Our Commitment to Privacy
Playful Paediatrics is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).
As a private allied health provider, we recognise that health information is sensitive information and must be handled with the highest level of care and security.
What Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of information:
Personal Information
• Child’s name, date of birth and address
• Parent or guardian names and contact details
• Emergency contact details
• Referral information
• Medicare or NDIS details where applicable
Health Information (Sensitive Information)
• Medical and developmental history
• Assessment results
• Therapy notes and reports
• Relevant family history where clinically appropriate
Website InformationWhen visiting our website we may collect basic technical data such as IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited. We may also collect information submitted through website contact forms.
How We Collect Information
Personal information may be collected:
• Directly from parents or guardians
• Through intake or registration forms
• During therapy sessions
• From referrers with consent
• Through our website contact forms
• From other professionals involved in your child’s care where authorised
Why We Collect Information
We collect and use personal information in order to:
• Provide speech pathology and allied health services
• Assess, plan and deliver therapy
• Communicate with families and referrers
• Manage appointments and billing
• Comply with legal and professional obligations
• Improve our services and client experience
Disclosure of Personal Information
We may disclose personal information to:
• Other treating health professionals with consent
• Referring practitioners
• Funding bodies such as the NDIS where required
• Administrative and IT service providers
• Legal or regulatory authorities where required by law
We do not sell personal information.
Electronic Systems and Overseas Storage
Playful Paediatrics may store information using secure electronic practice management systems and cloud-based services.
Some electronic systems used by Playful Paediatrics may store information on secure cloud servers that may be located outside Australia. We take reasonable steps to ensure providers maintain strong privacy and security standards.
Data Security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Security measures may include:
• Secure practice management software
• Password protected systems
• Restricted staff access
• Encryption and secure storage where available
• Staff confidentiality agreements
• Staff privacy training
Health Record Retention
Playful Paediatrics retains clinical records in accordance with Australian health record retention standards.
• Adult records are retained for at least 7 years after the last date of service.
• Records relating to children are retained until the child reaches 25 years of age.
When records are no longer required, they are securely destroyed or permanently de-identified.
Notifiable Data Breaches
If a data breach occurs that is likely to result in serious harm, Playful Paediatrics will respond in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme under the Privacy Act.
This includes:
• Assessing the breach
• Taking steps to contain it
• Notifying affected individuals where required
• Notifying the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner where required
Access and Correction
You may request access to personal information we hold about you or your child and request correction if the information is inaccurate or incomplete.
Requests should be made in writing to our Privacy Officer. We aim to respond within 30 days where possible.
Practice Closure or Change of Ownership
If Playful Paediatrics ceases operation or changes ownership, client records may be transferred to another health provider or secure records custodian to ensure continuity of care and compliance with legal record-keeping requirements.
Consent to Use Artificial Intelligence (AI)
This Privacy Policy outlines how we use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in developing clinical notes, as appropriate, while complying with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) legislation and Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) Professional Standards.
Use of AI in Clinical Documentation
To enhance our clinical documentation process, we utilise AI technology to assist in the generation and management of clinical notes. This allows for your clinician to:
• Analyse data from therapy sessions
• Identify key themes and patterns in your care
• Support your clinician in documenting sessions accurately
• Allow greater time for your clinician to focus on planning your next session
Data Privacy and Security
We take your privacy seriously and have implemented appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information. These measures include:
• Data encryption
• Restricted access to clinical notes
• Regular audits of AI usage and data handling practices
Compliance with SPA Professional Standards and AHPRA
Our use of AI in developing clinical notes adheres to SPA Professional Standards and AHPRA guidelines, which emphasise the importance of maintaining confidentiality and security of patient information.
We ensure that:
• AI-generated notes are reviewed by a qualified clinician• Your consent is obtained for any data sharing• We comply with relevant legislation, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)• AI systems used (SPLOSE AI) do not hold or store any of the information recorded or processed.
Making a Privacy Complaint
If you have concerns about how your information has been handled, please contact:
Privacy Officer
Playful Paediatrics
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Policy Updates
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. The most current version will always be available on our website.
