Privacy Policy

Purpose

Brain Sprout Clinic is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of personal information collected, stored and used in the delivery of our services.

We respect the rights of individuals regarding their personal information and manage information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and relevant professional and legal obligations.

Where legislative or regulatory requirements differ from this policy, the relevant requirements will take precedence.

Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information collected and managed by Brain Sprout Clinic in connection with our psychological, allied health, assessment and intervention services.

It applies to clients, parents, guardians, authorised representatives, caregivers, support people, educators and other professionals involved in our services.

All Brain Sprout Clinic staff and contractors are responsible for maintaining privacy, confidentiality and appropriate management of personal information.

Policy Statement

Brain Sprout Clinic only collects personal information that is reasonably necessary to provide safe, effective and appropriate services. We are committed to ensuring information is collected fairly, used responsibly, stored securely and accessed only by authorised individuals.

We recognise that clinical and assessment information is sensitive and personal. Information is managed with consideration for each person's privacy, dignity and individual circumstances.

Personal Information We Collect

Depending on the services provided, Brain Sprout Clinic may collect information including identifying and contact details, health and developmental history, educational and occupational information, family and support information, diagnoses, medications, previous reports, assessment results, questionnaire responses, clinical observations, clinical notes and information provided by other people involved in the assessment or service.

Where clinically relevant, photographs, audio or video recordings may also form part of the clinical record. These will only be collected with informed consent, except where collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.

For children and young people, we may also collect information about parents, guardians, caregivers, parental responsibility, guardianship and relevant care arrangements.

We may collect financial, funding and payment information where required for billing and administration. Complete credit or debit card details are not retained by Brain Sprout Clinic where payments are processed through our external payment provider.

Sensitive Information

Our services often involve the collection of sensitive information, including information relating to health, disability, mental health, developmental history, diagnoses, and support needs.

Brain Sprout Clinic only collects sensitive information where it is necessary to provide services, where consent has been provided, or where collection is required or permitted by law.

How We Collect Information

Information is generally collected directly from the client or their authorised representative through enquiries, intake and consent forms, interviews, assessment sessions, questionnaires and communications with the clinic.

As part of an assessment or service, and where appropriate consent or authority has been obtained, we may also collect information from third parties such as parents, partners, caregivers, teachers, schools, medical practitioners, allied health professionals and support providers. Information provided by third parties may form part of the client's clinical record and may be considered when preparing assessment findings and reports.

For children and young people, information may be collected from a parent, guardian, caregiver or other authorised person where appropriate.

You may choose not to provide information requested by Brain Sprout Clinic unless its provision is required by law. However, if information reasonably necessary for a service is not provided, we may be unable to provide or complete the service, or the information available to the clinician may limit the conclusions that can be reached.

How We Use Information

Personal information may be used to provide assessment, therapeutic and other clinical services; understand an individual's presentation, strengths and support needs; complete assessments and clinical formulation; prepare reports and recommendations; provide therapeutic supports; communicate with clients and authorised representatives; coordinate care with other professionals where appropriate; manage appointments, payments and funding; and meet legal, professional and administrative obligations.

Information will only be used for the purpose for which it was collected, a directly related purpose that would reasonably be expected, with consent, or where otherwise permitted or required by law.

Disclosure of Information

Brain Sprout Clinic maintains the confidentiality of personal information and will not disclose information except with appropriate consent or authority, or where disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

With appropriate consent, information may be shared with nominated professionals, schools, support providers, funding bodies or other services. Where relevant and authorised, limited information may also be disclosed to government, funding or billing bodies for the administration or claiming of eligible services, including Medicare or the NDIS.

Information may also be disclosed where required by law, including responding to a court order, subpoena, mandatory reporting obligation, or where there is a serious risk of harm to the client or another person.

Psychologists and other health professionals may participate in professional supervision, peer consultation and multidisciplinary case discussion to support safe and appropriate clinical practice. Information discussed for these purposes will be treated confidentially and identifying information will be limited where reasonably possible.

Where another appropriately qualified professional is proposed to contribute directly to a client's service, appropriate informed consent will be obtained before that involvement occurs.

Children and Young People

When providing services to children and young people, Brain Sprout Clinic manages personal information with consideration for the child's age, capacity, privacy interests and individual circumstances.

Where a child is subject to shared parental responsibility, parenting orders, guardianship, child protection involvement or other care arrangements, Brain Sprout Clinic may request relevant information or documentation to establish who has authority to provide consent, make decisions about services or access information.

Information may be collected from or disclosed to parents, guardians, caregivers or other authorised decision-makers where appropriate and legally permitted. Access to a child's information will be determined having regard to the child's circumstances, applicable law and the authority of the person requesting the information.

Children and young people will be involved in decisions about their information and services where appropriate to their age, development and capacity.

Electronic Communication and Telehealth

Brain Sprout Clinic may communicate with clients through email, telephone, SMS and other electronic systems. Telehealth services may be provided by telephone or Microsoft Teams.

We take reasonable steps to use electronic communication and telehealth systems appropriately and securely. Clients are encouraged to participate in telehealth appointments from a private location and consider the privacy and security of their own environment, internet connection and devices.

Electronic communication carries inherent privacy and security risks that cannot be completely eliminated.

Using Our Website and Cookies

When you use or access the Brain Sprout Clinic website, we may automatically collect certain information about your device and how you interact with our website. This may include your IP address, device ID and type, approximate location information, computer and connection information, pages viewed, the date and time of your visit, traffic and referral information, standard web log information, and information about how you interact with our website, content or advertising.

We may use cookies and similar technologies to help our website function, understand how it is used and remember user preferences. Cookies are small files stored on your computer, mobile phone or other device and may allow your device or browser to be recognised across browsing sessions. You can disable or manage cookies through your browser settings, although some parts of our website may not function as intended if cookies are disabled.

Where information collected through cookies or similar technologies identifies you or is otherwise considered personal information under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), Brain Sprout Clinic will manage that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Our website may contain links to websites or online services operated by third parties. These links are provided for convenience and Brain Sprout Clinic does not control the privacy practices, security or content of third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party website or service before providing personal information, as its privacy practices may differ from those of Brain Sprout Clinic.

Storage and Security of Information

Brain Sprout Clinic takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from unauthorised access, loss, misuse, or disclosure.

We use third-party service providers to support the delivery and administration of our services. These include Halaxy for practice management and clinical records, Xero for accounting and invoicing, Stripe for payment processing, and Microsoft Teams for telehealth.

Information provided to these services is limited to information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose. Access to clinical and administrative information is restricted to authorised individuals who require access to provide services or support clinic operations.

Information is retained and securely destroyed in accordance with applicable legal and professional requirements.

Retention of Records

Brain Sprout Clinic retains clinical records for periods consistent with applicable legislation, professional standards, clinical requirements and other record-keeping obligations.

Adult client records are retained for a minimum of seven years following the last contact with the service. Records for children and young people are retained until the individual reaches 25 years of age or longer where required.

Access and Correction of Information

You may request access to personal information held about you by Brain Sprout Clinic or ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.

Requests should be made using the contact details below. We may need to verify your identity before providing access to information.

In some circumstances, access or correction may be limited or refused where permitted by law. Where this occurs, we will explain the reason where required.

Data Breaches

Brain Sprout Clinic takes privacy and data security incidents seriously. If personal information is lost or subject to unauthorised access or disclosure, we will investigate the incident, take reasonable steps to contain and address it, and assess whether notification is required.

Where a breach meets the requirements of the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme, affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner will be notified as required.

Privacy Complaints

If you have concerns about how your personal information has been managed, please contact Brain Sprout Clinic using the details below. We will review your concern and work with you to resolve the matter. We will acknowledge your complaint, review the circumstances and aim to provide a response within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

Brain Sprout Clinic

Email: admin@brainsproutclinic.com.au
Phone: (08) 7123 2997