We are Let’s Talk Speech Therapy (ABN 48 468 233 544), of 92 Great North Road, Five Dock, New South Wales, 20461, Australia.

1.     What this policy is about

Let’s Talk Speech Therapy is committed to protecting the privacy of personal information collected and held about individuals.

This privacy policy explains how Let’s Talk Speech Therapy manages personal information, what kinds of personal information is held, why the information is held, and how the information is collected, stored and handled

Let’s Talk is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW). This policy is intended to reflect our obligations under the Privacy Laws.

When referring to “client” below, we mean both former and current clients, as well as potential clients with inquiries about our products and services.

2.     What information do Let’s Talk Speech Therapy collect and hold?

“Personal information” or “health information” means information or an opinion about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained, including:

●      Names, ages, genders, and other identifying information;

●      Medicare and health fund details (including Medicare numbers and health fund insurers and the extent of their coverage for the purpose of addressing accounts, processing payments, and contacting you regarding our services and you or your child’s therapy;

●      developmental, medical, ethnic, language, cultural and social histories (including medications, diagnoses, surgeries, and allergies);

●      disabilities and impairments;

●      family histories, to the extent they may be relevant to our assessment, diagnosis and/or treatment of clients;

●      hobbies, motivations, interests, and activities in which clients and their families participate; and

●      financial information concerning the ability of clients to pay for our products and services

For sensitive information – such as information about client health that is reasonably necessary for Let’s Talk to provide services or products – we will seek consent.

3.    How Let’s Talk collect and handle personal information

Let’s Talk Speech Therapy collect information directly from you by telephone, via our website, through our client questionnaires, by written letters, reports and other documents provided to us, through emails, SMS and other forms of electronic communication, and in interviews and other interactions in our clinic (including face-to-face interviews and interviews conducted electronically, such as by way of Telehealth).

4.    Who Let’s Talk collect personal information from

Any information collected by Let’s Talk Speech Therapy is obtained with consent for the purpose of providing assessment and therapy to the client We collect information from clients 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 the client from a third party (such as a relative or another health service provider or educational setting). Wherever practicable, we will ask for the information directly.

5.    Why Let’s Talk Speech Therapy uses personal information

Let’s Talk Speech Therapy uses your information to deliver, review and improve the products and services that are provided in accordance with the standards required by law and the Speech Pathology Australia Code of Ethics.

Personal information collected is used:

●      to provide evidence-based speech pathology services;

●      to manage our relationship with you;

●      for billing management;

●      to contact you in relation to matters concerning client care;

●      for discussions between speech pathologists, doctors, other health professionals, and education professionals in relation to the care of the client;

●      discussions with insurers; and any insurance or compensation or other claims or litigation (including threatened litigation).

From time to time, we may use personal information (but not sensitive health information) to provide you with news or offers about our products or services that may be of interest to you. These products and services will be related to our speech pathology business described above and will be products and services that we believe will be relevant to you. You have a right, at any time, to tell us that you don’t want to receive this type of material.

6.    Who will see or have access to your personal information?

Your information may be seen or used by people working for or on behalf of Let’s Talk Speech Therapy and other service providers including (without limitation):

●      our speech pathologists (employed or contracted);

●      our administrative staff (employed or contracted);

●      other health professionals, and education professionals involved in client care;

●      the refer (i.e. medical practitioner);

●      Medicare, private health insurance providers, our insurers and reinsurers; and

●      our third-party professional advisors and service providers, including (without limitation) our lawyers, accountants, auditors, tax consultants, actuaries, management consultants and IT service providers (including software-as-a-service provider).

Important note: To promote the safety, welfare and wellbeing of vulnerable children in NSW, the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW) requires NSW speech pathologists who are members of Speech Pathology Australia to take reasonable steps to proactively exchange information, and co-ordinate the delivery of services, with NSW Health, schools, non-government organisations, the Family and Federal Courts, the police and other prescribed bodies in NSW. These obligations generally override confidentiality and privacy rights. You can read more about these requirements here.

You also have the right to access the personal and health information that Let’s Talk holds about you. If you believe personal information that we hold about you is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete or misleading, we will, on receipt of your request for an amendments, take steps that are reasonable in the circumstances to correct the information.

7.    Security of your personal information and data retention

Let’s Talk Speech Therapy will take reasonable steps to protect 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.

Let’s Talk will destroy or permanently de-identify any information which is in its possession or control and which is no longer needed for the purpose of which it was collected, provided Let’s Talk Speech Therapy is not required under an Australian law, court or tribunal, or otherwise to retain information. This obligation is subject to an important exception as under the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), we are obliged to retain health information:

●      about children, until the individual has attained 25 years of age; and

●      about adults for 7 years from the last time we provided them with a service or product.

8.    Complaints

If you have any questions or queries about the Let’s Talk Speech Therapy Privacy Policy or if you believe your privacy has been prejudiced by something we have done or failed to do, you have a legal right to lodge a complaint. You can lodge a complaint through Let’s Talk contact details.