Privacy

Privacy Statement

Pace Physiotherapy (“the practice”) is bound by the National Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act. This policy outlines how the practice uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it.

The practice may from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to the practices' operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing operating environment.

Collection of Personal Information

The practice collects personal information, including sensitive information about:

Clients, their parents and/or guardians

job applicants, staff members, volunteers and contractors and

other people who come in contact with the practice

Personal information you provide: The practice will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of forms filled out by patients, face to face meetings and appointments and telephone calls. On occasions, people other than patients provide personal information.

Personal information provided by other people: In some circumstances, the practice may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example a report provided by a medical professional.

Exception in relation to employee records: Under the Privacy Act, the National Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the practice's treatment of an employee record, where the record is directly related to a current or former employee of the practice.

Use of Personal Information

The practice will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented.

Patients: In relation to personal information of patients, the practice's primary purpose of collection is to enable the practice to provide treatment for the patient. This includes satisfying both the needs of patients and the needs of the practitioner throughout the whole period the patient is attending the practice.

The purposes for which the practice uses personal information of patients include:

to keep patients and relevant associated health professional or other relevant third party (e.g. Work cover or TAC) informed about matters related to the patients treatment, through correspondence of various types as required from time to time.

day to day administration

looking after a patient’s medical wellbeing

to satisfy the practices legal obligations and allow the practice to discharge its duty of care

The practice may not be able to commence or continue the treatment of a patient if necessary information about the patient is not provided.

Job applicants, staff members and contractors: In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff and contractors, the practice's primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant, staff member or contractor.

The purposes for which the practice uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:

administering the individual's employment or contract

satisfying insurance requirements

satisfying the practice's legal obligations, for example in relation to child protection legislation

Marketing and fundraising: The practice treats marketing for the future growth and development of the practice as an important part of ensuring that the practice continues to be a quality medical facility in which both patients and staff thrive. Personal information held by the practice relating to

Patients, staff, contractors and other members of the wider community may from time to time receive information such as practice publications, like newsletters and magazines.

Disclosure of Personal Information

With consent, the practice may disclose personal information, including sensitive information held about an individual to:

another practice

government departments

medical practitioners

people providing services to the patient, including GP’s, specialists, teachers and sports coaches

recipients of practice publications, like newsletters and magazines

other parents or guardians

anyone you authorise the practice to disclose information to

Sending information overseas:

The practice will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:

obtaining consent of the individual (in some cases, consent will be implied); or

otherwise complying with the National Privacy Principles

Sensitive Information

In referring to 'sensitive information' the practice means information relating to a person's racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual preferences, criminal record and health information about an individual.

Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law.

Management and Security of Personal Information

The practice's staff are required to respect the confidentiality of patients personal information and the privacy of individuals. The practice has in place steps to protect the personal information the practice holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and pass worded access rights to computerised records.

Updating Information

The practice endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. A person may seek to update their personal information held by the practice at anytime. Furthermore, we encourage you to do this in the interests of accuracy and completeness in your medical records by the practice.

Access to Personal Information

Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act, an individual has the right to request access to any personal information which the practice holds about them and to advise the practice of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some circumstances where access may be denied. Such circumstances would include where release of the information would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of others, or where the release may result in the breach of the practice duty of care to the patient.

Requests to access any information the Practice holds about you (or your child should be) forwarded in writing to the Practice Manager at the address of the clinic attended for your last treatment (available from our 'contact-us' page). The Practice may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you wish to view.