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CNPS Privacy Code
The Canadian Nurses Protective Society (CNPS) recognizes the importance of privacy and the sensitivity of personal information. We are committed to protecting any personal information that we hold. The CNPS nurse legal advisors are required by the College of Nurses of Ontario's Standards of Practice for Nurses and Rules of Professional Conduct set by Law Societies to keep confidential all information received within a professional relationship. Obligations relating to the protection of the privacy of personal information also apply to all employees, contractors, and agents who provide services to CNPS. Applicable laws and CNPS policies govern the protection of CNPS' employees' personal information.
CNPS is responsible for the personal information it collects and holds. We have developed this Privacy Code to explain the measures that CNPS has implemented to protect the personal information you provide to us. We have also developed internal privacy policies and educated our staff about our privacy policies and practices.
Why does CNPS need personal information?
CNPS requires personal information to:
What is personal information?
Personal information is any information, recorded in any form, about an identifiable individual, or information from which an individual's identity may be inferred or determined. This Privacy Code does not apply to information that is publicly available, anonymized, or aggregated (information about more than one individual where the identity of the individuals is not known and cannot be inferred from the information).
Collection, Use, Disclosure, and Retention of Personal Information
CNPS only collects information from you that is necessary to provide you with professional liability protection, advice and risk management services. In some cases, we will ask you to specifically consent to the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information. Normally, we will ask for your consent in writing, but in some circumstances, we may accept your verbal consent or your consent may be implied from your interactions with CNPS. For example, when you telephone CNPS to seek advice, or, you have previously provided us with personal information, it is implied that you are agreeing and consenting to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Code.
When you visit the CNPS web site (www.cnps.ca) or use the CNPS e-mail services (info@cnps.ca), any personal information collected is treated in accordance with the CNPS Privacy Code and our Online Privacy Policy. Privacy warnings appear on the CNPS web site, e-mail messages and facsimile transmissions. CNPS does not barter, trade, sell or exchange for consideration1 any personal information it has obtained.
Personal information will be collected, whenever possible, directly from the individual concerned. There are circumstances, however, where personal information about third parties may be collected and disclosed without the third party's knowledge and consent. For example, to conduct its ordinary business, CNPS must collect personal information about third parties where there is an occurrence, potential legal proceedings, or actual legal proceedings involving a nurse.
CNPS may be required or permitted to disclose your personal information in certain circumstances. For example, when:
In any of these circumstances, except where you consent, CNPS will only disclose the minimum information required.
CNPS retains your personal information only for the time it is required for the purposes described. When personal information is no longer required, we have procedures in place to destroy, delete, erase or convert the information into an anonymous form.
Updating Personal Information
To provide you with professional liability services, it is important that your information is accurate and up-to-date. If your information changes, please inform CNPS so we may make any necessary changes to our records.
Security
CNPS takes precautions to protect your personal information from loss, unauthorized access, modification, disposal or disclosure. Steps that we have taken include: premises and internal office security; restricted access to personal information; use of technological safeguards such as security software and firewalls, internal passwords and security policies.
Access and Amendment
You may ask for access to any personal information we have about you, information about how your personal information has been and is being used, and the names of individuals or organizations to whom your personal information has been disclosed by CNPS (except where disclosure was to a CNPS service provider for routine administrative purposes). We will respond to your requests as accurately and completely as possible. If CNPS has information about you that is not accurate, complete or up-to-date, we will take steps to correct it.
The right to access your personal information is not absolute. Reasons for denying access include: prohibitive cost; information that includes references to other individuals; security or proprietary reasons; information that is protected by solicitor-client or litigation privilege; information collected during the investigation of a legal matter; or information that cannot be disclosed for other legal reasons.
Changes to Privacy Code and Policies
CNPS regularly reviews all of its policies and procedures; we may change our Privacy Code and policies from time to time. When amendments to the Privacy Code are made, a notice will be posted on the CNPS web site.
Requests for Access or Questions
If you have any questions concerning our handling of your personal information, or you wish to request access to, or correction of, your personal information held by CNPS, please contact:
If you are dissatisfied with our handling of your personal information, please set out your concerns in writing and forward them to: