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Separating safely - protecting personal details 102-22060707

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This is a Family and Domestic Violence Interaction Point. If the customer is with another person, on speakerphone or already identified with family and domestic violence concerns, continue with the current business conversation. Otherwise, see the Family and domestic violence procedure to conduct the Family and Domestic Violence Support Model (FDVSM) process.

This document provides the details staff should give to customers to keep their personal details safe when unlinking their record from another person. This includes separating from their partner or ending a carer relationship.

Protecting personal details

When a customer separates from a relationship, they must advise of the change to their circumstances. Action needs to be taken to keep the customer's personal information safe from the other person by completing the unlinking tasks applicable to the customer's circumstances:

  • before updating any personal details
  • to prevent their details being available to another person

There are key steps a customer should consider to separate safely. These will protect their personal details from a potential privacy breach:

  • the customer may need to contact Centrelink, Medicare and Child Support separately
  • the customer can complete some steps online. Where this is possible and safe to do, staff should encourage the use of self-service
  • staff must give the customer as much information as possible. This will help the customer decide what steps they need to take to keep their personal details safe
  • if family and domestic violence concerns are identified, follow the processes outlined in Family and Domestic Violence

The Resources page contains contact details, links to the Service Australia website and external websites and examples.

Amend customer details in the Consumer Directory Maintenance System (CDMS) for Medicare

Cancelling a nominee arrangement

Change in relationship status from partnered to single

Changing payment destination

Copy or transfer a person or child to another Medicare card

Family registration and confirmation for Medicare Safety Net

Person Permitted to Enquire (PPE) or Update (PPU) authority

Store, confirm and end date bank account details for Medicare EFT payments

Updating Child Support customer information

Update customer details in Pluto