Privacy Policy

Personal data is gathered directly from our clients at the time of booking their first appointment, either on the telephone or via email or by clients/client representatives completing an online form on our ‘Make a Referral’ service on our website. At the time of collecting clients’ personal data we provide our privacy policy and the option to opt in and consent to acceptance of this. Clinical data is gathered from clients face to face during their attendance at assessments and treatments. This information is recorded directly onto our Practice Management Software, Cliniko, at or after the time of the appointment. Records for each attendance are fully completed and saved securely onto Cliniko. Cliniko is compliant with GDPR 2020.

GDPR 2020 states that we can use and process personal information if we have an appropriate and lawful reason to do so. If we have been given clear, concise consent from a client to process their data then this is a lawful reason to do so. Agreement to our Privacy Policy implies this consent. Furthermore, Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health believes we have a legitimate reason to use and process clients’ personal information to enable provision of the most appropriate and effective treatment and services to our clients.

Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health uses consent as our basis for lawful processing of data. We comply with GDPR 2020 with regards to consent ensuring it is freely given, specific, informed, unambiguous and explicit. Consent regarding agreement to our Privacy Policy is gained at the time of first assessment, prior to commencing the clinical assessment. Consent regarding provision of treatment and liaising with healthcare professionals or third-party insurance companies is gained prior to starting the initial assessment. Clear, unambiguous questions are asked and demonstrated by clicking on the appropriate box on Cliniko.

Clients can withdraw their consent at any time via a request to their practitioner at the time of an appointment or via the contact details on our website. Although clients should be aware that disagreement to our privacy policy may adversely affect safe and effective assessments and treatments and this may impact our clinical decision making. Thus, in the absence of a client’s consent to our privacy policy they cannot unfortunately receive any of our services.

If a client withdraws their consent to treatment then we will discontinue treatment immediately unless it is deemed clinically unsafe to do so. If a client withdraws their consent to liaise with other medical professionals, we will respect this decision, unless it is clinically unsafe or the client is likely to significantly deteriorate or come to harm, in which case we are professionally obliged to inform their GP/NDIS Support Co-Ordinator/Family Representative.

Ritco Physiotherapy carefully records and stores all personal and clinical data on our Practice Management Software, Cliniko. Outgoing letters containing client’s data, for example to other medical professionals, insurance companies or clients themselves, are printed directly from Cliniko, and either emailed or posted immediately to the recipient.

Clients’ clinical records will be kept in Cliniko indefinitely. Cliniko collects information regarding how clients heard of Pure Physio and where referrals are received. These details are kept for marketing purposes although are anonymised for these purposes.

We regularly review and, where necessary, update our privacy information. If we plan to use personal data for a new purpose, we will update our privacy information and communicate the changes to clients before starting any processing. We also carry out user testing to evaluate the effectiveness of our privacy policy.

Any client receiving or having received assessment or treatment from Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health has the right, under the GDPR 2020, to request access to their clinical records or personal information. If a client requires access to a copy of this information, they must request this

via email to: enquiries@ritcophysiotherapy.com.au

or by phoning directly on 1800 474 826

Once the request is received and deemed to be valid, a check will be made to establish if this information is held within Ritco. The information will be gathered from our Clinical Management Software, Cliniko, if the client was seen after the 1st May 2018, or from paper notes kept securely if the client was seen prior to the 1st April 2018.

The records will be assessed as to whether personal data exemption may apply; whether the client’s legal rights may be affected; or whether any other third parties may need to be informed (e.g. the referring insurance intermediary). The client will be informed accordingly.

Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health will respond to the client’s request within 48 hours and the request will be dealt with within one calendar month from date of receipt. There is no charge for providing clients with copies of their medical records and personal information. However, a charge may be made if the request is deemed to be excessive, for example if multiple copies are required.

Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health are exempt from providing this information where it would be likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health or condition of the client or any other person; where there is a requirement to consult an appropriate healthcare professional; or where there is exemption from non-disclosure of the identities of health professionals who have either contributed to the record or the care of the subject.

Ritco Physiotherapy protects your personal data and clinical information and we do not share this information with any third party other than for those outlined below:

Every client who is seen by Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health will be asked for consent to share clinical records with their GP or other medical professional should this be required. This consent will be recorded in their clinical notes.

If it is deemed necessary, following an allied health assessment or treatment, to communicate clinical information to the GP or to another specialist medical professional, the client will be informed and providing consent has been gained then a clinical letter will be sent either by secure email or registered post.

Client information will only be communicated if the Physiotherapist feels this is clinically necessary and beneficial for the client, for example to request investigations to confirm a diagnosis, to request blood tests to exclude sinister pathology, to refer to a specialist Consultant or GP for further assessment.

If the client themselves specifically requests details to be sent. For urgent onward medical referral, a phone call will be made from the clinic with the client present, a paper copy of the clinical letter will be given to the client themselves to hand to the appropriate medical professional on arrival

Every client who is seen by Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health will be asked for consent to share clinical records with their insurance companies should a request be received. This consent will be recorded in their clinical notes. If it is deemed appropriate to release the requested information this will either be sent in a pdf document by email or via paper copies printed from Cliniko and sent by registered post, depending on which method was requested by the third party.

Every client seen by Ritco Physiotherapy will be provided with an invoice generated securely by and within Cliniko. Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health accept card payments from clients for payment of our products and services using our portable HICAPS machine. In the event that a HICAPS terminal is not available to use by our practitioners, the invoice will be emailed securely within Cliniko to the client’s nominated email address for payment to be made via online bank transfer to our bank account. In the case of clients seen under the NDIS, payments will be charged either direct to the NDIA via the My Place Portal or to an external Plan Management agency via an invoice generated securely by and within Cliniko. Invoice details are transferred automatically to our secure accounting software, Xero. Ritco Physiotherapy & Allied Health does not communicate any client data directly with these companies, all of whom are GDPR compliant. All invoices and receipts for payments are stored securely on Cliniko.

Ritco Physiotherapy makes every effort to ensure that all clients’ personal data is accurate, up to date and correct. Our clients have the right and an obligation to request and keep us informed of any rectification of inaccurate personal data. This can be done via your Physiotherapist at the time of your appointment or by contacting Ritco Physiotherapy directly using the contact details above. Ritco Physiotherapy will reply to requests within one calendar month and rectify the inaccurate data via Cliniko.