Functional Therapy Co Pty Ltd (ABN: 826 6958 6305) is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information.

This policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your health information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and professional standards.

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What is Personal Information and Why Do We Collect It?

Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Personal Information includes Health Information, which is information about the physical or mental health or disability of an individual.

Examples of Personal Information we collect includes:

• Personal details: contact details for clients and their representatives or family members. This may include name, contact information (phone/address/email), date of birth.

• Emergency contact: details for emergency contacts and people authorised to act on behalf clients

• Health and medical information: clients’ health status and medical records, current diagnoses, NDIS plan, medications, previous assessments (with your consent), treatment plans, progress notes, therapy session details, and any other relevant documentation provided to us by healthcare providers as part of an allied health care team approach or handover.

• Assessments, reviews and service delivery records

• External agency information such as support coordinators, plan managers, GP, or referrer details.

• Feedback and complaints

• Incident reports

• Referral forms

• Consent forms

• Information relating to payment including: medicare details, reimbursement details (for rebates), and card details if you request to make payment for invoices over the phone.

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How We Collect Your Information:

• Referral forms, intake forms, and assessment forms (online)

• Via communications with you, the referrer, or the client representative either via interview, phone, or email.

• ​Other publicly available sources of information and third parties

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How We Use Your Information:

• Assess your eligibility for support;

• Assess your needs and develop treatment plans

• Provide safe and responsive Occupational Therapy and Speech Pathology therapy services;

• Monitor the supports provided and progress in accordance with your stated goals or NDIS plan;

• Fulfil contractual and other requirements to provide non-identifying data and statistical information to government agencies

• To improve our services - we may use de-identified data to analyse trends and improve practice quality

• For billing and administrative purposes - we may use your information to submit claims to your plan manager, health insurance, or Medicare (if requested), manage your account, and communicate regarding appointments and fees.

• To improve our services:

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Disclosure of Your Information:

• With your consent: We may share your information with other healthcare providers, family members, or other authorised individuals with your written consent such as support coordinators or local area coordinators.

• For treatment purposes: We may disclose necessary information to other healthcare professionals involved in your care, such as your primary care physician, Paediatrician, other health professionals or specialists. 

• Providing Information to the NDIS:

  • If you/your child is an NDIS participant, NDIS requires reports (usually annually) to determine how the supports we provide, funded by the NDIS, contribute to child and family outcomes. Evidence is provided on how we have supported your child and family to build their capacity over the plan period. This may include:

  • Submitting NDIA requested review reports as part of plan reviews

    • Functional Capacity Assessment Reports

    • Invoices as part of a payment inquiry

    • Letters of recommendation

• As required by law:

  • We may disclose information to government agencies or regulatory bodies as mandated by law, including our legislative obligations such as mandatory reporting.

  • There are some circumstances in which we must disclose an individuals information where we reasonably believe that an individual may be engaged in fraudulent, deceptive, or unlawful activity that a government authority, such as NDIS, should be made aware of.

• Other: As part of our payment terms, if we have made attempts to seek remittance for services provided through our usual means (reminders, contact) and have not received settlement for payment, we will use a debt collection service whereby we will need to provide your details for the debt collector to seek payment on our behalf.

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Protecting Your Information:

• Confidentiality:​ Your Personal and Health Information will be stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorized access, modification or disclosure through our secure electronic storage and access controls. 

• Staff training: All staff members are trained on privacy policies and procedures to ensure the appropriate handling of your information.

• Safety and Security: We may hold your personal information either in electronic or hard copy form. If you provide information to us electronically, we retain this information in our computer systems and databases. If you provide information to us in hard copy (paper) this information is normally retained in our files and a copy is made to our electronic files.

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Your Privacy Rights:

• Access to information: You have the right to access your medical records and request a copy. We will respond to an access request within a reasonable period, not exceeding 30 calendar days from the date the request was made. We will not charge any fee for your access request, but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your information. 

• Access may be denied in part or in total where:

  • the request is frivolous or vexatious;

  • providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals;

  • providing access would be likely to prejudice an investigation of possible unlawful activity;

  • providing access would pose a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of any individual; and

  • denying access is required or authorised by or under law.

• Correction of information: You can request corrections to any inaccurate information in your record.

• Privacy concerns: If you have concerns about your privacy, please contact our practice manager to discuss your concerns.

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Changes to this Policy:

• We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on our website and may be communicated to you via email.