Privacy Policy
Introduction
We value your privacy and respect the trust you place in OT with Sylvia when you provide us with your personal details.
OT with Sylvia is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of clients, families, staff and service providers, in the way information is collected, stored and used.
We are bound by the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 (the Privacy Act) and the Australian Privacy Principles, as well as other related laws protecting privacy. We are open and transparent about our management of your personal information.
We strive to ensure that the personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete, up-to-date and relevant to what we do.
Our Privacy Policy aims to help you to know:
• what guides us when we collect personal information
• what we must do before we can use or disclose personal information
• the choices you have about giving us personal information
• your rights to access and correct personal information
• your rights to complain about our handling of your personal information
When you give your personal information to OT with Sylvia, you consent to our collection, use and disclosure of your personal information in line with this Privacy Policy and any contract, agreement or other arrangement between us.
Principles
OT with Sylvia is committed to ensuring that information is used in an ethical and responsible manner. We recognise the need to be consistent and thorough in the way that personal information is recorded, stored and managed.
All individuals have legislated rights to privacy of personal information. In circumstances where the right to privacy may be overridden by other considerations (for example, child protection concerns), OT with Sylvia act in accordance with the relevant policy and legal framework.
Collection of Personal Information
OT with Sylvia generally collects information directly from you. We only collect personal information from you that is necessary for us to do our jobs.
Sometimes we may need to collect information about a client from a third party, such as a parent, carer, guardian, health service provider, government or similar agency, or the customer’s educational institution (eg. School) or workplace. We do this if the client or their legal guardian has authorised us to collect the information in this way, or where it is not reasonable or practical for us to collect this information directly from the client.
We collect personal information only when it is reasonably necessary and directly related to OT with Sylvia’s functions, activities and service delivery.
Your Personal Information
The personal information that OT with Sylvia collects will depend on your relationship with us and the service you have requested. We collect information from you that is necessary to provide you with Occupational Therapy services and to manage our relationship with you. This may include an individual’s name and contact details, date of birth, address, gender, occupation (if applicable), which childcare, kindergarten or school they attend, diagnosis and health history, and NDIS participant details.
We also collect information about an individual’s disability, together with related information which is necessary to deliver the specific services which our clients request.
Your Sensitive Information
Sensitive information will be collected only when it is specifically required for operational reasons. The sensitive information that OT with Sylvia collects may include health and medical information. We will limit the collection of sensitive information to the minimum amount required in the circumstances.
Anonymity and Pseudonym
If you are receiving a service from us, you cannot be anonymous or use a pseudonym because we need your personal information to provide you with the service.
Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
OT with Sylvia uses and discloses personal information for the purpose for which it was collected and will only use or disclose information for another purpose where this is permitted under the Privacy Act. In general, we do not use or disclose personal information for another purpose unless one of the following applies:
• the individual has consented
• the individual would reasonably expect OT with Sylvia to use or disclose the information for that other purpose and it is either related or, in the case of sensitive information, directly related to the purpose for which it was collected
• it is required or authorised by or under an Australian law or a court order
• it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to somebody’s life, health or safety, or to public safety.
Sometimes, it is necessary to disclose your personal information as part of the process of providing an Occupational Therapy service. For example, we may disclose information to other health professionals (eg. speech pathologists, psychologists), educators (eg. Teacher, childcare worker), referrers (eg. Medical practitioners, support co-ordinators) and others that are involved in your care.
Customers
If you are a customer of OT with Sylvia we may use your information to:
• Provide our services
• Record communications with you
• Communicate with you by phone, email and other electronic means to distribute our publications, promotional material, host events, raise awareness about our services and respond to queries and complaints
• Work with contractors and service providers
• Report to government and other funding bodies on the services they fund us to provide. Reports generally cover demographic and service use information only – your personal information will not be passed on.
Data Security
OT with Sylvia will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Electronic data is stored in a secure network and staff may only access that data which is needed to do their job. OT with Sylvia will destroy or permanently de-identify any of your information when no longer required unless we are prevented by law, court or tribunal.
The Internet is not a secure environment. Although all care is taken, there are inherent risks in managing personal information and we cannot guarantee that unauthorised access to your personal information will not occur.
We employ a range of methods to safeguard your personal information from access, use, modification, or release that has not been authorised, and protection generally from any other form of misuse. We use network firewalls, password protection and physical security to protect your privacy.
When no longer required by OT with Sylvia personal information is destroyed in a secure manner.
Data Quality
OT with Sylvia takes steps to ensure that the personal information we collect is accurate, up-to-date and complete. These steps include maintaining and updating personal information when individuals advise us that their personal information has changed.
Access to Personal Information
Generally, you have the right to access the personal information OT with Sylvia has about you.
We respond to requests for access to personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act. Generally, we will provide you with access except in limited circumstances where we are required or permitted by law to refuse access.
If you would like a copy of personal information that we have about you, please send the request to us in writing so we can confirm your identity. You can do this by email or mail.
If for any reason we do not give you access to your personal information or do not give you access in the way that you requested, we will give you written reasons unless it would be unreasonable for us to do so.
Correction of Personal Information
If you consider that your personal information held by OT with Sylvia is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, you may contact us to request that we correct your information. We will verify and where applicable correct the information.
We ask that you help us to keep your information up-to-date by letting us know promptly about any changes in your circumstances or personal information. Please contact us to ask for any corrections to be made to your information held by us.
Sometimes we are not able to correct your personal information in the way you have requested, for example, if we need to keep a record of what we knew or understood to be correct about your personal information at a particular time. In that case, we take reasonable steps to make a note on our record of your personal information that you have said is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
Complaints
If you have a complaint about the way we handled your personal information, you can make a complaint by contacting us.
When we have received your complaint, we will investigate and reply within a reasonable period of time.
We take any privacy complaint seriously and will assess your complaint fairly and promptly.
If you are not satisfied with our response or how we handled your complaint, you are entitled to complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. More information is available on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website.
Contact Us
To request access to or correction of personal information, to request not to receive marketing material or invitations from us, or to make a privacy complaint to us, please contact us at enquiries@otwithsylvia.com.au