Protecting Your Privacy

Our Privacy Statement

The Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) is committed to the protection of your privacy and personal health information. The Ontario Personal Health Information Protection Act (PHIPA) passed in 2004 legislates the requirements to safeguard your personal health information and the Community Care Access Centre will protect your information to the levels required by legislation. As part of our commitment, we believe that our clients should know what personal health information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and how to contact us if you have questions about the handling of your personal health information at the Community Care Access Centre.

What is personal health information?

Personal Health Information includes things like your name, address, gender, age, and health card number. It also includes your health history, care needs, eligibility for health care services and services received.

Helpful Links

Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner

Personal Health Information and Protection Act, 2004

Contact Us

If you have any questions regarding our privacy policies, access to your record, correction of information, or if you have a privacy complaint, you may contact our Chief Privacy Officer, Tricia Khan at:

Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre
712 Richmond St., P.O. Box 306
Chatham ON N7M 5K4

Telephone: 310 2222 (CCAC) ext. 7273

Why we collect your information

The knowledge and consent of the individual is required for the collection, use or disclosure of personal information, except where defined by law. The Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre will ensure that consent, either expressed or implied, is obtained. The Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre collects information for the following purposes:

To determine your needs and the services provided to you
To review your services on an ongoing basis
To plan, administer and manage internal operations and resources
To conduct risk management activities
To conduct quality improvement and research initiatives
Staff training
To comply with legal and regulatory requirements
For other purposes permitted or required by law

Your Rights

Your right to access your information

You have the right to access the information we have about you in your record.
You have the right to have information corrected in your record.
You have the right to change or withdraw consent to share your personal health information.

If you have concerns about the content of the information, who may access the information or questions regarding access to your record, correction of information, or if you have a privacy complaint, you may contact the Chief Privacy Officer at:

Privacy Officer, Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre

712 Richmond Street, PO Box 306 Chatham ON N7M 5K4

Telephone: 310 2222 (CCAC)

Facsimile: 519 436 2495

Website: www.esc.ccac-ont.ca

This privacy statement may be updated from time to time. Any revised Privacy Statement will be available at the website noted above.

Your right to voice your concerns

If you believe any of your privacy rights have been violated in any way and the Chief Privacy Officer cannot resolve your concerns, you may contact the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner at 416 326 3333 or 1 800 387 0073 or through their website: www.ipc.on.ca.

Our Privacy Principles

The Erie St. Clair Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) believes in the basic right of individuals to their privacy. We use 10 internationally accepted principles to guide us to safeguard personal information. In Canada, these are known as the CSA Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information.

1.	Accountability:
	The Erie St. Clair CCAC has assigned an individual as the Chief Privacy Officer and has privacy policies and procedures in place.
2.	Identifying Purposes:
	The Erie St. Clair CCAC ensures that individuals know the purpose for which personal information is required prior to collection, use or disclosure of the information.
3.	Consent:
	Consent, either expressed or implied is obtained prior to the collection, use or disclosure of information.
4.	Limiting Collection:
	The collection of personal information shall be limited to that which is necessary for the purposes identified by the Erie St. Clair CCAC. Information shall be collected by fair and lawful means.
5.	Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention:
	Personal information shall not be used or disclosed other than for those purposes for which it was collected without the consent of the individual or as required by law. Personal information shall be retained only as long as necessary for the purpose.
6.	Accuracy:
	The Erie St. Clair CCAC will ensure that personal information is as accurate, complete and up-to-date as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used. Individuals have the right to have inaccurate information corrected.
7.	Safeguards:
	Appropriate security controls for technology and staff are in place and maintained to ensure there is no unauthorized use or disclosure of personal information.
8.	Openness:
	The Erie St. Clair CCAC will readily make available to individuals the policies and procedures that support our commitment to privacy.
9.	Individual Access:
	The Erie St. Clair CCAC has a process for individuals, upon request, to access their personal information, and to challenge its accuracy.
10.	Challenging Compliance:
	An individual may challenge compliance to these principles through the Chief Privacy Officer or the Ontario Information and Privacy Commissioner.