We may update this privacy statement from time to time. Please check regularly for modifications and updates. The privacy statement was last updated:21 June 2023.You can download this statement here

Introduction

Te Ara Oranga uses the myWai system to collect and manage information that we need to support you and your whānau. MyWai is:

• Used to connect people, their whānau, and community health services.
• Accessible to people, their whānau, and community health services regardless of the care setting.
• A place where information follows the person, and care providers contribute to the same record.
• Where people with complex needs can manage their care through the MyWai app or website.
• Delivered and managed by Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand.

What personal information we collect, and why

We may collect the following personal information from you:

• Your core information: name, contact details, your unique health number (known as the National Health Index or NHI), ethnicity, iwi and hapu affiliations. We need this information to deliver our services to you and understand which communities use them.
• Meth harm: Information about your health as it relates meth harm, such as withdrawal symptoms. This is needed so we can understand how best to support you.
• Appointments: Information to support appointments and referrals with other people and organisations involved in your care.
• Other health issues: Health issues and assessments related to meth use that you may be experiencing. This may include risks to you or to others. This helps our people understand other areas of your wellbeing and can help us understand more about your care plan and ensure you have relevant support you may need.
• Whānau relationships: if you want whānau members, or other people you trust, to have some level of access to your health information, you can record this as part of your information.
• Other Contacts: Important relationships that we may need to know as part of your work with us.
• Your Journey: Your goals and targets that are part of your care plan.
• Care/Treatment Plans: More specific care plans, such as treatment and recovery plans that focus around what is important to you as a person. These capture more detailed steps to deliver care or to effect treatment in specific areas.
• Transfer of care: information that may be useful to other people/organisations you work with over the longer term, so that they can provide good continuity of care for you.
• Your Consent: We are responsible for helping you understand how we use your information. We’ll keep a note that we’ve talked to you, and that you’re happy with this privacy statement. You can talk to us at any time to understand more about what happens with your information.

Mandatory or voluntary?

We won’t ask for information unless we need it to help you, or to keep you or others safe. If there’s information you’d prefer not to provide, please talk to us about it. We will always respect the choices you want to make, and work with you to figure out a way forward.

Other ways that we use your personal information

Your information is also entered into the ‘Jade Community Care’ system and flows through to the Jade data warehouse. This is so that, for example, care providers, such as doctors, nurses and multi-disciplinary team members looking after you, if they need to, use this information when they are involved in your care for other reasons.

Your information is also provided to the national ‘Primary Mental Health Database’ (PRIMHD), which is used to understand how mental health services are working. This leaflet provides more information: What happens to your mental health and addiction information?.

Who can access your information?

Only your care team members will have access to all of your information, and MyWai shows you a record of any changes to your team. Outside of your team, people will only see basic personal information, and only if they’re asked to progress your care in some way (arrange an appointment or assessment, or requesting another service which may be able to help you, etc). You can use the mobile app, or ask us, to request a record of who has accessed your information in MyWai.

Sharing your information

Information from MyWai will sometimes be shared with other people, such as your doctor, or when we agree to involve someone else in your care outside of Te Ara Oranga’s care team. We will only share your information in this way with your permission.

How long we hold your information

We only keep your personal information for as long as required for the reasons outlined in this privacy statement and in accordance with the law (for example the Health (Retention of Health Information Regulations 1996).

Storing your information securely

We take reasonable steps to ensure your personal information is protected against loss, unauthorised access, use, modification, disclosure, or other misuse.

Access to and requests to correct your information

You have the right to access any information we hold about you and ask us to correct it if you think it is wrong. MyWai also has a mobile app, or website, you can use to access your information directly.

To access any personal information held by us, or if you wish to correct your information, you can:

• Use the mobile app to view your information, and communicate with your care team if there is anything you’d like corrected.
• If you don’t have the app you can email us at clinical.records@northlanddhb.org.nz.

If you email us, please include: your name, contact address (email or postal), contact phone number, details of the information you want or want to correct.

Before we can help you with your request we need to be confident about your identity. To do so, we may need to ask further questions or to view identification to establish your identity.

Requesting information on behalf of someone else

If you are requesting information on behalf of someone else, you will need to provide their authorisation or other documentation to support that you have the right to do so.

Queries and concerns about your information

If you have any queries or concerns about how your personal information has been managed, please contact us to see if we can resolve the problem. You can:

• Email us at hnzprivacy@health.govt.nz; or
• Write to us at Privacy Officer – Te Whatu Ora, PO Box 793, Wellington 6140, New Zealand

If you’re not satisfied with our response to your concerns, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner. For more information see the Office of the Privacy Commissioner website here: https://www.privacy.org.nz/your-rights/making-a-complaint/.