parts of New Zealand
How do we share your personal information?
- We do not share any of your personal details like name, address, and contact details with any other individual or organisation without your permission.
- If there is a concern about your own safety or that of others, we may need to discuss your situation with other services, e.g. Health Services, the Police, etc. We always attempt to seek your agreement first and act ethically in your best interests.
- Staff at PGF work as a team and have regular team reviews about our counselling work.
- All counsellors have regular external supervision where cases will be discussed to ensure the counsellor is practicing within their code of ethics, this may include reviewing online chat transcripts.
- We have to release your information to the Courts, if they subpoena your information. (This seldom happens).
- The Ministry of Health requires statistical, non-identifying information from PGF and also does regular audits of our service.
- We occasionally work with researchers who may be conducting research projects. We seek your permission prior though, and all care is taken to remove identifying information before we share anything with these organisations.
How do we store your personal information?
We keep your information safe by storing it in encrypted files and only allowing essential staff to access it.
How can you access and/or correct your personal information?
You have the right to access and correct your personal information. Please send an email to info@pgf.nz or contact PGF on 0800 664 262 if you wish to access or correct the personal information we hold about you.
How long do we keep your personal information?
We only keep your personal information for as long as we require it and are guided by the Health Information Privacy Code (1994).
How can you make a complaint?
If you would like to make a complaint, you can contact our Privacy Officer directly, by sending an email to info@pgf.nz or by contacting PGF on 0800 664 262.
You can also make a complaint to the New Zealand Privacy Commissioner. Information about how to lodge a complaint is available on their website.
Changes to this privacy statement
We may update this privacy statement from time to time. Any such changes will be posted here. We recommend that you check back frequently to see any updates or changes
