This policy applies to personal information collected by Specialised Speech Services (SSS).
SSS is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles (the APPs) in the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) which set out how we should collect, use, secure, or disclose personal information and how you cn access records containing your personal information. We also follow the APP guidelines issued by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Unless stated by you to the contrary, you acknowledge and consent to the use or disclosure of your personal information including your name, address, email address and other information you provide to us, in circumstances that are set out in the Privacy Policy, or permitted under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). Collection of Information
We will generally collect your personal information from you directly. We collect personal information from you in various ways, such as when you communicate with us, when another health professional refers you to our service, if you book an appointment, or when you participate in any of our activities, events or programs. If we collect any personal information about you from another party, where practicable, we will take reasonable steps to inform you why we have collected the information and how we will use it.
The types of information we collect about clients includes their name and contact information, date of birth, developmental history, previous assessments and medical history as well as information about their home life, support networks and activities of daily living. We may also with your permission collect photos, video and audio recordings.
Some information we collect may be sensitive information. For example, we make collect information about family dynamics, areas of challenge and
difficulties faced. We will only collect sensitive information with your consent, or as otherwise permitted by law.
Use of Your Information
We collect personal information to enable us to properly assess, understand, diagnose, plan and implement support to clients, to refer clients to other professional services, to communicate with you, to manage accounts payable and receivable and to perform other activities related to SSS daily activities.
If you do not provide your personal information to SSS, we may be unable to assist you or your child, or you may be unable to participate in or have access to our clinicians, programs, events and activities. We also may not be able to assist you to access the best quality care from other professionals.
SSS may use this information for the following purposes:
To create and maintain contact records
To collect information required to assess, diagnose and form a
management plan
To complete written documentation about the services we have provided
To assist us in communicating with other professionals that you have
given us permission to collaborate with
To provide referrals to other professionals as needed
To conduct mail outs for marketing purposes
To communicate and cooperate with other health organisations and
professional bodies and government departments and agencies
To manage our responsibilities to funding bodies and meet our legal
responsibilities
To investigate and manage complaints
To plan, manage, review and audit our activities and processes
To perform any of our other functions and activities.
Disclosure to Third Parties
SSS may disclose personal information to its contractors, government agencies, regulatory bodies, other professional associations, health insurance and funding agencies, and third-parties providing services to SSS only where it is in the client’s interests to do so and where you have explicitly consented for us to do so. We will not provide any of your details to another person without your consent unless we are legally required to do so.
SSS does not disclose personal information to individuals or organisations outside Australia.
Access, Accuracy and Security
We will take reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we collect is accurate, complete and up-to-date. You can access and request correction of any personal information concerning you at any time. You may also request that we delete your personal information at any time. Any such requests should be made directly by contacting us at the details set out below.
We will take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
SSS maintains electronic and hard copy files on clients to carry out its functions efficiently. Hard copies of information are securely stored in files in locked cabinets. We do not use any government related identifiers as our own identifiers of an individual. Information that is no longer relevant or required is destroyed in a confidential manner.
SSS various database information is protected by password access.
Privacy and Our Website
Clickstream Data
Each time you visit the Website our server collects some anonymous information, known as click-stream data, including the type of browser and system you are using; the address of the Website you have come from and move to after your visit; the date and time of your visit; and your server's IP address.
We may collect this information for statistical purposes to find out how the Website is used and navigated, including the number of hits, the frequency and duration of visits, most popular session times. We may use this information to evaluate and improve the Website’s performance.
Cookies
A Cookie is a piece of information that our web server may send to your machine when you visit the Website. The Cookie is stored on your machine, but does not
identify you or give us any information about your computer.
A Cookie helps us to recognise you when you re-visit the Website and to coordinate your access to different pages on the Website. With most Internet
Browsers, you can erase Cookies from your computer hard drive, block all Cookies, or receive a warning before a Cookie is stored. If you want to do this,
refer to your Browser instructions or help screen to learn more.
More on Privacy
You can obtain further information about privacy in Australia and the protection of your personal information on the Australian federal Privacy Commissioner’s
website www.privacy.gov.au.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about our privacy policy, would like to request access to your personal information or to correct it or wish to make a complaint regarding
