Privacy Statement

October 2004

1. The Pharmacy Board of New South Wales "The Board" is an autonomous statutory authority whose functions include the registering of pharmacists and pharmacy premises and dealing with complaints and health and performance notifications about pharmacists registered to practice in New South Wales. The Board collects and retains information about pharmacists and deals with the collection, use, disclosure, security and quality of personal information in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act, 1998 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002.

It is the Board's role to act at all times to protect the public.

2. The Board is required to maintain a register of all pharmacists registered to practice in New South Wales and all pharmacy premises in New South Wales and to make the information on the register publicly available. The public register consists of the name, registration number, registered address, qualifications and their date, and current conditions on the registration of a practitioner. The registered address may be a postal address of the pharmacist's choosing, including a post office box. Applications to inspect the registers are considered by the Board having regard to the limitations on disclosure imposed by the relevant Privacy legislation.
   
   
3. In receiving and investigating complaints, the Board receives information which may include personal information about pharmacists and patients. This information is held in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act, 1998 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002. The Board is required to consult with the Health Care Complaints Commission concerning complaints.
   
   
4. Privacy principles also deal with the secure storage and disposal of information, and provide an opportunity for an individual to correct inaccurate information held about them.
   
   
5. If you have a question about privacy and the Board, please contact us through the Board's website at www.pbnsw.org.au or on telephone (02) 9281 7736 or facsimile (02) 9281 2924.