Privacy Policy

Paula Thompson Podiatry Pty Ltd trading as Footsteps Podiatry
ABN 58 660 315 266

This policy sets out how Footsteps Podiatry (we) collect, hold and disclose personal information. We take privacy seriously and comply with the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

COLLECTION OF INFORMATION
We collect the information necessary to provide the specific professional podiatry services and products our patients require, as well as credit card and payment information.
 
We collect personal information directly from you unless it is unreasonable or impracticable to do so. We may also collect personal information from other persons or third parties such as: guardian/s, carer/s, service providers, publicly available sources, and other person/s or third parties involved in your care.

We may also collect personal information about an individual from another health practitioner who refers that individual as a patient to us or who provides us with specialist or other medical reports about that individual on that individual’s request.

Collecting this information allows us to:
- Provide professional podiatry services and products to our patients
- Communicate with patients and other health professionals or person/s involved in their care (with the patient’s authority)
- Communicate with suppliers and other business contacts
- Manage billing and accounts for our services and products
- Inform our patients and other business contacts about issues which may be of interest to them
- Market our services and products, and send invitations to our events
- Manage our employees and contractors
- Generally carry out our usual business operations

 The information collected may include:
- Name
- Gender
- Date of Birth
- Address
- Telephone Numbers
- Email Address
- ABN/company details
- Employment application information
- Any other relevant information

Anonymity and pseudonyms
Individuals have the right not to identify themselves, or to use a pseudonym when dealing with us.
However, if we request personal information and it is not provided, we may not be able to assist the relevant individual. If that individual is a patient of ours, we may not be able to provide appropriate care to the individual or to claim rebates or other payments from third parties in respect of that individual such as health funds, Medicare and accident and worker’s compensation authorities.

Cookies
We may ask other people to analyse traffic on our websites, blogs and other social media outlets and they may use cookies to do so. Cookies are small text files that are transferred to a user’s hard drive by a website for the purpose of collecting information about a user’s identity, browser type or website visiting patterns.

General use and disclosure
We use and disclose personal information for the primary purpose for which it was collected, related purposes and other purposes authorised by the Privacy Act. In general, we use and disclose personal information for the purposes set out above.

We may disclose personal information about an individual to:
- To our employees
- To the individual’s family, friends, other health practitioners or third parties involved with their care (with the individual’s authority)
- To suppliers or contractors who provide us with products or services required by the individual
- To anyone else whom the individual authorises us to disclose the information
- As otherwise authorised by the Privacy Act

Use and disclosure for direct marketing
We will only use an individual’s personal information to market our services or products or to send invitations to events where that individual has consented to us doing so. In such cases we will regularly give that individual an opportunity to withdraw that consent and will not use that information for those purposes after that consent is withdrawn.

Who else can access this information
Our contractors and other third parties may have access to some personal information we hold while assisting us to carry on our practice. For example, contractors may provide reception and other administrative support to our practice. They may also distribute some of our publications and develop and maintain our computer systems, electronic records, websites, blogs and other social media outlets.
Our auditors, insurers and legal and other professional advisers may also access personal information we hold to assist us in protecting our interests, and to ensure that we comply with our obligations.

Disclosure to overseas recipients
Unless required or authorised to do so by law, we will not disclose personal information about an individual to overseas recipients without the authority of that individual. Where required in order to provide specific services or products our patients require, we may disclose personal information to overseas recipients however, only to the extent required for such purposes.

SECURITY OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
We take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we hold from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. We store hard copies of this information in access controlled premises, and digital versions on secure servers. We require all persons authorised to access digital information to use logins and passwords to access such information.
We require all contractors and others to whom we disclose personal information or whom may have access to personal information we collect, to keep such personal information private and to protect such personal information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Unless we are prevented from doing so by law, we de-identify or destroy securely all personal information we hold when no longer reasonably required by us.

Security breaches
In the event that we become aware of any actual or potential unauthorised access to or disclosure of personal information about an individual, or any loss of such information which may lead to unauthorised access or disclosure, we will promptly investigate and where appropriate, take remedial action and notify the individual affected in accordance with the Privacy Act.

Accessing your personal information
You may request access to personal information we hold about you. We may require you to verify your identity and to specify what information you require. We deal with all requests for access to personal information as required by the Privacy Act. We may charge a fee where we provide access and may refuse to provide access if the Privacy Act allows us to do so.

Correction of personal information
We take reasonable steps to correct all personal information we hold to ensure that, having regard to the purposes for which it is held, the information is accurate, up to date, complete, relevant and not misleading. You may request corrections to personal information we hold about you. We deal with all requests for correction to personal information as required by the Privacy Act. We may refuse to correct personal information if the Privacy Act allows us to do so.

Complaints
If you wish to make a complaint about this Privacy Policy or our collection, use or disclosure of personal information, please contact us in the first instance. We will investigate your complaint and try to promptly resolve your complaint directly with you.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome, then you may make a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). For information about how to make such a complaint, please refer to the OAIC website.

CONTACT US
To request access to or correction of personal information, to request not to receive marketing material or invitations from us, or to make a privacy complaint to us, please contact us at wodonga@footstepspodiatryaw.com.au

Changes to This Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy from time to time and without notice by publication on our website.
We recommend that you regularly review our Privacy Policy to ensure you are aware of any changes.