Privacy Policy

Introduction

The Diabetic Association of South Australia Incorporated trading as Diabetes SA and Diabetes Essentials ABN 52 923 028 382 (us, we, Diabetes SA) is committed to the protection of information it collects, including from its customers, individuals seeking diabetes education/information, donors, website users, corporate sector clients, health professionals and other entities.

Purpose

The Privacy Act 1988 (the Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) set out the way organisations can collect, use, disclose and provide access to personal information.

Diabetes SA is committed to the protection of your privacy. This Privacy Policy sets out how Diabetes SA handles your personal information and ensures we collect, use and disclose your personal information consistently with the APPs.

Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to all employees, consultants, contractors and agents of Diabetes SA, and covers all information collected by Diabetes SA, including information collected under the NDSS or through any website operated by Diabetes SA, including www.diabetessa.com.au and https://diabetesessentials.com.au (Website).

Who is Diabetes SA?

Diabetes SA is an independent, not for profit, community-based organisation in South Australia with a mission to reduce the risk and impact of diabetes in our community and to support people living with diabetes. Diabetes SA has a contractual arrangement with Diabetes Australia ABN 47 008 528 461 to administer the National Diabetes Service Scheme (NDSS) in South Australia.

This Privacy Policy provides information on how Diabetes SA handles personal information related to the NDSS. Please refer to Diabetes Australia’s Privacy Policy for information on how Diabetes Australia handles personal information related to the NDSS, click here to find out more.

Collection of information

Diabetes SA collects your personal information if you have consented to the information being collected, if the information is reasonably necessary for one or more of our functions or activities or if one of the other exceptions applies under the APPs. The personal information we collect from you may be sensitive information or health information.

Depending on how you interact with us, the types of personal information we collect about you may include:

  • Full name, address, email address and telephone number.
  • Gender and date of birth.
  • Government identifiers, such as your Medicare, Department of Veterans’ Affairs or Commonwealth concession card details or your NDSS registration number.
  • Information about your membership of other diabetes organisations.
  • Country of birth.
  • Details of your parent, guardian, carer or medical practitioner.
  • Products and services purchased and purchasing preferences.
  • Payment processing information such as credit card details and bank account details (where you make purchases, donations or other payments).
  • Main language spoken at home.
  • Right to work in Australia.

We may also collect and hold sensitive information about you, including:

  • Whether you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and/or identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
  • Information about your racial or ethnic origin.
  • Information about staff or volunteers’ health, criminal history or other sensitive information.
  • Health information.

The health information we collect about you will depend on how you interact with us. We will generally collect health information which is relevant to your diagnosis of diabetes, including:

  • Diabetes type.
  • Health and lifestyle information such as height, weight, daily physical activities, nutrition and lifestyle choices, pathology results and AusDrisk risk score.
  • Family history (such as whether your immediate relatives have had diabetes).
  • Treatment information.
  • Medication details.
  • NDSS products or other products and services you use to manage your diabetes, including medical devices.
  • Information collected using a medical device or software you use (such as data collected by or downloaded from that device or software).

If the collection of sensitive information (including health information) is reasonably necessary for one or more of our functions or activities, we will only collect that sensitive information with your consent, or otherwise in accordance with the Privacy Act.

Diabetes SA may combine the information which you provide to us with other information we collect from other sources and, if we do so, our use of the resulting combined information will be subject to this Privacy Policy.

Where you do not wish to provide us with your personal information, we may not be able to provide you with requested goods or services.

Information collection and storing

Diabetes SA handles your personal information for purposes that would be considered relevant and reasonable in the circumstances. We collect, hold and use personal information for purposes that include:

  • Offering and providing you with our goods and services.
  • Undertaking research related to diabetes.
  • Managing and administering goods and services provided to you, including account keeping procedures.
  • Managing our organisation, including administering memberships, donations and volunteers.
  • Providing, marketing and improving Diabetes SA and NDSS programs and services.
  • Administering the NDSS in South Australia.
  • Recruiting and managing staff and volunteers.
  • Communicating with you, including emailing you tax invoices, dispatch and tracking information, returns and exchange authorisations and responding to diabetes related enquiries.
  • Complying with our legal and regulatory obligations.

We only collect your personal information by lawful and fair means. We collect your information in a few different ways, including:

  • Forms you provide to us, as well as forms provided by other healthcare providers, such as diabetes care plans.
  • Electronically, such as through our Website.
  • When you place an order for our goods or services or make a donation to us, including via our Website.
  • Phone calls.
  • Personal information you provide while visiting us or our agents, including NDSS Access Points.
  • Personal information you provide while participating in diabetes support services, education sessions or seminars/events provided by us.
  • Other correspondence, such as email and mail.

We will always endeavour to collect personal information from you directly unless it is unreasonable or impractical for us to do so. However, in certain cases we may collect personal information from publicly available sources and third parties, such as suppliers, recruitment agencies, contractors, our clients and business partners.

We may collect personal information from a primary carer or guardian if the individual is under 15 years old or we have reason to believe that the individual lacks the mental capacity or legal competency to make decisions or provide consent.

If we collect personal information about you from a third party we will, where appropriate, request that the third party inform you that we are holding such information, how we will use and disclose it, and that you may contact us to gain access to and correct and update the information.

Internet cookies

Our Website may use software known as ‘cookies’, a small text file stored in your computer’s memory or on your hard disk for a pre-defined period of time, to enable Diabetes SA to retrieve user details for each visit. Cookies are used to identify specific machines and collect aggregate information on how visitors are experiencing some areas of our Website. This information helps us to better adapt the Website to suit personal requirements and to enable the functionality of and ease of use of the Website. Some of our affiliate partners may also use cookies.

By agreeing to these terms and conditions through your use of the Website, you consent to the use of cookies by Diabetes SA. For information on the cookie settings of your internet browser, please refer to your browser’s manual.

Use and disclosure of your personal information

We only use and disclose your personal information and sensitive information as reasonably required and for the purposes set out above.

We may use or disclose your personal information for purposes which are related to the purpose of collection (and in the case of sensitive information, directly related purposes) where you would reasonably expect such use or disclosure.

We will not use or disclose your personal information for another purpose unless you have consented to that use, or the relevant use or disclosure is permitted by the APPs or some other law.

Diabetes SA will only transfer your personal information to third parties as permitted by the Privacy Act. This may include the following circumstances:

  • Where you have consented to the disclosure.
  • Where other organisations deliver services on our behalf, with us or to us, including government agencies, mailing houses, communications and marketing service providers and other organisations.
  • Where we collaborate with third party partners in relation to our activities, including our research activities and affiliations with other organisations.
  • To protect or defend the legal rights or property of Diabetes SA, our affiliated and group companies, or our or their employees, volunteers, agents and contractors (including enforcement of our agreements).
  • To protect against fraud or for risk management purposes.
  • If we believe your actions violate this Privacy Policy.
  • To comply with law or legal process.
  • To enable the sale of Diabetes SA or its assets.

If we disclose information to a third party, we generally require that the third party protects your information to the same extent that we do.

From time to time, Diabetes SA will provide statistical information to the South Australian Department of Health, the Commonwealth Department of Health, universities or other organisations that provide funding to Diabetes SA. This information is statistical information and does not identify individuals. By providing Diabetes SA with your information, you consent to your information being de-identified, included in this statistical information and presented to the South Australian Department of Health, the Commonwealth Department of Health, universities or other organisations that provide funding to Diabetes SA.

We may disclose your Personal Information to service providers based in the United States and other countries for the purposes of communicating with you or providing services to you using those providers’ platforms, services or technologies. If your Personal Information is transferred overseas, we will comply with our obligations under the APPs. We will, where practicable, advise you of the countries in which any overseas recipients are likely to be located.

Accessing and correcting information

We will take reasonable steps to ensure that all personal information that we collect, use or disclose is accurate, up to date, complete, relevant and not misleading. We will correct any personal information that we believe to be incorrect, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading. This includes taking reasonable steps to notify any organisation or government agency to which information was disclosed about the correction. You may request to access or correct your personal information at any time by contacting the Privacy Officer using the details below. We will give you access to the information unless one of the exceptions under the Privacy Act applies. For example, if providing access would be unlawful or denying access is authorised by law.

If you wish to amend any of your details or the information you have provided to us, please contact us using the details on our Website. If you request to access or correct your information, we will respond within a reasonable time. If your request is refused, we will give you a written notice that sets out the reasons for refusal and how to make a complaint about the decision.

Anonymity

It is your choice to provide information to us. Wherever it is lawful and practicable, you have the option not to identify yourself or to use a fictional name when interacting with us. You can remain anonymous when using some parts of our Website. However, it may be necessary for Diabetes SA to collect personal information if you would like to access certain materials or services. If you choose to withhold the information we require, we may not be able to provide the services you have requested.

Security of your information

We take appropriate steps to protect your personal information held by us from misuse, interference, unauthorised access, modification, loss or disclosure. This includes during storage, collection, processing, transfer and destruction of the personal information. Personal information is stored in access-controlled premises or in secure electronic databases. We generally impose contractual obligations on employees of Diabetes SA, contracted third parties and other parties to whom we disclose your personal information, requiring them to comply with the Privacy Act.

The Diabetes SA Website contains links to external websites. We recommend that you review the privacy policies of those external websites as we are not responsible for their privacy practices.

When we no longer need personal information for any purpose, Diabetes SA will take reasonable steps to delete or destroy the information or ensure that the information is de-identified. This will apply except where the information is part of a Commonwealth record, or we are required by law or a court/tribunal order to retain the personal information.

Direct communications and promotional materials

From time to time, we may contact you or send out promotional materials for the purposes of Diabetes SA or the NDSS. If you do not wish to receive these communications, you can contact Diabetes SA to unsubscribe (see contact details below) or use the unsubscribe function included in the relevant communication. Your information may also be used by us to provide you with details of our services and events.

Provided that you have not unsubscribed or otherwise opted out, we may use your information for direct marketing:

  • where you have agreed to receive direct marketing from us;
  • where you have engaged with us directly, and we believe that you would reasonably expect to receive direct marketing from us;
  • where permitted by law, including pursuant to the Privacy Act or the Spam Act 2003 (Cth); or
  • where you have otherwise consented to the use or disclosure of your personal information for direct communications and promotional materials.

It is our policy that any direct communication or promotional material will include a statement advising that you may request not to receive further material by contacting us using the details provided. Even if you unsubscribe, if you are registered with the NDSS or a member of our organisation you will still receive important information about diabetes and NDSS product safety issues.

Spam mail

It is our policy that all electronic communications will include an unsubscribe facility. The Spam Act 2003 (Cth) prohibits sending unsolicited commercial emails, SMS and MMS messages for commercial purposes. Examples of unsolicited communications are ones that do not directly relate to a service you have previously signed up with or agreed to. While not-for-profit organisations such as Diabetes SA do have some exemptions from the Spam Act, we are guided by the Code of Practice developed by the Australian Direct Marketing Association.

Complaints and enquiries

Diabetes SA is committed to the protection of your privacy. If you have any questions about how we handle personal information, would like to complain about how we have handled your information, or would like further information about our Privacy Policy, you can contact our Privacy Officer:

Privacy Officer, Diabetes SA
PO Box 1930 Hilton SA 5033
Phone: 1300 198 204
Email: [email protected]

Our Privacy Officer will assess any complaints and liaise with you to resolve any issues within a reasonable time.

If you are unhappy with the outcome, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
GPO Box 5218 Sydney NSW 2001
Telephone: 1300 363 992
Email: [email protected]

Updating our Privacy Policy

We will update our Privacy Policy from time to time. Our Website www.diabetessa.com.au will have the most current Privacy Policy.

This document was last updated on 09/04/2025.