Privacy Policy

Part 2: How Evolution Speech Pathology Handles Your Personal Information 

2.1 Evolution Speech Pathology’s Legal Obligations 

In order to provide you with the health care services that you have requested; Evolution 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 kind of information does Evolution Speech Pathology collect and hold? 

With your consent we collect and hold 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 and other identifying information such as your address and contact details. 

• Medicare and Health fund details, including medicare numbers and health fund insurer information inclusive of the extent of coverage. 

• developmental, medical, ethnic, language, cultural and social histories (including medications, diagnoses, surgeries, and allergies) and disabilities and impairments. 

• Health, family and social history including work and educational history.

We require this information to assist the speech pathologist to diagnose and treat you

2.3 How does Evolution Speech Pathology collect health information? 

We will usually collect your health information directly from you or someone authorised to act on a client’s behalf (e.g. their parents, carers or guardians). Sometimes, we may need to collect information about you from a third party (such as a relative or another health service provider). In these cases, we will, where practicable, make you aware of the fact that we have collected this information and the circumstances of the collection.

2.4 How does Evolution Speech Pathology use your information? 

Your information may be seen or used by people working for or on behalf of Evolution Speech Pathology. Evolution 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.

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 allied health practitioner involved in your care, however on occasion, your care may be provided by a number of health professionals (for example, speech pathologist, occupational therapist and/or psychologist) working or consulting together. We may disclose your information to these health professionals as part of providing your care and to other health professionals involved in your care.

(b) the referrer

Evolution Speech Pathology will usually send a discharge summary to the referrer (i.e. your medical practitioner) following discharge from Evolution 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, please let us know if the referrer’s details have changed.

(c) Relatives, guardians, 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. 

 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 that you have provided to us;

• compliance with relevant legislation regarding a client’s real or perceived harm to self or others, or other mandatory reporting requirements. 

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. 

 If we disclose your personal information to an overseas recipient, such as an insurer or IT service provider we will take reasonable measures to ensure that they comply with the Australian Privacy Principles. 

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 Evolution Speech Pathology's access and correction procedure.

Please note that Evolution Speech Pathology may recover reasonable costs associated with supplying this information to you.

2.6 Data Quality 

Evolution 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

Evolution 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.

Evolution Speech Pathology will destroy or permanently de-identify any of your information that is in its possession or control, and which is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected, provided Evolution Speech Pathology is not required under an Australian law or court/tribunal or otherwise to retain the information

2.8 Availability and review of Policy

We will make our privacy policy available upon request and a link to this policy. This policy will be reviewed from time to time and any amendments will be incorporated into the updated policy.

2.9 What to do if you have a complaint about privacy issues 

If:

(a) you have questions or comments about this Privacy Policy;

(b) Evolution Speech Pathology does not agree to provide you with access to your personal information; or

(c) you have a complaint about our information handling practices, 

You can lodge a complaint with or contact our Privacy Officer on the details below. We will promptly review your complaint and provide a response to you.

2.10 How to contact us if you have a complaint about privacy issues

• By letter: Privacy Officer, Evolution Speech Pathology, PO BOX 1131, Carlton VIC 3053

• By email: jane@evolutionspeech.com.au

• By telephone: 0490 333 936

If your complaint concerns the NDIS, you can also email feedback@ndis.gov.au or call 1800 800 110.