Shoalhaven Mental Health Occupational Therapy (SMHOT) Privacy Policy
SMHOT values the strong relationships we build with our clients and for this reason we are committed to handling your personal information with respect. The data we collect is handled sensitively, securely and with proper regard to privacy. The below mentioned information explains how we store and use your personal information. In this privacy policy, we, us or our refers to SMHOT.
What is personal information, how and why we use it?
Personal information is defined in the Privacy Act as information or an opinion about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. Types of personal information we collect include:
Your name
Your contact details, including email and street address and or telephone number
Your age and date of birth
Your payment details
Your preferences and/or opinions
Details about therapy or services provided to you
Statistics on web page views and search queries
We collect the above information, through our website when you complete the referral form, during interviews and therapy sessions, attended via phone or in-person as well as when you complete surveys at the end of a course of therapy. We are also required to store and use your information for record keeping and billing purposes.
We collect personal information about you for the primary purpose of providing therapeutic services to you. Information may be released to third parties such as our employees, referring agents, your GP or support coordinator or carer for the purpose of providing ongoing therapeutic services to you and where there is concern about your safety. We also provide your information to sub-contractors who provide us with services to maintain and manage client files. The only information that may be used for marketing purposes are anonymous extracts from surveys. SHMOT does not sell your personal information to third parties. The only occasion we would disclose your information without consent to courts, tribunals, regulatory authorities and law enforcement officers, is when we are required by law to do so. We may also disclose your details to courts, tribunals or regulatory authorities in the event where you fail to pay for services provided to you.
When accessing the website for referral purposes, third parties such as Google analytics/ Google spreadsheets collect and process data. These third parties may store data outside of Australia. By providing us with personal information, you acknowledge that some third parties may not be regulated by the Privacy Act and the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act and if the third party engages in any act or practice that contravenes the Australian Privacy Principles, it would not be accountable under the Privacy Act and you will not be able to seek redress under the Privacy Act.
How your personal information is stored?
Your personal information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Client files are kept to provide continuity of care and best practice. Client files are stored for approximately 5 years. 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 information.
How you can control or access the personal information we store as well as your rights and responsibility in consenting to information provided?
Choice and consent: Please ensure you have read the Privacy Policy. By providing personal information to us, you consent to us collecting, holding, using and disclosing your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You do not have to provide personal information to us, however, if you do not, it will affect your ability to make a referral and access services offered on this Site as we require your information to provide therapeutic supports.
Information from third parties: If we receive personal information about you from a third party (for example, your support coordinator or GP), we will protect it as set out in this Privacy Policy. If you are a third party providing personal information about someone else, please ensure that you have obtained the person’s consent to provide the personal information to us, as we will accept that you represent the person and have consent on referral.
Restrict: If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for marketing purposes related to surveys completed, you can withdraw consent at any time by contacting us via email and requesting this. You are also welcome to update the third parties you consent to SMHOT contacting for emergencies or release of information.
Access: You are welcome to request details of the personal information we hold about you. An administrative fee may be payable for the provision of this information. We require approximately 14 days to process your request.
Correction: If you believe that the information we hold about you, is out of date or inaccurate, please contact us via email so that we can take reasonable steps to update your information.
Complaints: In the event that you are unsatisfied with how we handle your personal information, please contact us in writing (via email) providing a detailed description of the complaint. We will investigate the complaint and provide an outcome of this within a 28-day period.
Accessing other websites: Our site contains links to other websites. We do not have any control over those websites and we are not responsible for the protection and privacy of any personal information which you provide whilst visiting those websites. Please read the Privacy Policies for those websites as this Privacy Policy will not be applicable to those websites.
Contact details: info@smhot.com.au