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Privacy Policy
Proudly Me Speech Pathology
Last updated: July 2026
Proudly Me Speech Pathology is committed to providing quality speech pathology services and protecting the privacy of the personal information we collect and hold about you.
We comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), other applicable privacy laws governing private sector health service providers, and Speech Pathology Australia's Code of Ethics. The APPs govern how we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your personal information.
A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles is available from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) at https://www.oaic.gov.au/.
1. What Is Personal Information and Why We Collect It
Personal information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Examples include:
● Name, date of birth and address
● Contact details (phone number, email address)
● Health, developmental and family history
● Referral information
● Medicare, NDIS, health fund details
● Appointment, billing and invoicing information
We only collect information that is reasonably necessary for the services we provide, including to assess, diagnose and treat clients, communicate with you, manage appointments, prepare reports, and meet legal and funding obligations.
In order to provide you with the services you have requested, we need to collect and use your personal information. If you provide incomplete or inaccurate information, or withhold information from us, we may not be able to provide the services you are seeking.
This information is collected through:
● Interviews and intake forms
● Correspondence (email, phone, written communication)
● Clinical sessions (in person or via telehealth)
● Our website contact form
● Referrals from third parties (e.g. GPs, schools, other allied health professionals)
Where appropriate, we will explain why information is being collected and how it will be used.
2. Sensitive Information
Sensitive information includes health information and other categories defined under the Privacy Act, such as:
● Health information
● Ethnicity or cultural background (where relevant to care)
● Membership of professional or support organisations
● Other clinical or assessment-related information
Sensitive information will only be used:
● For the primary purpose for which it was collected
● For a directly related secondary purpose
● With your consent
● Where required or authorised by law
3. Collection From Third Parties
Where reasonable and practicable, we collect personal information directly from you. In some cases, we may receive information from third parties such as:
● Medical practitioners and specialists
● Schools and education providers
● NDIS providers, plan managers and support coordinators
● Other allied health professionals
● Government agencies or funding bodies
Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure you are aware that information has been provided.
4. How We Use Your Information
We use your personal information to:
● Provide speech pathology assessment and therapy services
● Develop and review treatment plans
● Prepare clinical reports and documentation
● Support communication in home, school and community settings
● Manage appointments and administration
● Process billing and funding (including NDIS and Medicare)
● Deliver telehealth services
● Meet legal, professional and regulatory requirements
● Improve service quality and outcomes
5. Disclosure of Personal Information
We may disclose your personal information:
● To other health professionals involved in your care (e.g. paediatricians, occupational therapists, psychologists), to support coordinated care
● To your referrer (e.g. GP or paediatrician), including reports or discharge summaries as required for your care — if you do not want information shared with your referrer, please let us know
● To parents, guardians, carers or a responsible person, unless you tell us that you do not wish us to do so
● To schools and education providers, with consent where required
● To NDIS-related stakeholders where applicable
● To Medicare, health funds, insurers or other funding bodies
● Where required or authorised by law
We do not sell your personal information.
6. Medicare Referrals
Where services are provided under a Medicare Chronic Disease Management (CDM) plan:
● We receive referrals from your GP, who remains responsible for overall care coordination
● We may receive relevant medical and referral information from your GP
● We provide clinical feedback to your GP, including assessment results, progress and outcomes
● Reports are provided at key stages or as requested by your GP
This sharing forms part of coordinated care under Medicare requirements. Consent may be obtained for any additional disclosures.
7. NDIS Services
Where services are provided under the NDIS:
● Information is collected to deliver funded supports
● We may communicate with participants, nominees, plan managers and support coordinators
● Information may be used for reporting, plan reviews and compliance
● We comply with NDIS Practice Standards
Disclosure occurs only with consent or where required by law.
8. Victorian Information Sharing Schemes
We may be required or authorised to share information without consent under:
● The Child Information Sharing Scheme (CISS)
● The Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme (FVISS)
● The Multi-Agency Risk Assessment and Management Framework (MARAM)
These frameworks support the safety and wellbeing of children and individuals at risk of family violence.
9. Our Website
This section explains how we handle personal information collected via our website, www.proudlyme.com.au.
Contact form
When you submit an enquiry through our website contact form, we collect the personal information you provide (such as your name, contact details and the details of your enquiry) so that we can respond to you.
Automatically collected information
When you use our website, we do not attempt to identify you as an individual. Our website host or service providers may automatically record information for statistical purposes, such as your IP address, browser type, the date and time of your visit, and the pages you access.
Cookies
Our website may use cookies to interact more effectively with your browser. Cookies do not identify you personally. You can configure your browser to reject cookies, though this may affect some website functionality.
Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of websites we do not operate.
10. Appointment Reminders
We may contact you via SMS or email to send appointment confirmations, reminders, changes or cancellations. These messages are a necessary part of delivering our services. We do not send marketing or promotional messages.
11. Security of Personal Information
We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. This includes:
● Secure clinical practice systems
● Password-protected devices
● Encrypted cloud storage
● Locked physical storage (where applicable)
● Access limited to authorised staff only
When no longer required, information is securely destroyed or de-identified, except where retention is required by law (including minimum record-keeping requirements of at least 7 years).
12. Access to and Correction of Your Information
You may request access to, or correction of, the personal information we hold about you. Requests should be made in writing to our Privacy Officer (details below). We may request identification to protect your privacy, and reasonable administrative fees may apply. If we do not agree to correct your information, you may ask that a statement be attached to your record noting your request.
13. Data Quality
We take reasonable steps to ensure the personal information we collect, use or disclose is accurate, complete and up to date. Please let us know if your details change.
14. Policy Updates
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. The most current version will be available on our website or on request.
15. Privacy Complaints and Enquiries
If you have questions or complaints about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please contact:
Privacy Officer: Mia Morabito
Practice: Proudly Me Speech Pathology
Email: mia@proudlyme.com.au
We will review your complaint and respond promptly.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): https://www.oaic.gov.au/