Data Security in NDIS and Aged Care: Best Practices for Protecting Sensitive Information

The Importance of Data Protection in the NDIS and Aged Care Sector

From clients’ medical records to home addresses, employee tax file numbers and bank information, the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the aged care sector deal with highly sensitive data every day. Data protection is essential not only to keep your business compliant and safe but also to keep your Support Workers and Participants secure.

NDIS Participants have been involved in data breaches before, like back in 2022 with the CTARS cloud platform. CTARS had personal information relating to Participants, carers, and their contacts accessed and downloaded as a result of a cyber-attack.

Statistics show that cybercrime is on the rise, according to the Australian Signals Directorate’s (ASD) Annual Cyber Threat Report for 2022-23. The report revealed that from 2021 to 2022, the was an increase of 23 per cent in regards to reports of cybercrime.

The importance of cyber security in the NDIS and aged care sectors cannot be overstated. Businesses have an obligation to protect personnel and client data, and care Providers dealing with sensitive client information have a responsibility to uphold the strictest security measures.

In our article, we’ll be exploring the best practices for protecting sensitive information and how to meet aged care and NDIS cyber security requirements. It’s critical to learn how to maintain client confidentiality in the aged care and disability support sectors.

The Cyber Security Risks in NDIS And Aged Care

Cyber security risks pose a threat in all industries, but they are particularly concerning in NDIS and aged care due to the sensitive nature of the data Providers handle. Below, we’ve compiled a list of key risks organisations in the industry face.

Data breaches

Every organisation and industry faces data breaches, but it’s increasingly concerning in the care sector. NDIS and aged care Providers deal with sensitive personal and medical information. A lack of security against data breaches could result in significant harm to the company, employees, and Participants if their personal and medical information is exposed or stolen.

Ransomware attacks

Cybercriminals tend to target organisations that hold sensitive data in ‘ransomware’ attacks. They steal the data, encrypt it, and then demand payment for decryption. In the NDIS and aged care sector, a lack of protection against ransomware attacks can result in the loss of sensitive information, disrupt critical services, and compromise the quality of care.

Phishing scams

Providers, Support Workers, and even Participants are at risk of phishing and social engineering scams. Cybercriminals use phishing, such as emails, to target vulnerable people and gain access to systems or sensitive information.

Compliance and regulatory risks

Failure to comply with industry-standard data protection regulations is a risk for all NDIS and aged care organisations. It can result in penalties, reputation damage, and, in extreme cases, loss of qualification.

Outdated systems

Many healthcare and care provider organisations are still running on outdated or legacy systems. These old systems don’t have the security measures that newer, cloud-based platforms like CareMaster provide, making them more susceptible to cyber-attacks. It’s crucial to follow the software provider’s recommendations for updates, as they often include important security enhancements.

The Privacy Requirements of NDIS And Aged Care Providers

NDIS and aged care Providers must meet strict privacy requirements. The second principle of the NDIS Code of Conduct, which all Providers must comply with, notes that Providers and Support Workers delivering support must ‘Respect the privacy of people with disabilities.

The NDIS Code of Conduct highlights that privacy is a human right, and privacy policies apply to the gathering, use, and disclosure of information about people receiving NDIS services.

NDIS Providers and Support Workers must comply with all privacy rights as set out in the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 and relevant state/territory laws. These include:

• Individuals have the right to not have personal information disclosed to others without their informed consent. Personal information is any information or opinion about a person whose identity can be determined from that information or opinion.
• NDIS Providers need to respect and protect the privacy of everyone who receives support and services from them or provides those services and support.
• NDIS Providers also need to properly manage health information about any people they support or their workers in accordance with privacy laws related to managing health information.
• NDIS Providers should also have policies and procedures in place to ensure they manage all information about people in accordance with relevant privacy laws and that their workers understand the policies and procedures. They also need to clearly explain to people with disabilities and workers why personal information about them is collected, get their consent, and provide information about how/why it is held.

The above-listed privacy regulations also apply to aged care Providers and Support Workers in the sector.

It’s important to note that there may be situations where a worker needs to provide information without the consent of the person involved, for instance, in mandatory reporting of cases of exploitation, neglect, and abuse to the police and the NDIS commission.

How NDIS And Aged Care Software Can Improve Data Security and Privacy

NDIS and Aged Care software can be a powerful tool for enhancing data security and privacy. It can be used as a tool to manage sensitive personal information, properly secure it, and even access controls. Here’s how software can be used to improve data security and privacy:

• Specialised software for the NDIS and aged care sectors can securely store and encrypt data, ensuring that sensitive information is unreadable and inaccessible to unauthorised users.
• Most aged care and NDIS software have access control capabilities. This feature ensures that only authorised users have access to sensitive data, which can be restricted depending on the user’s role in an organisation.
• Unlike paper records and some outdated systems, newer software offers authentication solutions. It’s possible to implement authentication methods, like multi-factor authentication, to access documents.
• Maintaining detailed audit trails and user logs helps track access and modify sensitive data.
• Some software can also assist with automating user training and education for the best data and privacy practices.
• Software, like the CareMaster platform, also includes Support Worker and Participant apps. This allows for secure communication channels, unlike regular communication methods like emails or texts. Additionally CareMaster includes user license levels and approvals. This is especially important for organisations working with participants who need specialised support from highly trained professionals, where information about the supports must be restricted to the specific professionals involved in each case.

Book A Free Demo To Experience CareMaster’s End-To-End NDIS And Aged Care Software

Specialised software for both aged care and NDIS Providers is crucial for keeping your organisation secure and sensitive data protected. Our CareMaster cloud-based software provides security and privacy features for documents, records, and participant information.

With cybercrime on the rise, it’s more important than ever to keep your organisation’s data, including Provider, Support Worker, and Participant details, secure. We ensure the data is safely stored while still being easily accessible by the authorised parties. Along with securely storing information, our software can be used at all levels of an NDIS or aged care organisation. It also has administrative features, management options, rostering solutions, and communication capabilities. CareMaster allows easy and secure communication between all parties, from the Provider to Support Workers and Participants. To see the impact CareMaster can bring to your organisation, book a free demo experience today.

We also offer training and support for our software. So, if you require any help navigating the platform or have any concerns, the CareMaster team is happy to answer any questions you may have.

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