Privacy Policy

Strides Health Group

Effective 24 September 2026

This policy explains how Strides Health Group collects, uses, stores and discloses personal information and health information when providing physiotherapy services and operating its website.

1 About us

Strides Health Group is operated by The Trustee for Smit Family Trust (ABN 46 403 947 663). References to “Strides Health Group”, “we”, “us” or “our” include services provided under the Little Strides Physiotherapy and Strides Performance brands.

We are a private health service provider in Victoria. We handle personal information in accordance with applicable privacy laws, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), including the Health Privacy Principles.

2 Scope of this policy

This policy applies to personal information we handle through our website, online booking system, enquiries, clinical services, administration and communications. It does not replace a collection notice or consent process that may be provided for a particular service.

3 Information we may collect

Depending on your interaction with us, we may collect:

• identity and contact details, such as your name, date of birth, address, phone number and email address
• details of a parent, guardian, carer, emergency contact or authorised representative
• health information, including medical history, symptoms, diagnoses, assessment findings, treatment information, referrals, reports and correspondence with other health professionals
• appointment, attendance, billing, Medicare, insurer or funding information where relevant
• information you provide through an online form, email, telephone call or other enquiry
• website and technical information, such as your browser type, device information, approximate location, pages viewed and interactions with the website, where analytics or security tools are enabled
• feedback, complaints and records of our communications with you.

You may browse the general website without identifying yourself. However, we may be unable to provide clinical services, process a booking or respond fully to an enquiry if reasonably required information is not provided.

4 How we collect information

We may collect information:

• directly from you or from a parent, guardian, carer or authorised representative
• through Cliniko when you book or manage an appointment
• through website forms, email, telephone, in-person consultations and clinical assessments
• from a referring health professional, another treating practitioner, a school, insurer, funding body or government agency, where you have consented or collection is otherwise permitted by law
• automatically through cookies, analytics and website security tools where those tools are enabled.

Where practical, we collect health information directly from the person receiving care or their authorised representative. We seek consent where required to collect sensitive information.

5 Children and young people

For a child or young person, information may be provided by a parent, guardian or another authorised person. We take the child or young person’s maturity, capacity, best interests and applicable law into account when seeking consent, communicating information and responding to access requests.

6 Why we collect and use information

We may collect, use and hold information to:

• assess needs and provide safe, appropriate physiotherapy services
• manage referrals, appointments, reminders, clinical records and follow-up communications
• communicate with authorised family members, carers and other health professionals involved in care
• process accounts, Medicare claims, insurer or funding requirements where relevant
• respond to enquiries, requests, complaints and feedback
• maintain and improve our services, website, quality assurance and business operations
• meet professional, insurance, legal, regulatory and record-keeping obligations
• manage safety, risk, suspected unlawful activity and emergencies
• send service information or marketing communications where permitted, with an option to opt out.

7 When we may disclose information

We may disclose relevant information to:

• health professionals, referrers and service providers involved in your care, with consent or where otherwise permitted by law
• a parent, guardian, carer or authorised representative, subject to consent, capacity, privacy and legal requirements
• Medicare, insurers, funding bodies or government agencies where required to administer services or claims
• technology and business service providers that support our operations, including Cliniko, website hosting, website forms, email, SMS, IT support, analytics and security providers
• professional advisers, auditors, insurers, regulators, courts or law enforcement where reasonably necessary or required by law
• another person where disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health or safety, or as otherwise authorised by law.

We do not sell personal information. We require service providers to handle information only for authorised purposes and to apply appropriate privacy and security protections.

8 Cliniko and online bookings

Online bookings are provided through Cliniko, a practice management platform operated by Red Guava Pty Ltd. Information entered into Cliniko is handled under Cliniko’s terms and privacy arrangements as well as our obligations as the health service provider. Cliniko states that its servers are located in Australia and that it uses subprocessors to support infrastructure, communications and customer service.

The website is used to request or make an appointment. Payment is not collected through the website and is made separately after services are provided or as otherwise arranged with us.

9 Website forms

Website enquiry forms may collect your name, contact details, the relevant service and a brief message. Please do not send detailed or highly sensitive health information through a general website form. Website forms are not monitored continuously and must not be used for emergencies or urgent medical concerns.

10 Cookies analytics and security tools

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to operate the site, protect forms and understand website use. If enabled, Google Analytics may collect device, browser and website interaction information using cookies or similar identifiers. Google Analytics must be configured so that information entered into website forms or Cliniko, and other directly identifying or health information, is not sent to Google.

We may use Google reCAPTCHA on forms to help prevent spam and misuse. Google may process technical information in accordance with its own privacy policy and terms. You can manage cookies through the website’s cookie controls, where provided, and through your browser settings. Disabling some cookies may affect website functionality.

We do not currently use the Meta Pixel. If new analytics, advertising or tracking technologies are introduced, we will review the privacy implications and update this policy and any relevant notices.

11 Overseas processing and disclosure

Some technology providers or their subprocessors may process information outside Australia. Cliniko states that its servers are located in Australia, although some of its supporting subprocessors are located in Australia and the United States. Google services may process information in the United States and other countries in which Google or its service providers operate. Provider locations and arrangements can change.

Where applicable, we take reasonable steps to ensure overseas handling is consistent with Australian privacy requirements, including by reviewing providers, configuring services to minimise information collection and using contractual and security safeguards where available.

12 Storage security and data breaches

We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical safeguards to protect information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure systems, authentication, staff confidentiality, backups and secure disposal practices. No internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

If a suspected data breach occurs, we will assess and respond to it in accordance with applicable laws, including notification obligations under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme where relevant.

13 Retention and disposal

We retain health records for the periods required by Victorian law. For an adult, this is generally at least seven years after the person was last provided with a health service. If the person was under 18 when last provided with a health service, records are generally retained until the person reaches 25 years of age. Information may be retained longer where required or permitted by law, professional obligations, insurance requirements or a current dispute or claim.

When information is no longer required and no legal retention obligation applies, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.

14 Accessing and correcting information

You may request access to personal information or health information we hold about you, or ask us to correct information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, irrelevant or misleading. We may need to verify your identity and authority before responding. Access may be refused or limited where permitted by law, and we will explain the reason where required. A reasonable fee may apply where permitted for providing access to health records; we will discuss this with you before proceeding.

15 Privacy questions and complaints

Please contact us if you have a privacy question, wish to request access or correction, or believe your information has not been handled appropriately. We will acknowledge and investigate complaints and respond within a reasonable period.

Entity	The Trustee for Smit Family Trust trading as Strides Health Group
ABN	46 403 947 663
Address	426 Princes Highway, Narre Warren VIC 3805
Phone	0411 876 851
Email	admin@strideshealth.com.au

 

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au or the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner at hcc.vic.gov.au.

16 Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when our services, website tools or legal obligations change. The current version will be published on our website with its effective date.