At Ascend Therapys – Occupational Therapy Services, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose and manage your personal information when you interact with our website, services, practitioners and team. It has been developed to align with our Contact Us Privacy Collection Notice.
Who we are
Ascend Therapys – Occupational Therapy Services provides occupational therapy and related support services to individuals, families, carers and participants across Australia.
What Personal Information We Collect
The types of personal information we may collect include:
- Full name
- Phone number and email address
- Address and location information
- Date of birth or age
- Emergency contact details
- Information about a participant’s goals, supports, medical history, diagnoses, or functional needs
- NDIS information (including plan management details where provided)
- Information provided through enquiry forms, intake forms, emails or phone calls
- Appointment history and service records
- Reports, assessments and correspondence
- Payment or invoicing information where applicable
- Website usage information such as IP address, browser type and cookies
We only collect information that is reasonably necessary to provide our services or respond to enquiries.
How We Collect Information
We may collect personal information when you:
- Submit a Contact Us or enquiry form through our website
- Contact us by phone, email or social media
- Complete intake or consent forms
- Attend appointments or engage our services
- Provide documents, referrals or reports
- Subscribe to newsletters or marketing communications
- Interact with our website
Where practical, we will collect information directly from you or your authorised representative.
Why We Collect Personal Information
We collect and use personal information to:
- Respond to enquiries and communicate with you
- Determine whether our services are suitable for your needs
- Arrange appointments and deliver occupational therapy services
- Prepare assessments, reports and recommendations
- Coordinate care with other providers (with consent)
- Manage administration, invoicing and service agreements
- Improve our services and website functionality
- Meet professional, legal, insurance and record-keeping obligations
This reflects the purposes outlined in our Privacy Collection Notice
Consent
By providing personal information to us, you consent to us collecting, using and disclosing that information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Where you provide information about another person (such as a child or participant), you confirm that you have authority to do so as their parent, guardian or authorised representative.
Disclosure of Personal Information
We respect your privacy and do not sell personal information.
We may disclose personal information where necessary and appropriate, including:
- To the participant/client and their authorised representatives
- To other health professionals, schools, support coordinators or service providers with consent
- To our contractors, professional advisers or insurers where required
- To government agencies or regulatory bodies where required by law
- Where there is a serious threat to health or safety
- Where disclosure is otherwise authorised or required by law
This is consistent with our Privacy Collection Notice.
Storage and Security
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Information may be stored electronically using secure practice management systems, cloud storage providers and password-protected devices. Paper records, where used, are stored securely.
Access to personal information is limited to authorised personnel who require access to perform their duties.
Website Cookies and Analytics
Our website may use cookies and analytics tools to help improve user experience and understand website traffic.
Cookies do not generally identify individuals personally, but they may collect information about how users interact with our website. You may disable cookies through your browser settings, although some website functionality may be affected.
Access and Correction
You may request access to personal information we hold about you, or request corrections if the information is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date.
Requests can be made using the contact details below. In some circumstances, access may be declined where permitted by law.
Retention of Records
We retain records for the period required by law and professional obligations. When information is no longer required, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.
Third-Party Websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites.
Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us first so we can attempt to resolve the issue promptly.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
Contact Us
Ascend Therapys – Occupational Therapy Services
Email: admin@ascendtherapys.com
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our services, legal obligations or business practices. The updated version will be published on our website with the revised effective date.