Privacy Policy

True North Therapy Hub

Effective Date: 01/04/2025

True North Therapy Hub ABN: 40 237 205 853, located at 25/34 King William Street, Broadmeadows VIC 3047, is committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and all relevant state and federal health privacy legislation. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and manage your personal information in the context of allied health services.

1. Collection of Personal Information

We collect personal and sensitive information that is necessary to provide high-quality healthcare services. This may include, but is not limited to:

    •    Full name, date of birth, address, phone number, and email

    •    Medicare, NDIS, and private health insurance details

    •    Medical and allied health history, referral notes, clinical records, assessments, and treatment plans

    •    Emergency contacts and next-of-kin information

    •    Payment and billing information

    •    Information collected through communications with you (e.g. emails, calls, SMS)

    •    Information collected via intake forms, referrals, or bookings

2. Method of Collection

We collect personal information through:

    •    Intake forms, consent forms, and referral documentation

    •    Direct contact via phone, email, website, or in-person communication

    •    Clinical sessions and case notes

    •    Third parties such as referrers, medical professionals, government agencies (e.g. NDIS), and insurers (where you have given consent)

All information is collected lawfully, fairly, and where possible, directly from you or your authorised representative.

3. Use of Personal Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

    •    To provide you with allied health services, including occupational therapy, speech pathology, psychology, and other future services such as physiotherapy or naturopathy

    •    To develop treatment plans, communicate with referring practitioners, and manage your care

    •    For administrative and billing purposes, including communication with Medicare, private health insurers, and NDIS

    •    To comply with legal and professional obligations, including documentation, audits, or reporting

    •    To improve service quality and ensure continuity of care

    •    With your permission, to share relevant information with other professionals involved in your care

We do not use your health information for direct marketing without your explicit written consent.

4. Disclosure of Personal Information

Your information may be disclosed to:

    •    Other allied health professionals, medical providers, or support coordinators involved in your care (only with your consent)

    •    Medicare, NDIS, private health funds, and third-party billing agencies

    •    IT and administrative service providers who support our operations and comply with confidentiality requirements

    •    Legal, regulatory, or professional bodies, if required by law, court order, or in compliance with ethical standards

We will not sell, rent, or disclose your personal information for any unauthorised purpose.

5. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect the personal and sensitive information we hold from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Measures include:

    •    Secure electronic records with password protection and access restrictions

    •    Staff confidentiality agreements and training in privacy obligations

    •    Locked filing systems for physical records

    •    Routine backups and data encryption for digital platforms

In the event of a data breach, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme.

6. Access and Correction

You have the right to access your personal information held by us and to request corrections where it is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading. Requests must be made in writing and may require identity verification.

We will respond to your request within 30 days and provide reasons in writing if we are unable to grant access or make changes, in accordance with the APPs.

7. Website and Digital Data

If you visit our website or contact us online, we may collect non-identifiable information such as IP addresses, browser types, device data, and cookies for security and website improvement purposes. This data is not used to personally identify you.

Our website may contain links to external sites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites.

8. Complaints

If you believe your privacy has been breached, you may submit a complaint in writing to our Privacy Officer using the contact details below. We take complaints seriously and aim to respond within 30 days. If you are unsatisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

9. Contact Details

Privacy Officer

True North Therapy Hub

25/34 King William Street, Broadmeadows VIC 3047

Email: admin@truenorththerapyhub.com.au

Phone: 0432 607 607

10. Policy Review and Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our legal obligations, service offerings, or privacy practices. The current version will always be available on our website. Continued use of our services after an update constitutes your acceptance of the revised policy.