OT Time Kids Therapy Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal information collected by OT Time Kids Therapy. Your privacy is important to us, and we are committed to dealing with your personal information in a responsible manner and in accordance with the applicable legislation.
By requesting any of our products or services, visiting our website, expressing an opinion to us or otherwise providing us with your personal information, you are agreeing to us dealing with your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you have any questions or concerns about our Privacy Policy or its implementation you may contact us on 0427 325 184.
In line with the Australian Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act 1988, OT Time Kids Therapy outlines its information handling policy as follows:
1. Collection and Holding of Personal Information
- OT Time Kids Therapy aims to collect information in a useful, fair, lawful and non-intrusive manner. On referral, we ask permission from parents to collect information about their child. This information is used to identify and facilitate the appropriate therapy services. As part of the assessment process, information is collected through observation of children’s performance as well as through teacher and parent questionnaires, discussion, and reports from other professionals.
- Information held may also include clinical session notes, emails, transcripts of telephone conversations and child work samples. With parent permission, video and audio information of children’s performance for assessment or intervention purposes is also held. By law, we hold useful information electronically or in hard copy for 7 years after discharge or until the child is 25 years, whichever is the longer.
2. Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
- All information gathered is used or disclosed solely for the original purpose of collection: to facilitate best practice service provision for a child. We request permission from parents to share written and verbal information with others to support a collaborative and seamless partnership between therapy, home and preschool / school and to enable children to generalise learnt skills into the ‘real world’ context of classroom / playground / community. No personal information is disclosed to overseas persons or agencies. There is no secondary use of information for advertising or research purposes, unless otherwise negotiated.
- However:
- By law, we are required to disclose information without parent permission in exceptional circumstances. These may include evidence of child abuse, issue of a court order, location of a missing person or prevention of serious and imminent threat to a person’s health or welfare.
- When children are using Medicare Plans or Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) it is mandatory that initial and follow-up written reports are forwarded to the family doctor or to the relevant Primary Health Network (previously Medicare Local).
3. Information Quality
- OT Time Kids Therapy takes all reasonable care to ensure that the personal information we collect or disclose is accurate, complete and current. We request parents advise us if personal information we are holding is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading. Parents have a responsibility to provide us with updated information.
4. Confidentiality and Security
- All Personal Information and files are confidential with access limited to therapists and where necessary clerical staff for administrative purposes. OT Time Kids Therapy staff have been instructed on the principles of the Privacy Legislation and are committed to protecting privacy rights. Information is regularly back up on external storage systems.
- OT Time Kids Therapy takes all reasonable steps to manage data stored by us to ensure data security and to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of Personal Information. Notwithstanding the above, OT Time Kids Therapy is not responsible for any third-party access to Personal Information as a result of:
- interception while it is in transit over the internet;
an unpatched vulnerability, a zero-day vulnerability, or an attack within 48 hours of a vendor releasing a patch or update;
spyware or viruses on the device (such as a computer or phone) from which you access our Website or otherwise contact us; or
- OT Time Kids Therapy is also not responsible for any losses, expenses, damages and costs, including legal fees, resulting from such third-party access.
5. Information Access
- Parents can request a copy of information about their child generated by OT Time Kids Therapy. From the age of 18 years, young people can request a copy of information or records about themselves. Requests to access information should be made to the Director, Deanna Williamson. Information about children who are ‘Under the Care of The Minister’ can only be provided with permission from the child’s caseworker. Information cannot be provided in the case of Medico Legal assessments.
6. Information Identifiers
- OT Time Kids Therapy does not use or disclose an identifier that has been assigned by a Commonwealth government ‘agency’ i.e. Tax File Number, Medicare Number.
7. Information Anonymity
- Parents may choose to withhold information about their child, or for themselves and their child to attend anonymously or with pseudonyms, with the understanding that this may have the effect of jeopardising the quality of provided service.
8. Sensitive Information
- As OT Time Kids Therapy provides health and education related services, it is sometimes necessary to collect sensitive information from clients. Permission is sought from clients on referral to collect and disclose such information.
9. Therapist Information
- Where a child is provided with services under The NDIA or Medicare, therapists’ personal information may be provided to the Department of Social Services (DSS), or their nominee, for the purpose of managing or evaluating the operation of these programs and OT Time Kids Therapy’s provision of services under these programs, including the resolution of any complaints. The DSS privacy policy is available on their website.
10. Breach of Principles
- If you believe that OT Time Kids Therapy has breached any of the above principles please advise the Director, Deanna Williamson, in writing. The information you provide will then be handled through formal procedures. If you are not satisfied with the way we work to resolve the breach you may contact:
- Officer of the Australian Information Commissioner:
T: 1300 363 992
- Occupational Therapy Australia
- Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency (AHPRA)
- Possible outcomes
- In the unlikely case of breach of principles, the possible outcomes from OT Time Kids Therapy include in person discussion with the Director Deanna Williamson and collection of the compliant and feedback, an apology where warranted, amendments to OT Time Kids Therapy policies and procedures (if major issues are identified) , staff training and development.
If you require any further information, please contact Deanna Williamson on 0427 325 184
