We are committed to protecting your privacy and being open and transparent about how we handle your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we manage the personal information we hold about you in accordance with our obligations, under the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988 (as amended) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

Who we are

Hearing First Audiology Clinic is an independent hearing service provider committed to offering personalized, high-quality audiology services. We understand the importance of hearing health and are dedicated to helping our clients improve their quality of life through expert hearing care.

Our Commitment to Privacy

At Hearing First Audiology Clinic, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the confidentiality of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we manage your personal information in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

Who Should Read This Privacy Policy

This policy is relevant to:

• Individuals accessing our hearing services;
• Those whose personal information is collected and held by us;
• Contractors, consultants, suppliers, and vendors engaged with Hearing First Audiology Clinic;
• Prospective employees of the clinic.

What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information necessary to provide you with tailored hearing services. This information may include:

• Name, address, date of birth, and contact details;
• Gender, payment details, and Medicare/Pensioner numbers;
• Sensitive information related to your hearing health, including medical history and any cultural or linguistic needs to better serve you.

Why We Collect Your Personal Information

We collect personal information to understand and meet your hearing needs effectively. This information is primarily used to provide hearing assessments, fittings, and ongoing care, as well as for purposes such as:

• Conducting market research;
• Improving our services through feedback;
• Complying with legal obligations.

How We Collect Your Personal Information

We collect personal information directly from you during your interactions with us, including:

• When you attend appointments;
• Complete forms or applications;
• Contact us via phone, email, or through our website.

In some cases, we may collect information from third parties, such as your healthcare provider, with your consent.

Use of Personal Information

Your personal information is used for:

• Providing and managing hearing services;
• Verifying your identity and eligibility for certain programs;
• Ordering products and managing appointments;
• Marketing and research activities, with your consent.

Disclosure of Personal Information

We do not disclose your personal information without your permission unless required by law. We may share your information with:

• Service providers and third-party suppliers involved in your care;
• Government agencies for program eligibility and compliance;
• Legal advisers and regulatory authorities, as necessary.

Security of Your Personal Information

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. Our security measures include:

• Secure storage of electronic and paper records;
• Restricted access to your information by authorized personnel;
• Regular audits of our data security practices.

Access and Correction of Personal Information

You have the right to access and correct your personal information held by us. To request access or correction, please contact us. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

How to Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

• Phone: 1300 885 583
• Email: info@hearingfirstaudiology.com.au
• Address: www.hearingfirstaudiology.com.au

We will address your concerns promptly and inform you of the outcome.

Sources of information

We may collect your personal information:

• When we have contact with you by telephone, text, fax, email, post or in person.
• From your medical/health referrer (and their staff), and associated referral documents.
• When you attend an appointment and complete a client information form, and provide details of your clinical history.
• When you provide feedback to us on client satisfaction forms, or via email, fax or post.
• From our website, when you request information about us, our products or services.
• When you request us to complete applications on your behalf (eg online process of the Office of Hearing Services program).
• When you apply for a position of employment with us.

Where it is unreasonable or impractical to collect personal information directly from you, or if we are otherwise permitted to do so, we may also collect personal information about you from other third parties (eg family members or guardians).

For promotional/marketing purposes, we may take photos of you, but only with your consent.

When you visit and browse our website, our website host may collect information for statistical, reporting and maintenance purposes. The information collected is used to administer and improve the performance of our website and will not be used to identify you.

Uses of personal information

We use your personal information to:

• Provide diagnostic and rehabilitation services and solutions. This includes provision of our professional opinion concerning test results to your medical and/or other referrer/s.
• Contact your medical/ health practitioners and providers to arrange appropriate referral/s and /or arrange appropriate appointments.
• Assess your eligibility, and apply on your behalf, for the Australian Government Hearing Services Program (through the Office of Hearing Services).
• Verify your claims with Medicare, private health insurers, relevant Government programs including Australian Government Hearing Services
• Program and Department of Veteran Affairs, or a third party (eg WorkCover) should they be responsible for payment of your account.
• Remind you of an upcoming appointment.
• Order products from suppliers.
• Review your ongoing needs.
• Coordinate/ analyse your feedback to us.
• Manage and respond to requests for information.
• Manage complaints.

We may also use your personal information to:

• Undertake clinical research. If we cannot de-identify your personal information, we will contact you to obtain your consent.
• Conduct market research.
• Improve service delivery.
• Market services and products we think you may be interested in.

Management of your personal information

We take all reasonable steps to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, complete, relevant and up to date. We train our employees who handle personal information to respect the confidentiality and privacy of your information.

How we hold and secure your personal information

We hold your personal information in both paper and electronic form. We take reasonable steps to protect it from misuse, interference, loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Our electronic records are stored securely, in Australia. We may need to retain records for a significant period of time to comply with our legal obligations. If we find that we have no further need for your personal information we may archive it in accordance with our record retention obligations or securely destroy all record of it.

If a data breach involving your personal information occurs, or we suspect that a data breach has occurred, whether the entity experiencing the data breach is Neurosensory or third parties we use, such as contractors or subcontractors, we will expeditiously conduct an investigation and assessment. Based on this assessment, we will determine whether any steps need to be taken by us to ensure your personal information is not accessed by unauthorised persons or whether we need to notify you with recommendations about the steps that you should take in response to the data breach. If there is a serious data breach we will tell you about any action we have taken, or we are intending to take, to prevent reoccurrence.

Disclosure of personal information

We will not disclose your personal information without your permission, unless we are required or authorised by law to do so. Depending on the nature of your engagement with us, we may disclose your personal information to:

• Any person you request or consent to receiving the information. On rare occasions, this will include medical/health practitioners who are based overseas.
• Your medical/health practitioners, hospitals and providers.
• Your parents, guardians or family members, unless you advise us of a relevant reason to restrict this disclosure.
• Suppliers to Hearing First Audiology Clinic (eg manufacturers of hearing aids, ear moulds, cochlear implants or other implantable products or other related products.)
• The Office of Hearing Services for assessing your eligibility, and processing your application.
• Relevant officers of Commonwealth, State or Territory Governments (such as Departments of Health and Veterans’ Affairs, or Medicare).
• We may also disclose your personal information to media outlets for marketing/promotional purposes, but only with your consent.

How to access, and correct your personal information, or to make a complaint

Under Privacy laws, you have the right to request access to your personal information and to request its correction. You also have the right to complain if you feel that your privacy has not been respected or that we have conducted ourselves inconsistently with this Privacy Policy.

To request access and/or correction to your personal information, to make a complaint, or for any other queries in relation to this Privacy Policy, please contact us by:

Email: info@hearingfirstaudiology.com.au

Phone 1300 885 583

Post your request to: Privacy Officer, Hearing First Audiology Clinic. PO Box 2365, Burwood North NSW 2134

Before we can consider the request we will verify your identity and may also clarify what information you require. On receipt of your request, we will respond as soon as possible, within 30 days, at the very most.

Ordinarily, we will give you full access to your personal information. However, there may be some legal or administrative reasons to deny access. If we refuse your request to access your personal information, we will provide reasons for the refusal.

If you do not wish to receive promotional or marketing material from us, you can contact us as per details above.

Complaints Process

Hearing First Audiology Clinic is committed to providing high-quality hearing care services to our clients. We recognize the importance of feedback, including complaints, as they offer us the opportunity to improve our services and address our clients’ needs more effectively.

2. Purpose of This Document

This document outlines Hearing First Audiology Clinic’s process for receiving, handling, and resolving complaints in a manner that is fair, efficient, and focused on client satisfaction.

3. Scope

This policy applies to all complaints received by Hearing First Audiology Clinic regarding our services, staff, or operations.

4. Definitions

A complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction with our services, staff, or operations, whether justified or not, that requires a response or resolution.

5. Complaints Handling Principles

Our complaints handling process is built on the following principles:

• Fairness: We ensure that complaints are treated with impartiality and respect.
• Accessibility: Information on how to make a complaint is readily available to all clients.
• Responsiveness: We acknowledge all complaints promptly and address them in a timely manner.
• Efficiency: We aim to resolve complaints as quickly and efficiently as possible, with a clear line of communication.

6. Making a Complaint

Complaints can be made via the following methods:

• In Person: At our clinic reception.
• By paper form: paper feedback form is available for the clients in clinic
• By Email: details provided to clients on all communications
• In Writing: Mailing a letter or paper complaint form to our clinic

If you wish to submit a formal complaint about a procedure or service you received at Hearing First Audiology Clinic, please submit the complaint in writing either via email to info@hearingfirstaudiology.com.au or by post to:

Customer Care

Hearing First Audiology Clinic

PO Box 2365

Burwood North NSW 2134

When lodging your formal complaint, please document the following:

• You name, Address, Phone number and email
• The product or service you received from Hearing First Audiology Clinic
• The details of your complaint
• The action (s) you are seeking in order to resolve your complaint
• How you wish to be contact (telephone or email)

7. Complaints Process

It is the Clinic Manager’s responsibility to review each complaint with all available information and to document the complaint details.

Within 2 business days of receiving your complaint, the clinic manager will contact you in writing to confirm receipt. The clinic manager will then investigate your complaint.

Within 28 business days of you lodging a complaint, you will be provided with a written response explaining the outcome of the investigation, or if the investigation is still ongoing, a status report on the investigation.

• Acknowledgement: All complaints will be acknowledged within 2 business days of receipt.
• Assessment and Planning: Complaints will be assessed and a plan for resolution developed.
• Investigation: Complaints requiring further investigation will be dealt with in a timely and confidential manner.
• Resolution: Efforts will be made to resolve the complaint to the satisfaction of the complainant.
• Feedback: Complainants will be informed of the outcome of their complaint.

8. Confidentiality

All complaints will be handled confidentially, respecting the privacy and sensitivity of the information provided.

9. Accountability and Continuous Improvement

Client feedback and complaints should provide the foundation for future improvements. It forms part of our continuous quality improvement process.

1. Clinic manager to document the complaint or feedback including: complaint details, investigation and solution.
2. Identify systemic trends in feedback
3. From the complaint and feedback review current procedures and policies and the need to:
4. Provide training
5. Update current policies and/or feedback
6. Develop new policies and/or procedures
7. Implement the required changes to ensure that the incidence does not occur again
8. Communicate decision and changes to relevant parties

10. External Resolution Pathway

At Hearing First Audiology Clinic, we strive to resolve all client complaints promptly and effectively. However, if you are not satisfied with the resolution of your complaint despite our best efforts, there are several other avenues available to you:

1. The Department of Health and Age Care – Hearing Service Program

You may contact the Hearing Service Program, from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm AEST business days on 1800 500 726

You may email hearing@health.gov.au or write to:

Hearing Service Program

Department of Health and Age Care

GPO Box 9848

Canberra ACT 2601

• Audiology Australia

You can contact Audiology Australia on (03) 9940 3900

You may email info@audiology.asn.au

Audiology Australia Ltd

Suite 101, 13 Cremorne Street

Cremorne VIC 3121

You can access the Audiology Australia’s code of Conduct online at www.auderc.org.au. Audiology Australia’s Ethics Officer can be contacted at ethics@auderc.org.au or (03) 9940 3911.

• The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC)

For more information visit www.accc.gov.au or www.consumerlaw.gov.au

• The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)

If you feel we have breached the privacy act, you may contact ACCC on 1300 363 992 or email enquiries@oaic.gov.au. Further information is available on ACCC website: www.oaic.gov.au

5. NSW Health Care Complaint Commission (HCCC)

You can contact NSW Health Care Complaint Commission on (02) 9219 7444

You may email hccc@hccc.nsw.gov.au

NSW Health Care Complaint Commission

PO Box K549

Haymarket NSW 1240

We encourage you to seek further assistance through these channels if you feel your complaint has not been adequately resolved by our clinic. Our goal is to ensure that your concerns are addressed to your satisfaction, and we are committed to continuous improvement in our service delivery.

Updates to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The latest version of the policy will be available on our website or upon request.

Last Updated: 20 January 2023