Privacy Policy

Download a PDF of our Privacy Policy and Consent Form Here

PART 1 – About This Policy

1.1 Purpose

Articulate Speech Pathology is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information we collect and hold about individuals. Articulate Speech Pathology complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), other privacy laws that govern how private sector health service providers like Articulate Speech Pathology handle your personal information (including your health information), and Speech Pathology Australia’s Code of Ethics (2010). This Privacy Policy explains how Articulate Speech Pathology manages the personal information we collect, use and disclose. Articulate Speech Pathology is a private speech pathology practice under the ownership of (Biscan Roberts Pty Ltd ABN 15 650 128 966). Biscan Roberts Pty Ltd operates under the trading/business names Articulate Speech Pathology, Articulate Speech and Language Pathology, and Articulate SLP. References to either name in this Privacy Policy, in our Service Agreement, on our website, or in any related communications refer to the same organisation.

PART 2 – How Articulate Speech Pathology Handles Your Personal Information

2.1 Articulate Speech Pathology’s Legal Obligations

In order to provide you with the health care services that you have requested, Articulate Speech Pathology 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 Articulate Speech Pathology 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 but is not limited to 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 Articulate Speech Pathology 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).

Articulate Speech Pathology may take audio and video recordings of you/your child for therapeutic purposes and education using electronic devices, including mobile phones. Any audio and video recordings will remain confidential within Articulate Speech Pathology. Any files of recordings will be erased at the conclusion of speech pathology services as agreed by the you and Articulate Speech Pathology. If you do not wish for recording devices to be used during therapy sessions, please advise Articulate Speech Pathology prior to commencing therapy.

2.4 How does Articulate Speech Pathology use your information?

Articulate Speech Pathology 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. We may disclose your information to the following people:

1. 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 (eg. 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.

2. the referrer

Articulate Speech Pathology will usually send a discharge summary to the referrer (i.e., your medical practitioner) following discharge from Articulate Speech Pathology 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.

3. 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.

4. Other uses and disclosures

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, Medicare or the Department of Veteran's Affairs and where required provide information to your health fund, Medicare or the Department of Veteran's Affairs to verify treatment provided to you
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 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 make a request in writing, and we will provide you with more detailed information about Articulate Speech Pathology's access and correction procedure. Please note that Articulate Speech Pathology may recover reasonable costs associated with supplying this information to you.

2.6 Data Quality

Articulate Speech Pathology 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

Articulate Speech Pathology 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. Articulate Speech Pathology 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 Articulate Speech Pathology 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

If:

you have questions or comments about this Privacy Policy
Articulate Speech Pathology does not agree to provide you with access to your personal information; or
you have or a complaint about our information handling practices

You can lodge a complaint with or contact us by email on admin@articulatespeech.com.au or by phone on 0401 347 766. We will promptly review your complaint and provide a response to you.

2.9 What if you are not happy with the outcome following a complaint?

All efforts will be made to address complaints and achieve an effective resolution of your complaint within a reasonable timeframe. All complaints and outcomes will be recorded. In the event that an anonymous complaint is received we will note the issues raised and where appropriate, investigate and resolve them appropriately. We endeavour to resolve complaints as quickly as possible with a satisfactory outcome for all parties, however, if you feel that your complaint has not been handled satisfactorily, or you feel that the resolution and outcomes were unsatisfactory, there are a number of organisations that you can contact to take the matter further.

Speech Pathology Australia https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au 1300 368 835

Health Care Complaints Commission https://www.hccc.nsw.gov.au 1800 043 159

PART 3 – How Articulate Speech Pathology 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.articulatespeech.com.au. 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
register to receive eNewsletters; or
send a written complaint or enquiry to us.

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.);
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 website.

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 Articulate Speech Pathology 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.

CONSENT

Articulate Speech Pathology 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, we need to collect some personal information from you (about your child). If you do not provide this information; we may be unable to treat you/your child. This information will also be used for:

The administrative purpose of running the practice
Billing either directly or through an insurer or compensation agency
Use within the practice if passing your case to another speech pathologist within the practice for your/ your child’s ongoing management
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; and
In the case of insurance or compensation claim it may be necessary to disclose and/or collect information that affects your return to work.

We do not disclose your personal information to overseas recipients. Articulate Speech Pathology has a Privacy Policy that is available on request and is available in the waiting area. 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. A summary of the Privacy Policy is contained in the Collection Statement overleaf.

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, 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 you/your child’s care in the New Client Information Form.