Privacy Policy — Vocal Health

Effective date: 4 November 2026
Last updated: 4 November 2026

1. Introduction

Vocal Health is committed to protecting the privacy, confidentiality and security of the personal information and health information entrusted to us.

This Privacy Policy explains how Vocal Health collects, uses, stores, discloses and protects personal information when you visit our website at www.vocalhealth.com.au, contact our practice, make an appointment or receive speech pathology services.

Vocal Health handles personal and sensitive information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), applicable Australian laws and relevant professional obligations.

For the purposes of this policy, references to "Vocal Health", "we", "us" or "our" mean the business operating the Vocal Health speech pathology practice.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect personal information and sensitive information that is reasonably necessary to operate our practice and provide appropriate speech pathology services.

The information collected may include:

Personal information

Full name
Date of birth
Residential and postal address
Telephone number
Email address
Emergency contact details
Parent, guardian or authorised representative details, where applicable
Medicare, private health insurance or funding information, where relevant
Referral and appointment information

Health and sensitive information

As a speech pathology practice, we may collect sensitive health information, including:

Medical and clinical history
Current symptoms and presenting conditions
Voice, breathing and swallowing difficulties
Previous diagnoses, investigations and treatments
Medical specialist and general practitioner details
Clinical assessment results
FEES and other relevant investigation findings
Clinical reports, treatment plans and progress notes
Information received from referring practitioners and other healthcare providers
Other information relevant to the assessment and treatment of your condition.

We only seek to collect information that is reasonably necessary for our services, administration and legal obligations.

3. How We Collect Information

We may collect personal information in several ways, including:

Directly from you when you contact us by telephone, email or through our website.
When you complete an appointment enquiry, registration or intake form.
When you attend an appointment or receive clinical services.
From your referring doctor, ENT specialist, general practitioner or other healthcare professional, where authorised or otherwise permitted by law.
From a parent, guardian or authorised representative, where appropriate.
Through correspondence, reports, referrals and other clinical documentation.
Automatically through website technologies such as cookies and website analytics.

Where reasonably practicable, we collect personal information directly from the individual concerned.

If you provide information about another person, you should ensure you are authorised to do so.

4. Why We Collect and Use Your Information

Vocal Health collects and uses personal and health information for purposes including:

Responding to enquiries and appointment requests.
Assessing your suitability for speech pathology services.
Providing assessment, diagnosis-related evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation.
Developing and reviewing individualised treatment plans.
Coordinating care with your treating doctors, specialists and other healthcare professionals.
Preparing clinical reports and correspondence.
Communicating with you about appointments and treatment.
Processing payments, invoices and applicable funding arrangements.
Managing our business and clinical records.
Meeting professional, regulatory and legal obligations.
Improving our services and website.
Addressing complaints, disputes or legal matters.

We will not use your sensitive health information for unrelated marketing purposes without obtaining your consent where required.

5. Disclosure of Personal and Health Information

Vocal Health treats patient information as confidential.

We may disclose information where reasonably necessary for providing healthcare services, managing our practice or meeting legal obligations.

This may include disclosure to:

Your referring general practitioner.
Your ENT specialist or other treating medical practitioner.
Other healthcare professionals involved in your care.
Hospitals or healthcare facilities, where relevant.
Medicare, private health insurers or relevant funding bodies, where applicable.
Administrative, accounting, IT and practice management service providers.
Professional advisers, insurers and legal representatives where necessary.
Government authorities, regulators or law enforcement agencies where required or authorised by law.

Where disclosure to another healthcare professional is required for your care, we will generally seek your consent, unless disclosure is otherwise authorised or required by law.

We do not sell, rent or trade personal or health information to third parties.

6. Website, Cookies and Third-Party Services

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to support website functionality, understand website traffic and improve the user experience.

These technologies may collect information such as:

IP address
Browser and device type
Website pages visited
Time and date of website visits
Referring websites
General website usage information.

Our website is hosted through third-party website service providers. We may also use external services for website analytics, appointment enquiries, electronic communications, online booking and payment processing.

These providers may collect or process information in accordance with their own privacy policies and contractual arrangements with Vocal Health.

Where third-party providers store or process information outside Australia, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the information is handled in accordance with applicable Australian privacy requirements.

You should review the privacy policies of third-party websites and services before submitting personal information through them.

7. Storage and Security of Information

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

Security measures may include:

Password-protected electronic systems.
Restricted access to clinical records.
Secure storage of electronic and physical records.
Appropriate access controls.
Secure electronic communications where available.
Appropriate staff and contractor confidentiality arrangements.
Reasonable security measures when engaging third-party service providers.

Although we take reasonable steps to protect your information, no electronic transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

8. Retention of Clinical Records

Vocal Health retains clinical and personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide services, meet legal and professional obligations and resolve potential disputes.

We will securely destroy or de-identify personal information when it is no longer required, unless retention is required or authorised by law.

Where clinical records relate to children or young people, additional retention requirements may apply.

9. Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You may request access to the personal and health information we hold about you.

You may also request that inaccurate, incomplete or out-of-date information be corrected.

Requests should be submitted in writing using the contact details below.

We may need to verify your identity before providing access to information.

In certain circumstances, access may be refused where permitted by law. If access is refused, we will explain the reasons and any available complaint mechanisms.

Where applicable, you may request that we provide access in a particular manner or format.

10. Consent and Withdrawal of Consent

Where we rely on your consent to collect, use or disclose personal or sensitive information, you may withdraw that consent by contacting us.

Please note that withdrawing consent may affect our ability to provide certain services or coordinate your healthcare.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect information already collected or used lawfully before the withdrawal.

Vocal Health may continue to retain or disclose information where required or authorised by law.

11. Privacy Complaints

If you believe your privacy has been compromised or that Vocal Health has handled your personal information inappropriately, you may lodge a complaint.

Please contact us in writing and provide details of your concern.

We will acknowledge your complaint and investigate it within a reasonable timeframe.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).

Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au
Telephone: 1300 363 992

12. Overseas Disclosure

Some third-party website, software, cloud storage or communication providers may store or process information outside Australia.

Where this occurs, Vocal Health will take reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate privacy protections are in place and that any overseas disclosure complies with applicable Australian privacy laws.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

Vocal Health may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, business operations, technology or professional obligations.

The updated version will be published on our website, together with its revised effective date.

14. Contact Us

For privacy enquiries, access requests, correction requests or complaints, please contact:

Vocal Health
Email: info@vocalhealth.com.au
Telephone: (08) 6383 7309
West Perth ENT
33 Ventnor Avenue, West Perth WA 6005

West Coast ENT
Suite 63, Wexford Medical Centre
3 Barry Marshall Parade, Murdoch WA 6150

This Privacy Policy applies to the Vocal Health website and the handling of personal and health information by the Vocal Health practice.