New Step Podiatry recognises your right to privacy and your right to control your personal information. We are committed to protecting your personal information as set out in the Privacy Act 1988 9Cth) (Privacy Act).
Definitions
Personal information means information or opinions about a person from which that person is reasonably identifiable. Personal information includes sensitive information.
Sensitive information includes information about a person’s beliefs, finances, associations or health.
Health information means information or opinions about a person’s health. It includes information collected in connection with the delivery of health services.
Collecting your personal information
New Step Podiatry needs to collect your personal information in order to provide podiatry services to you. Our main purpose for using, storing and sharing your personal information is to provide podiatry services to you to best manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, insurance, audits and accreditation, and business processes (e.g. staff training and direct marketing).
New Step Podiatry will only collect personal information by lawful and fair means and primarily directly from you (for example, through our interaction with you or your use of our website). Wherever practicable any personal information is de-identified.
The information we collect about you includes:
-names, date of birth, gender, addresses, contact details;
-your emergency contact details;
-medical information such as medical history, health issues, the medication, herbs and supplements you take, allergies, social/family history, and risk factors; and
-your health fund details where applicable
If we receive unsolicited personal information, or information we would not ordinarily be permitted to collect, we will ordinarily destroy or de-identify that information.
We will take reasonable steps to notify you of our collection of your personal information. Any such notification will include all additional information required by the Privacy Act.
New Step Podiatry will collect your personal information through the following process:
-When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information through our client intake process.
-At your first appointment you will be asked to complete a client registration form.
-During the course of providing podiatry services and consultation to you, we may collect further personal information where necessary.
-We may collect your personal information when you visit our website, use our online booking system, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, or communicate with us using social media.
-In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources, particularly if it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you personally. Other sources may include, but are not limited to:
-your guardian or responsible person;
-other medical practitioners (with our consent);
-your health fund (if applicable).
We will seek consent from you prior to collecting your personal information from a third party provider.
Use of your personal information
New Step Podiatry will keep your personal information as long as we are legally obliged to keep it, or until the need for the personal information has passed. At that point it will be destroyed, deleted or de-identified.
Only people that need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing podiatry services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.
In some instances, we may disclose your personal information to third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as information technology providers, orthotic manufacturing laboratories and accreditation bodies. We will ensure that all third parties agree to comply with the Australian Privacy Principles and this policy prior to accessing your information.
By law, we may disclose your personal information without your consent where the information:
-is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas or summons);
-is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a person’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain your consent;
-to assist in locating a missing person;
-to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim;
-for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process; and
-when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (e.g. some diseases require mandatory notification).
-We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances permitted by law) without your consent.
Our practice may use your personal information to communicate with you for education or marketing purposes, or to update you on changes to our clinic or practitioner details. You may opt-out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice verbally or in writing.
Storage and security of your personal information
Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms, including:
-Paper/hard copy form;
-Electronic form; and/or
-Any other form and media reasonably necessary to deliver acupuncture services to you.
Your personal information may be stored in the following storage facilities:
-Physical documents will be temporarily stored in hard copy files until such time as they are scanned into electronic form and stored on Cliniko, our cloud based practice management solution. Once scanned, the documents will be securely shredded and disposed of;
-Cliniko, our cloud-based practice management solution;
-MailChimp, where we have your consent to contact you for education and marketing purposes;
-Xero;
-Email where applicable; and
-Any other electronic software relevant to our practice.
Use of cookies on our website
Cookies are pieces of information that a website transfers to your computer’s hard disk for record-keeping purposes, website usage statistics or to provide enhanced functionality on the site. Our cookies may do some or all of these depending on the particular page and its functionality. Generally, the information obtained by cookies is de-identified and does not constitute personal information, but may include the IP address of your computer. We may use this information for additional functionality or to analyse usage patterns.
You are ultimately in control of your browser’s dealings with cookies. Most browsers are by default set to accept cookies, but have the capacity to block or delete them. However, if you do not wish to receive any cookies you should set your browser to refuse cookies.
By using our website, you accept the use and installation of these cookies to provide you with these services.
Accessing your personal information
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.
If you wish to access your personal information, please put this request in writing to:
New Step Podiatry
1/37 Kesteven Street
Florey ACT 2615
Or via email to: admin@newsteppodiatry.com.au
Our practice will use all reasonable endeavors to respond within 30 days.
Correction of your personal information
If you wish to request a correction to your personal information, our practice will takes reasonable steps to do so where the information is not accurate or up-to-date. From time-to-time, we will ask you to verify your personal information held by our practice is correct and up-to-date. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to the contact details listed above.
Problems or queries
We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing to:
New Step Podiatry
1/37 Kesteven Street
Florey ACT 2615
Or via email to: admin@newsteppodiatry.com.au
You may also contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). Generally the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond, before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 336 002.
If you have a problem, query or complaint about how New Step Podiatry collects, uses or discloses your personal information, please contact us. We take all aspects of privacy seriously, and welcome your feedback on the relevant issues. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au
Further information
For more information about privacy issues in Australia and protecting your privacy, visit the website of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au