Qld Orthotics and Podiatry Privacy Policy

Date: April 2024
Qld Orthotics & Podiatry (QOP) respects your privacy and is committed to its protection.

We are bound by the Australian Privacy Principals of the Privacy Act 1988(Cth). Privacy of personal information, including health information, is more than a professional and ethical responsibility – it is a legal requirement. In Australia, the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act), regulates the handling of an individual’s personal information. The Privacy Act includes a set of Australian Privacy Principles (APP) which that apply to allied health practitioners working in across the private sector as well as Commonwealth public organisations.

This privacy policy explains what type of information QOP collect and the why and how this information is collected. The policy also explains where and why your information may be disclosed to third parties, and the security measures used by QOP to help protect your personal information.

The QOP Privacy Policy?
• What happens if I don’t consent to QOP obtaining this information
• Why QOP collect this information
• Who QOP discloses personal information to (third parties)
• Accuracy / Access
• Security
• Complaints resolution
• Changes

What types of information do QOP collect?
The types of personal information that we collect include;
• identifying and contact information such as your name, age, residential address, home phone number, mobile phone number, email address, your work contact details, and the details of your dependants (if any);
• Medicare numbers
Relative sensitive information that we collect include;
• information about your medical history, health and wellbeing, as well as claims.
•information about your injuries, activities, including sporting and training activities.
• records and reports of your imaging and assessments.

Usually, we collect this information from you or from a person authorised to provide us this information on your behalf. Where necessary, we may also collect information from other health practitioners where relevant who have dealt with you to assist in achieving the best treatment outcome possible (example- working with your physio or trainer to ensure your activities will not affect your condition).

What happens if I don’t consent to QOP obtaining this information
QOP will not be able to provide you with your requested services or respond to your query if you fail or refuse to provide us with any personal or sensitive information required by us. For example, if you are a member of a health fund, then we may not be able to process your claim if you do not provide us with any required information.

Why QOP collects this information
We collect, hold and use your personal and sensitive information for the following purposes:
• to provide our products and services including private health insurance;
• to perform the functions and activities related to our business such as processing your claims and paying your benefits; and
• to manage our relationship with you for correspondence regarding your treatment or to remind you of an upcoming appointment.

We may also use your personal information to send you information (either by email, post or SMS) that you request. We may also use your personal information to send you request for feedback on your experience with us. We will only send you emails or SMS with your consent, including consent inferred from our existing relationship. If you do not wish to receive that information, then you may contact us and direct us not to send you any further information of that type.

Who QOP discloses personal and sensitive information to:
We may disclose your personal information to third parties necessary to conduct our activities, such as:

  • health service providers and our service providers;
  • persons authorised by you, including the other people who are responsible for your medical care, such as your General Practitioner or Surgeon.
  • other parties to whom we are authorised or required by law to disclose information such as Medicare or AHPRA.

We will not disclose your personal information to anyone other than those persons described above, unless:

  • you authorise us to do so;
    • your safety or the safety of others in the community is at risk; or
    • we are required or permitted by law.

Accuracy / Access
If you believe that any information that we hold about you is inaccurate or out of date, please contact us and we will review the relevant information. Upon request, an individual may gain access to their personal information unless the circumstances pose a serious threat to life, health or safety of any other individual, there are anticipated legal proceedings involving the requested information, there is ill intent of any nature or the access of the information is unlawful.

Security
The transfer of information across any media may involve a certain degree of risk, and the Internet is no different. However, helping you to keep your information secure from misuse, interference and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure, is very important to QOP.

We have security measures designed to protect against the loss, misuse and/or alteration of the information under our control. We will take all reasonable steps to protect your personal information from the above in accordance with the requirements of the Privacy Act, the Australian Privacy Principles, and our Privacy Policy.

We are not likely to transfer your personal information to overseas recipients. If we transfer your personal information outside Australia, we will comply with the requirements of the Privacy Act which relate to trans-border data flow laws.

The Privacy Act requires any organisation which is subject to that Act to notify an affected individual and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) about certain data breaches (notifiable data breach) which occur on or after 22 February 2018.


Changes
QOP may make changes to its privacy policy from time to time. You should check our privacy policy from time to time to see if we have made any changes to it.


Complaints Resolution
QOP is committed to providing customers with a fair and responsible system for the handling of customer complaints.
If at any time you have any concerns or complaints in relation to privacy or the operation of the Website, please contact us through our feedback form so that we may resolve them.

Further Information on Privacy
Further information may be obtained on privacy issues in Australia by visiting the Australian Federal Privacy Commissioner’s web site at http://www.privacy.gov.au/

Last updated 30th April 2024