PART 1 – ABOUT POLICY

1.1 Purpose

Your Occupational Therapist is committed to providing quality services to our participants and this policy outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage your Personal Information.

Your OT complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act of 1988 (Cth) and the Occupational Therapy Australia’s Code of Ethics (2014). These National Privacy Principles govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information. A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at https://www.oaic.gov.au/

This Privacy Policy explains how Your OT manages the personal information we collect, use and disclose.

PART 2 – HOW YOUR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST HANDLES YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

In order to provide you with the health care services that you have requested, Your OT 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.

2.1 What is Personal Information and why do we collect it?

Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Examples of Personal Information we collect include: names, contact details, health information and family history.

When we collect Personal Information we will, where appropriate and where possible, explain to you why we are collecting the information and how we plan to use it. We require this information to provide you with our services. We will only collect the information we need for the particular function, report or therapy that we are carrying out. Services include but are not limited to Functional Capacity Assessments, Capacity building, Assistive technology support and reports. Our services are provided Under the NDIA at the request of the participant, support coordinator, family member, advocate, Local Area Coordinator (LAC) or other involved party.

2.2 How does Your Occupational Therapy collect health information?

We will usually collect your personal information directly from you. Information is obtained in many ways including interviews, correspondence, by telephone, telehealth, email, via our website https://www.youroccupationaltherapist.com.au and from third parties e.g. your support coordinator and health service providers that make up your multidisciplinary team. We don’t guarantee website links or policy of authorised third parties.

Your Personal Information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorized access, modification or disclosure.

When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.

2.3 How does Your Occupational Therapist use your information?

Your OT uses your Personal Information for the purpose you have given the information to us. We will use your information to provide NDIA health 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.

We may disclose your information to the following people:

Disclosure to other health professionals involved in your treatment.

Your Personal Information will generally only be used by the Occupational Therapist involved in your care, however on occasion your care may be provided by a number of health professionals (for example Psychologist, Speech Pathologist & Physiotherapist) 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.

The referrer

Your OT will usually send a discharge summary to the referrer (i.e., your support coordinator) following discharge from Your OT 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.

Relatives, guardian, close friends or legal representative

We may provide information about your condition to your parents, 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.

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, safety reasons, accreditation, audits, risk and claims management and staff education/training.

Administration, invoicing, billing and account management e.g. liaising with your Plan Manager.

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.

Other uses with your consent

With your consent we may also use your information for other purposes such as including you in our marketing, 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.

2.4 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. In order to protect your Personal Information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.

Access to your personal information can be achieved by contacting us directly.

If we do not agree to change your 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. Please note that Your OT may recover reasonable costs associated with supplying this information to you.

Reasons for not allowing you to access your information are in accordance with the APP’s ten ground rules for refusal. Found at APP 12.3.

https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles-guidelines

2.5 Data Quality

Your OT will take reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information which we may collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up-to-date. Please be advised that if your contact details change it is your responsibility to inform us in writing of these changes. Failure to do so may result in information being sent to an incorrect address. To update your details please contact us via email, telephone or through your Support Coordinator or other.

2.6 Data Security

Your OT will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorized access, modification or disclosure. We use technologies and processes such as access control procedures, network firewalls, and physical security to protect your privacy.

PART 3 – HOW YOUR OT 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:

https://www.youroccupationaltherapist.com.au/Referral

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 referral page
• decide to become a client

contact us directly via email : 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 (for example, .com.,gov., .org, .au etc.)

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 Your OT website and other websites may be lost.

3.3 Use and Disclosure

We will use any personal information collected via our website in accordance with our privacy policy.

POLICY UPDATES

This Policy may change from time to time and is available upon request or via our website.

PRIVACY POLICY COMPLAINTS AND ENQUIRIES

If you have any queries or complaints about our Privacy Policy please contact us at: