1. PART 1 – ABOUT THIS POLICY 1.1 Purpose Comprehensive Literacy and Speech is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information collected and held about individuals. Comprehensive Literacy and Speech complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Federal Privacy Act 1988, The Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 and other relevant Victorian laws including those relating to the length of time client files must be retained for minors outlined in the Health Record Act 2001. These laws govern how private sector health service providers like Comprehensive Literacy and Speech handle your personal information (including your health information). Comprehensive Literacy and Speech is committed to upholding the Speech Pathology Australia’s Code of Ethics (2010) which can be found at https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SPAweb/Members/Ethics/HTML/Code_of_Ethics.aspx
This Privacy Policy explains how Comprehensive Literacy and Speech manages the personal information we collect, use and disclose.
Comprehensive Literacy and Speech is a private speech pathology practice under the ownership of Rosemary Hughes
2. PART 2 – HOW Comprehensive Literacy and Speech HANDLES YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION 2.1 Comprehensive Literacy and Speech Legal Obligations In order to provide you with the health care services that you have requested, Comprehensive Literacy and Speech will need to collect and use your personal information. If you provide incomplete or inaccurate information to us or withhold personal and health information from us we may not be able to provide you with the services you are seeking.
2.2 What information does Comprehensive Literacy and Speech collect? We will only collect the information we need for the particular function or activity we are carrying out. We collect information from you that is necessary to provide you with speech pathology services and to manage our relationship with you. The information we collect includes: your name, date of birth, address, health fund details and information about your health history and family history. We require this information to assist the speech pathologist to diagnose and treat you.
2.3 How does Comprehensive Literacy and Speech collect health information? We will usually collect your health information directly from you. Sometimes, we may need to collect information about you from a third party (such as a relative or another health service provider).
2.4 How does Comprehensive Literacy and Speech use your information? Comprehensive Literacy and Speech uses your personal information for the purpose you have given the information to us. We will use your information to provide speech pathology services to you, to manage our relationship with you and to contact you in relation to matters concerning your care. We may also use your information for other purposes permitted under the Privacy Act 1988 and The Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012.
Who might we disclose your information to? We may disclose your information to the following people: (a) Disclosure to other health professionals involved in your treatment Your personal information will generally only be used by the speech pathologist involved in your care, however on occasion your care may be provided by a number of health professionals (for example, another speech pathologist, occupational therapist and/or psychologist) working or consulting together. We may disclose your information to these health professionals as part of the process of providing your care and to other health professionals involved in your care.
(b) The referrer Comprehensive Literacy and Speech will usually send a discharge summary to the referrer (e.g. your medical practitioner) following discharge from Comprehensive Literacy and Speech or at other times, as required for your care. If you do not wish us to provide a copy of your discharge summary to the referrer you must let us know. Also, if the referrer’s details have changed please let us know.
(c) Relatives, guardian, close friends or legal representative We may provide information about your condition to your parent, child, other relatives, close personal friends, guardians, or to a responsible person for you, unless you tell us that you do not wish us to disclose your health information to any such person.
(d) Other uses and disclosures In order to provide the best possible environment in which to treat you, we may also use or disclose your personal and health information where necessary for:
Activities such as quality assurance processes, accreditation, audits, risk and claims management, patient satisfaction surveys and staff education and training;
Invoicing, billing and account management;
To liaise with your health fund or Medicare, and where required provide information to your health fund or Medicare to verify treatment provided to you;
For the purpose of sending you standard reminders, for example for appointments and follow-up care, by text message or email to the number or address which you have provided to us.
(e) Other uses with your consent With your consent we may also use your information for other purposes such as including you on a marketing mail list, or research. Please note, however, that unless you provide us with your express consent for this purpose, we will not use your information in this way. We will not disclose your personal information to any individual who is outside Australia.
2.5 Access to and correction of your health information You have a right to access the personal and health information that we hold about you. You can also request an amendment to your personal and health information should you believe that it is inaccurate.
If we do not agree to change your medical record/personal information in accordance with your request, we will permit you to make a statement of the requested changes and we will enclose this with your record.
Should you wish to obtain access to or request changes to your health record you can ask for our Privacy Officer (see details below) who can give you more detailed information about (name of the practice)'s access and correction procedure. Please note that Comprehensive Literacy and Speech may recover reasonable costs associated with supplying this information to you.
2.6 Data Quality Comprehensive Literacy and Speech will take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information which we may collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
2.7 Data Security Comprehensive Literacy and Speech will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We use technologies and processes such as access control procedures, network firewalls, encryption and physical security to protect your privacy. Comprehensive Literacy and Speech will destroy or permanently de-identify any of your information which is in its possession or control and which is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected provided Comprehensive Literacy and Speech is not required under an Australian law or court/tribunal or otherwise to retain the information.
2.8 What to do if you have a complaint about privacy issues (a) If you have questions or comments about this Privacy Policy; (b) If Comprehensive Literacy and Speech does not agree to provide you with access to your personal information; or (c) If you have or a complaint about our information handling practices, You can lodge a complaint by contacting Comprehensive Literacy and Speech at the details below. Your complaint will be reviewed promptly.
By letter: Comprehensive Literacy and Speech PO Box 71 Mirboo North Vic 3871 By email: [email protected] By telephone: 0488 781407
PART 3 – HOW COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY AND SPEECH HANDLES YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION WHEN YOU VISIT OUR WEBSITE This section of our Privacy Policy explains how we handle your personal information which is collected from our website: www.literacynspeech.weebly.com This Privacy Policy applies to your use of our website and the use of any of the facilities on our website.
3.1 Collection When you use our website, we do not attempt to identify you as an individual user and we will not collect personal information about you unless you specifically provide this to us. Sometimes, we may collect your personal information if you choose to provide this to us via an online form or by email, for example, if you:
submit a general enquiry via our contacts page;
send a written complaint or enquiry to our Comprehensive Literacy and Speech
When you use our website, our Internet Service Provider (ISP) may record and log for statistical purposes the following information about your visit:
your computer address;
your top level name (e.g.: .com, .gov, .org, .au);
the date and time of your visit;
the pages and documents you access during your visit; and
the browser you are using.
Our web-site management agent may use statistical data collected by our ISP to evaluate the effectiveness of our web-site.
3.2 Cookies A "cookie" is a device that allows our server to identify and interact more effectively with your computer. Cookies do not identify individual users, but they do identify your ISP and your browser type.
This website uses temporary cookies. This means that upon closing your browser, the temporary cookie assigned to you will be destroyed and no personal information is maintained which will identify you at a later date.
Personal information such as your email address is not collected unless you provide it to us. We do not disclose domain names or aggregate information to third parties other than agents who assist us with this website and who are under obligations of confidentiality. You may be able to configure your browser to accept or reject all cookies and to notify you when a cookie is used. We suggest that you refer to your browser instructions or help screens to learn more about these functions. However, please note that if you configure your browser so as not to receive any cookies, a certain level of functionality of the Comprehensive Literacy and Speech website and other websites may be lost.
3.3 Links to third party websites We may create links to third party websites. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices employed by websites that are linked from our website.
3.4 Use and disclosure We will use any personal information collected via our website in accordance with our privacy policy.
Comprehensive Literacy and Speech needs to collect information about you/your child for the primary purpose of providing a quality service to you/your child. In order to thoroughly assess, diagnose and provide therapy, Comprehensive Literacy and Speech need to collect some personal information from you (about your child). If you do not provide this information; Comprehensive Literacy and Speech may be unable to treat you/your child effectively. This information will also be used for:
The administrative purpose of running the practice;
Billing either directly or through an insurer or compensation agency;
Disclosure of information to your/your child’s doctors, other health professionals or to teachers to facilitate communication and best possible care for you/your child with your consent;
Your personal information will not be disclosed to overseas recipients.
Comprehensive Literacy and Speech has a Privacy Policy that is available on this website: www.literacynspeech.weebly.com or a printed copy can be supplied on request. This policy provides guidelines on the collection, use, disclosure and security of your/your child’s information. The Privacy Policy contains information on how you may request access to, and correction of, your/your child’s personal information and how you may complain about a breach of your/your child’s privacy and how we will deal with such a complaint. To ensure the process of quality treatment provision, information about your/your child’s assessment results and progress may be given to other relevant service providers, who are involved in your/your child’s management. These may include your/your child’s doctor, teachers, specialists, insurers, solicitors, employers or others, but only where it is considered to be of benefit to your/your child’s progress. Please provide names of individuals involved in your/your child’s care.
Please list the names and contact details of the individuals involved in your/your child’s care: Professionals Name Address Reports to be posted Y/ N GP/ Doctor Paediatrician Occupational Therapist Psychologist Other
I (................................................................), have read the above information and understand the reasons for collecting the information and the ways in which the information may be used. I understand that it is my choice as to what information I provide and that withholding or falsifying information might act against the best interests of my/my child’s assessment and therapy progress. I am aware that I can access my/my child’s personal and treatment information on request and if necessary, correct information that I believe to be inaccurate. I understand that if, in exceptional circumstances, access is denied for legitimate purposes, that the reasons for this and possible remedies will be made available to me. I understand that the Practice must obtain additional consent if the information collected is to be used in any ways other than that outlined above.
Signed ............................ Date: ............................................
Privacy Policy Summary and Health Information Collection Statement Comprehensive Literacy and Speech is an independent practice under the ownership of Rosemary Hughes.
You have the right to gain access to the information held by Comprehensive Literacy and Speech about you/your child.
Our Privacy Policy (available in the waiting area, on our website: www.literacynspeech.weebly.com or printed on request) contains information on how you may request access to, and correction of, your/your child’s personal information and how you may complain about a breach of your/your child’s privacy and how we will deal with such a complaint.
Information at Comprehensive Literacy and Speech is stored securely and only practice staff have access to it. Comprehensive Literacy and Speech) takes all reasonable steps to ensure that information collected about you/your child is accurate, complete and up-to-date.
You may have access to your/your child’s information on request and if you believe that any of the information is inaccurate we may be able to amend it accordingly.
If you do not provide relevant personal or health information (about your child), in part or in full, to Comprehensive Literacy and Speech it may result in incomplete assessment. This may impact on the diagnosis and the following therapy that is provided.
Any concerns that you may have about this policy or about your/your child’s management should be discussed as soon as possible by calling or texting the practice owner Rosemary Hughes on 0488 781407 or by emailing [email protected]. Written correspondence can be sent to PO Box 71 Mirboo North Vic 3871