Our practice respects your rights and privacy. We endeavour to keep information regarding you or your child with the utmost confidentiality. We realise that it is important that you understand the purpose for which we collect details about your or your child’s health, as well as how this information is used at our practice and to whom this information might be disclosed.

The policy of our practice is to follow these procedures:

At Box Hill Speech Pathology we collect information for the purpose of providing assessment and treatment for you or your child. Some personal information, such as your name and address, will be used for the purpose of addressing accounts to you, as well as processing payments and writing to you about our services, and any issues affecting you or your child’s treatment.

We may disclose your or your child’s information to other health care or educational professionals, or require it from them, if it is necessary in the context of your or your child’s assessment and treatment. In that event, any disclosure of your or your child’s personal details will be minimised wherever possible.

On some occasions, we may also use parts of your or your child’s health information for research purposes, in study groups, case discussions or seminars, as this may provide benefit to other patients. Should that happen, your personal identity will not be disclosed without your consent to do so.

The practice management software we use at this practice (“Cliniko”) employs strict security measures. All data shared between Cliniko, Box Hill Speech Pathology and our clients is stored securely. Only authorised access is permitted. Your privacy is also protected during telehealth consultations. Clinicians conduct sessions in a private room and individual password protected links are sent for each individual session. Sessions are not recorded unless there is a specific request from the client, or if it is needed for specific analysis by your clinician and your consent has been given. Any such recordings are deleted after analysis.

Your or your child’s medical history, treatment records and other material relevant to your treatment will be kept here. You may inspect or request copies of our records regarding your or your child’s treatment at any time, or seek an explanation from your speech pathologist. Requests should be made in writing to the clinic, in accordance with the Victorian Government’s guidelines. Statutory fees may apply in relation to the types of access you seek. If you request an explanation of our records or a written summary, fees will apply to these services.

For parents participating in the Hanen program, please note that video and audio recording is an essential part of the program.

We have an ethical and legal obligation to disclose information regarding the treatment of a child to a parent who is not directly involved with the child’s treatment UNLESS there is a court order or similar preventing that parent’s participation in therapy and/or exchange of information. Both parents will be informed when such requests have been made and must provide court documentation if required.

Disclosure will not be made to any person who is not a parent and who is not involved in either your or your child’s treatment or the administration of this practice, without your prior consent.

If you have any queries or concerns about our handling of your or your child’s health information, please do not hesitate to raise these concerns with our practice.