Privacy Policy

StressLess Speech Therapy
Sole Trader Speech Pathology Practice
ABN: 30612197312
Effective date: 1/7/26
Review date: Scheduled for 1/7/27

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1. Purpose

StressLess Speech Therapy is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality, and security of personal information, sensitive information, and health information.

This Privacy Policy explains how StressLess Speech Therapy collects, uses, stores, discloses, accesses, corrects, retains, and destroys personal and health information in the course of providing speech pathology services.

This policy applies to clients, children, young people, parents, guardians, carers, authorised representatives, NDIS participants, referrers, contractors, and any other individuals whose information is collected by the practice.

As a private health service provider, StressLess Speech Therapy is required to comply with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles, and the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme. Health information is sensitive information and is managed with a high level of care.

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2. Legal and Professional Framework

StressLess Speech Therapy handles personal information, sensitive information, and health information in accordance with:

• Privacy Act 1988 (Cth);

• Australian Privacy Principles;

• Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme;

• NDIS Code of Conduct, where services are provided to NDIS participants;

• NDIS Practice Standards, where applicable to the registration status and services provided;

• NDIS provider responsibilities relating to service delivery, billing, invoicing, and record keeping;

• Speech Pathology Australia Code of Ethics;

• Speech Pathology Australia professional standards and practice guidance;

• Guild Insurance risk management guidance for speech pathologists;

• relevant Queensland and Australian laws relating to health services, child safety, mandatory reporting, record keeping, consumer law, and business operations.

 

3. Types of Information Collected

StressLess Speech Therapy only collects information that is reasonably necessary to provide speech pathology services and manage the practice.

Information collected may include:

Personal information

• client name;

• date of birth;

• address;

• phone number;

• email address;

• parent, guardian, carer, or authorised representative details;

• emergency contact details;

• Medicare details, where relevant;

• private health insurance information, where relevant;

• NDIS details, where relevant;

• billing and payment information;

• school, childcare, GP, paediatrician, allied health, or referral details.

Health and sensitive information

• developmental history;

• medical history;

• educational history;

• behavioural and social-emotional information relevant to communication;

• family and social history relevant to service delivery;

• speech, language, literacy, fluency, voice, feeding, swallowing, or communication concerns;

• assessment results;

• therapy goals;

• progress notes;

• clinical observations;

• intervention plans;

• reports and letters;

• correspondence with families, schools, health professionals, funding bodies, or other relevant parties;

• audio, video, or image recordings where clinically required and specifically consented to;

• NDIS-related information, where applicable.

NDIS-related information

Where services are provided to NDIS participants, StressLess Speech Therapy may collect and store:

• NDIS number, where required;

• NDIS plan dates;

• funding management type;

• plan manager details;

• support coordinator details;

• Local Area Coordinator details, where relevant;

• nominee, guardian, or authorised representative details;

• service agreement information;

• therapy goals linked to NDIS goals;

• support item numbers;

• support logs;

• session attendance records;

• cancellation records;

• non-face-to-face service records;

• travel records, where relevant;

• invoices, receipts, and payment claim information;

• plan review reports and progress summaries.

Legal and decision-making documents

Where relevant, StressLess Speech Therapy may request copies of documents that affect consent, access to information, decision-making, or information sharing, including:

• parenting orders;

• court orders;

• guardianship orders;

• administration orders;

• child protection documents;

• NDIS nominee arrangements;

• other legal documents relevant to care, consent, or communication.

 

4. How Information is Collected

Information may be collected directly from the client, parent, guardian, carer, or authorised representative through:

• referral forms;

• intake forms;

• consent forms;

• service agreements;

• phone calls;

• emails;

• SMS;

• telehealth sessions;

• face-to-face sessions;

• assessment sessions;

• therapy sessions;

• written correspondence;

• online booking systems;

• practice management systems.

Where necessary and with consent, information may also be collected from third parties, including:

• parents, guardians, or carers;

• authorised representatives;

• schools, teachers, learning support staff, or childcare providers;

• GPs, paediatricians, psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, audiologists, dietitians, or other health professionals;

• NDIS plan managers;

• NDIS support coordinators;

• NDIS nominees;

• the NDIA, where required and authorised;

• insurers, legal representatives, or government bodies where legally required.

Information will be collected by lawful and fair means and, wherever practical, directly from the individual or their authorised representative.

 

5. Why Information is Collected

StressLess Speech Therapy collects, uses, and stores personal and health information for the purpose of:

• determining whether speech pathology services are appropriate;

• completing assessments;

• planning therapy;

• providing therapy;

• monitoring progress;

• preparing clinical notes;

• preparing reports, letters, therapy plans, funding documentation, and recommendations;

• communicating with clients, families, carers, schools, referrers, and other professionals;

• supporting care coordination;

• managing appointments, cancellations, payments, invoices, and receipts;

• meeting NDIS service delivery, billing, and reporting requirements;

• meeting legal, professional, ethical, insurance, and record keeping obligations;

• responding to complaints, audits, subpoenas, or lawful requests;

• maintaining accurate clinical and business records;

• supporting continuity of care.

StressLess Speech Therapy will only collect, use, or disclose the minimum amount of personal and health information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

 

6. Consent and Informed Decision-Making

Consent will be obtained before collecting, using, or sharing personal or health information, except where the law allows or requires otherwise.

Consent may be obtained in writing, verbally, electronically, or through conduct, depending on the circumstances.

Informed consent is an ongoing process. StressLess Speech Therapy will explain the nature and purpose of assessment, therapy, telehealth, information sharing, reports, referrals, recordings, and communication with third parties in a way that the client, parent, guardian, or authorised representative can understand.

Consent may need to be updated when there is a significant change in:

• service type;

• therapy goals;

• third-party involvement;

• report distribution;

• use of recordings;

• use of digital tools;

• funding or NDIS reporting requirements;

• the person responsible for decision-making.

For people under 18, consent is obtained from a parent or legal guardian. For people over 18 who have a legally appointed guardian or those with an NDIS nominee, consent is obtained from the legal guardian or nominee. Where developmentally appropriate, StressLess Speech Therapy will also seek the child's or person’s assent and consider their communication preferences, comfort, and right to participate in decisions about their own care.

For NDIS participants and clients with communication support needs, information will be provided in a way that supports understanding, choice, and decision-making. This may include plain language, visual supports, supported conversation, caregiver-supported explanation, or alternative communication methods.

Clients, parents, guardians, nominees or authorised representatives may withdraw consent at any time. However, withdrawal of consent may affect the ability of StressLess Speech Therapy to provide services, communicate with other professionals, prepare reports, or meet funding and clinical requirements.

 

7. Use and Disclosure of Information

StressLess Speech Therapy will only use or disclose personal and health information for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a directly related purpose that the individual would reasonably expect.

Information may be disclosed to:

• parents, guardians, or authorised representatives;

• a participant’s child representative, plan nominee, correspondence nominee, guardian, administrator, or other legally authorised decision-maker;

• teachers, schools, childcare centres, or educational support staff;

• GPs, paediatricians, psychologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, audiologists, dietitians, or other health professionals;

• NDIS plan managers;

• NDIS support coordinators;

• Local Area Coordinators;

• the NDIA, where required and authorised;

• Medicare, private health insurers, or third-party funders;

• professional supervisors or clinical consultants, where information is de-identified where possible;

• contractors or service providers engaged by the practice, where required for business or clinical operations;

• legal, regulatory, or insurance representatives where required;

• emergency services or child protection authorities where there is a serious risk to health, safety, or wellbeing;

• other parties where required or authorised by law.

Information will not be sold, rented, or used for unrelated marketing purposes.

 

8. Communication with Schools and Childcare Services

Information will only be shared with schools, childcare services, teachers, learning support staff, or education departments where consent has been provided, or where disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.

Consent should specify:

• the type of information that may be shared;

• the purpose of sharing;

• who the information may be shared with;

• whether communication may occur by email, phone, telehealth, written report, or meeting.

Only information relevant to the agreed purpose will be shared.

 

9. NDIS Participant Information

When services are provided to NDIS participants, StressLess Speech Therapy will collect, use, store, and disclose participant information only as required to provide supports, meet NDIS funding and reporting requirements, support service coordination, and comply with applicable NDIS obligations.

This may include information required for:

• service agreements;

• intake and consent forms;

• therapy plans;

• progress notes;

• support logs;

• invoices and receipts;

• cancellation records;

• travel records;

• non-face-to-face service records;

• plan review reports;

• communication with plan managers, support coordinators, nominees, guardians, or the NDIA where authorised.

StressLess Speech Therapy complies with the NDIS Code of Conduct when providing supports to NDIS participants, including the obligation to respect the privacy of people with disability, act with integrity and transparency, provide safe and competent supports, and respond appropriately to concerns that may affect the quality or safety of supports.

NDIS participants may raise concerns about the quality or safety of NDIS supports with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission. Privacy concerns may also be raised directly with StressLess Speech Therapy and, if unresolved, may be referred to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

 

10. Limits to Confidentiality

All client information is treated as confidential. However, confidentiality may need to be limited where:

• there is a serious risk of harm to the client or another person;

• there are concerns about child safety, abuse, neglect, or family violence;

• disclosure is required by mandatory reporting obligations;

• disclosure is required by subpoena, court order, or law;

• disclosure is required to respond to a complaint, insurance claim, audit, or professional investigation;

• information is required for emergency care;

• disclosure is required to comply with NDIS, Medicare, private health insurance, or other funding requirements.

Only the minimum necessary information will be shared in these circumstances.

 

11. Audio, Video and Image Recordings

Audio, video, or image recordings will only be taken where clinically relevant, administratively necessary, or otherwise appropriate, and with consent.

Consent will identify:

• the purpose of the recording;

• how the recording will be stored;

• who may access the recording;

• whether the recording may be shared;

• whether the recording forms part of the clinical record;

• how long the recording will be retained;

• when and how the recording will be deleted, where applicable.

Recordings will not be used for marketing, social media, supervision, training, case studies, professional development, or promotional purposes unless separate, specific consent has been obtained.

 

12. Telehealth, Digital Communication and Online Services

StressLess Speech Therapy may provide services using telehealth platforms, email, phone, SMS, online forms, cloud-based practice management systems, or other digital tools.

Reasonable steps are taken to protect information when using digital systems, including:

• password-protected devices and accounts;

• multi-factor authentication where available;

• secure practice management systems where available;

• restricted access to client records;

• secure storage of digital files;

• secure backup processes;

• regular software updates;

• antivirus and device security;

• avoiding public or unsecured Wi-Fi for clinical work where possible;

• using de-identified information where appropriate.

Clients should be aware that no electronic communication method is completely risk-free. Clients are encouraged to use secure and private internet connections when participating in telehealth sessions.

 

13. Artificial Intelligence, Transcription and Digital Tools

StressLess Speech Therapy will not enter identifiable client health information into general-purpose artificial intelligence tools, transcription tools, or other third-party digital systems.

StressLess Speech Therapy may use the AI-based tool Heidi Health to transcribe language samples and communication during sessions. No audio will be recorded during this process; audio is immediately converted to text, with no audio recorded or stored. Heidi Health is an Australian-owned, operated and based company. All information is fully encrypted, even from Heidi Health itself. Written transcriptions will be permanently deleted after any relevant information has been transferred to the medico-legal notes storage system (Splose) used by StressLess Speech Therapy.

 

14. Contractors, Administrative Support and Software Providers

Where StressLess Speech Therapy engages telehealth platforms, cloud storage providers, or other service providers who may access personal information, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure they handle information securely and in accordance with privacy obligations.

This may include:

• confidentiality agreements;

• privacy terms in service agreements;

• secure access controls;

• password protection;

• multi-factor authentication;

• limiting access to information required for their role;

• reviewing provider privacy and security terms where practical.

 

15. Professional Supervision, Peer Consultation and Clinical Review

StressLess Speech Therapy will not discuss de-identified client information during professional supervision, peer consultation, clinical mentoring, professional development, or clinical review.

 

16. Storage and Security of Information

StressLess Speech Therapy takes reasonable steps to protect personal and health information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

Security measures may include:

• password-protected computers, devices, and accounts;

• multi-factor authentication;

• secure cloud storage or practice management software;

• locked storage for paper files;

• restricted access to files;

• secure disposal of printed documents;

• regular review of access permissions;

• antivirus software;

• software and device updates;

• secure backup processes;

• avoiding unnecessary downloading or printing of client information.

 

17. Clinical Records and Documentation Standards

Clinical notes will be completed as soon as practicable after service delivery in line with medico-legal requirements.

Records will aim to be:

• accurate;

• objective;

• relevant;

• evidence-based;

• concise;

• sufficiently detailed to support clinical reasoning, continuity of care, funding requirements, legal obligations, and professional accountability.

Records may include:

• intake information;

• consent forms;

• assessment results;

• therapy goals;

• session notes;

• progress summaries;

• correspondence;

• reports;

• billing and attendance records;

• risk or safeguarding concerns;

• relevant legal or decision-making documents.

 

18. Retention and Disposal of Records

Client records are retained in accordance with legal, professional, ethical, and insurance requirements.

As record retention requirements may vary between Australian states and territories, StressLess Speech Therapy will comply with the relevant state or territory health records legislation and professional guidance that applies to the practice and the client.

As a general guide, many Australian jurisdictions require health records to be kept for:

• adults: at least 7 years from the last occasion of service;

• children: until the child turns 25 years of age.

When records are no longer required, they will be securely destroyed or permanently de-identified.

 

19. Access to Personal Information

Clients, parents, guardians, or authorised representatives may request access to personal information held by StressLess Speech Therapy.

Requests should be made in writing to hello@stressless-speech.com.au

StressLess Speech Therapy will respond to access requests within a reasonable timeframe.

Access will not be provided to anyone outside of clients themselves, parents, guardians or autorised representatives unless ordered by a court of law.

 

20. Correction of Personal Information

StressLess Speech Therapy aims to keep personal and health information accurate, complete, and up to date.

Clients, parents, guardians, or authorised representatives may request correction of information if they believe it is inaccurate, outdated, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading.

Where a correction is made, reasonable steps will be taken to notify relevant third parties where appropriate and requested.

If StressLess Speech Therapy does not agree to amend the record, the client, parent, guardian, or authorised representative may request that a statement be attached to the record noting their view.

 

21. Overseas Disclosure

StressLess Speech Therapy actively chooses to engage in Australian-owned, based and stored systems wherever possible to limit and/or remove the possibility of overseas disclosure.

 

Current known overseas disclosures:
StressLess Speech Therapy uses Gmail to communicate via email. The data from this may be stored in data centres outside of Australia. All steps are taken to minimise the communication of personal and private information through this communication system. If you have concerns, please get in contact to discuss potential other communication systems.

 

22. Data Breaches

A data breach may occur if personal information is lost, accessed without authorisation, disclosed without authorisation, or used inappropriately.

If a data breach occurs, StressLess Speech Therapy will take prompt steps to:

1. contain the breach;

2. assess the risk of harm;

3. take remedial action where possible;

4. notify affected individuals where required;

5. notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner where the breach is likely to result in serious harm;

6. review systems and processes to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Where the breach relates to NDIS participant information or may affect the quality or safety of NDIS supports, StressLess Speech Therapy will consider whether any notification or action is required under NDIS obligations.

 

23. Website, Cookies and Online Forms

StressLess Speech Therapy operates a website; no personal data is collected through this system.

Website analytics or cookies may be used to understand website traffic and improve services. Individuals may adjust browser settings to refuse cookies.

Health information should not be submitted through website contact forms unless the form is secure and the client understands the risks of online communication.

 

24. Marketing, Social Media and Testimonials

StressLess Speech Therapy does not and will never use client names, images, testimonials, therapy examples, case studies, assessment information, therapy outcomes, or identifying information for marketing, social media, training, or promotional purposes.

Clients will not be added to marketing email lists without consent.

 

25. My Health Record

StressLess Speech Therapy does not upload information to My Health Record.

If this changes, clients, parents, guardians, or authorised representatives will be informed and consent processes will be updated.

 

26. Complaints

If a person has concerns about how their personal or health information has been handled, they should contact:

Privacy Contact: Antonia Pearce

Email: hello@stressless-speech.com.au
Phone: 0479168079
 

StressLess Speech Therapy will acknowledge privacy complaints within a reasonable timeframe and will aim to resolve complaints promptly and respectfully.

If the concern is not resolved, the person may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner.

NDIS participants may also raise concerns about the quality or safety of NDIS supports with the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission.

 

27. Policy Review

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed at least annually, and earlier if there are changes to:

• privacy legislation;

• NDIS requirements;

• Speech Pathology Australia guidance;

• Guild Insurance recommendations;

• software systems;

• business processes;

• service delivery models;

• telehealth processes;

• contractor or administrative arrangements.

The most current version will be available at:

Website: www.stressless-speech.com.au
Or by request: hello@stressless-speech.com.au

 

28. Practice Contact Details

Practice name: StressLess Speech Therapy
Principal speech pathologist: Antonia (Tia) Pearce

Email: hello@stresslesss-speech.com.au
Phone: 0479168079
Postal address: 12/40 King Street, King’s Beach, Qld, 4551
Website: sstressless-speech.com.au