Terms and Conditions

Pottsville Partners Pty Ltd (trading as Pottsville Occupational Therapy) (hereafter referred to as Pottsville Occupational Therapy) is committed to providing the highest quality services to our clients. Below are the Terms and Conditions of service. Please also review our Privacy Policy to understand our ongoing obligations to our clients in respect of how we manage Personal Information and our Fees to understand the fees payable for the delivery of our services, including travel fees. The Privacy Policy and Fees form part of these Terms and Conditions of service.

By receiving services from Pottsville Occupational Therapy, our client's (or our client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree to these Terms and Conditions, including our Privacy Policy and Fees, as updated from time to time.

For clients of Pottsville Occupational Therapy who receive support through the NDIS, please note that we use the term 'client' to refer to a NDIS 'participant' and we use the term 'services' to refer to NDIS 'supports'.

For clients of Pottsville Occupational Therapy who have a specific Service Agreement that has been entered into, please review the Service Agreement entered into between you (or your parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) and Pottsville Occupational Therapy for the specific Terms and Conditions associated with the services provided to you.

Services Agreements

From time to time, Service Agreements may be entered into between Pottsville Occupational Therapy and our clients (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate), to ensure Pottsville Occupational Therapy and our clients (and our clients’ parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) have an agreed set of expectations and understanding as to how our services will be delivered. The Services Agreement outlines the client’s (and the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) rights and what each party’s responsibilities and obligations are, and how to resolve any issues should they arise.

Should any inconsistency arise between the Terms and Conditions set out here and those outlined in a specific client's Service Agreement, the terms of the Service Agreement prevail. Where the Service Agreement is silent on an issue covered within the Terms and Conditions set out here, then the terms governing that issue will be governed by these Terms and Conditions.

Schedule of Services

Pottsville Occupational Therapy may provide the following services to the client:

Occupational therapy services (which may include, but are not limited to, direct face-to-face, telehealth, and non-face-to-face interventions and services).
Occupational therapy assistant services.
Allied health assistant services.
Home modifications.
Equipment proscription.
Assistive technology.
Travel.
Other services.

Where Services will be Provided

Pottsville Occupational Therapy is a mobile occupational therapy service. Our services are provided at the client’s home, school, workplace, or in the community. The location of services may vary depending on a client’s needs and goals and will be discussed between the treating therapist, the client, and, where appropriate, the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee.

Frequency and Duration of Services

Regular ongoing services are typically delivered on a weekly or fortnightly basis, unless otherwise agreed.

Current best practice recommends that having a break from therapy can prevent therapy burnout and preserves positive motivation. Pottsville Occupational Therapy therefore operates on a term basis, consisting of four (4) terms per year that align with the NSW government schools’ school term dates, unless otherwise agreed. Regular weekly or fortnightly services are delivered during the NSW government schools’ school terms. Unless otherwise agreed, regular services are not provided during the NSW government schools’ school holiday periods.

Pottsville Occupational Therapy Responsibilities and Obligations

Pottsville Occupational Therapy agrees to:

Review the provision of services provided to clients at least three (3) monthly.
Provide services that meet the client's needs and goals in a timely manner.
Communicate openly and honestly via the client's (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) preferred communication method (email, phone, post, or face-to-face).
Treat the client (and the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) with courtesy and respect.
Consult the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) on decisions about how services are provided.
Give the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) information about managing any complaints or disagreements and details of our cancellation policy.
Listen to the client’s (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) feedback and resolve problems quickly.
Give the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) a minimum of two (2) hours’ notice if we have to change a scheduled appointment to provide services.
Give the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) notice if we need to end the provision of services to the client.
Protect the client's privacy and confidential information in line with our Privacy Policy.
Provide services in a manner consistent with all relevant laws, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 and rules (for NDIS participants), Department of Veterans' Affairs rules (for DVA clients), and the Australian Consumer Law.
Keep accurate records on the services provided to clients.
Issue regular invoices for the services provided to the client to the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee/NDIS plan manager, as appropriate).

Client (And the Client's Parents/Guardians/Carers/Representative/Nominee, as Appropriate) Responsibilities and Obligations

The client (and the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agrees to:

Inform Pottsville Occupational Therapy about how they wish the services to be delivered to meet their needs and goals.
Treat Pottsville Occupational Therapy staff with courtesy and respect.
Talk to a Pottsville Occupational Therapy representative if they have any concerns about the services being provided.
Give Pottsville Occupational Therapy a minimum of two (2) business days' notice if the client cannot attend a scheduled appointment and if the minimum of two (2) business days' notice is not provided, Pottsville Occupational Therapy's cancellation policy (as outlined below), including relevant cancellation fees, will apply.
Give Pottsville Occupational Therapy a minimum of two (2) weeks' notice if they wish to end the services provided by Pottsville Occupational Therapy.
Notify Pottsville Occupational Therapy immediately if the client's NDIS plan is suspended or replaced by a new NDIS plan or the client stops being a participant in the NDIS.
Pay the required fees for services (as outlined on our Fees page or as otherwise agreed to) by the due date, or ensure their NDIS plan manager (for NDIS participants that are plan managed) pays the required fees for services by the due date.
Adhere to and follow Pottsville Occupational Therapy's Terms and Conditions, including our Privacy Policy and Fees, as updated from time to time.

Cancellation Policy

To enable Pottsville Occupational Therapy to provide the highest quality of care to our clients, we require at least two (2) business days' notice if the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) needs to cancel or reschedule an appointment. If two (2) business days' notice is not provided or the client fails to attend an appointment, the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) may be charged a cancellation fee up to the amount of the planned consultation fee. This fee must be paid in full prior to the commencement of the client’s next appointment. Cancellation fees are only charged if an appointment slot is unable to be filled with another client appointment.

Two (2) business days' notice is required to enable Pottsville Occupational Therapy to manage our therapists' schedule and potentially offer the appointment slot to another client, where possible. Cancellation fees may be charged where two (2) business days' notice is not provided, as this time has been set aside for the relevant client and cannot typically be filled at short notice.

Clients (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) may receive an SMS reminder outlining appointment details prior to the appointment. This SMS is sent as a courtesy and may be impacted by technical or other difficulties. The absence of an SMS reminder will not result in cancellation fees being waived.

Pottsville Occupational Therapy is permitted to reschedule appointments at any time if required in the event of unforeseen circumstances, including, but not limited to, therapist illnesses or unavailability.

Fees

Please see our Fees page for further information on our fees and charges, including timeframes for payment of invoices.

Client's (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree that they are responsible for payment of the fees for services, including associated travel fees.

Where fees are being paid by a third party, such as a NDIS plan manager, DVA or a worker's compensation insurance provider, the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agrees that the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) are responsible for ensuring the relevant third party pays the fees within the required timeframe, or in the event that the third-party does not pay the required fees within the required timeframe, the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agrees to pay the fees. Where additional expenses are incurred that are not covered by the client's NDIS plan, DVA, or workers' compensation insurance provider (as appropriate), the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agrees to pay for these expenses.

As a mobile occupational therapy service, Pottsville Occupational Therapy provides our services at the client's home, school, workplace or in the community. Travel fees are therefore payable, as outlined on our Fees page.

For private clients, Medicare clients, or other clients that are self-funded, payment for services is to be made via bank transfer.

Where fees have not been paid by the due date, clients (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) will be sent a reminder. If fees are not paid following the reminder, a debt collection agency and/or lawyers may be engaged by us to recover the fees from the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) and/or legal action may be commenced. In such circumstance, client's (and the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree that they are responsible for the fees charged by Pottsville Occupational Therapy, all fees charged by the debt collection agency and our lawyers, court fees and any other fees incurred by us in seeking to have the fees paid.

Goods and Services Tax (GST)

Clients (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree that the occupational therapy services (health services) provided by Pottsville Occupational Therapy’s qualified and registered occupational therapists (or under permitted circumstances, by our occupational therapy or allied health assistants) are accepted as being necessary for the appropriate treatment of the client.

For private or Medicare clients, the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agrees to pay Pottsville Occupational Therapy directly for the health services provided to the client.

For NDIS clients, Pottsville Occupational Therapy and the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree that:

the supply of services provided by Pottsville Occupational Therapy constitute supports pursuant to the NDIS and constitutes a supply of one or more of the reasonable and necessary supports specified in the statement included, under subsection 33(2) of the National Disability Insurance Scheme Act 2013 (NDIS Act), in the client’s NDIS plan currently in effect under section 37 of the NDIS Act.
the client’s NDIS plan is expected to remain in effect during the period the services are provided.
the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) will immediately notify Pottsville Occupational Therapy if the client’s NDIS plan is replaced by a new plan or the client stops being a participant in the NDIS.

NDIS Participants

Pottsville Occupational Therapy and the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree that these Terms and Conditions, including our Privacy Policy and Fees, are agreed to for the purpose of providing supports (which we refer to as services) to the participant (which we refer to as a client) pursuant to the participant's NDIS plan. Pottsville Occupational Therapy and the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree that these Terms and Conditions, including our Privacy Policy and Fees are agreed to in the context of the NDIS, which is a government scheme that aims to:

Support the independence and social and economic participation of people with disability, and
Enable people with a disability to exercise choice and control in the pursuit of their goals and the planning and delivery of their supports.

Clients in receipt of NDIS supports (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree to provide Pottsville Occupational Therapy with a copy of the client’s NDIS plan approval. This allows Pottsville Occupational Therapy to review the client’s NDIS goals, the NDIS plan management style/type, and to ensure that the NDIS plan includes appropriate funding for the requested services.

Clients in receipt of NDIS supports (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree that the services provided by Pottsville Occupational Therapy are provided in pursuit of the client’s NDIS goals.

Privacy and Confidentiality

Please see our Privacy Page for our ongoing obligations to you in respect of how we manage Personal Information.

Clients Under 18 Years of Age

For clients under the age of 18, Pottsville Occupational Therapy requires the contact details of your parent/guardian and may liaise with them concerning our services to you or in the event of an emergency or safety concern. Prior to your initial appointment, Pottsville Occupational Therapy will require consent from your parent/guardian for us to provide services to you. Clients under the age of 18 agree that, by seeking or accepting services from Pottsville Occupational Therapy, they have provided Pottsville Occupational Therapy with consent to liaise with their parent/guardian.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Pottsville Occupational Therapy does not tolerate abuse of any kind towards our staff or others. All forms of abuse (physical or otherwise), harassment and disrespectful behaviour may result in cancelation of our services.

Waitlist

Where necessary, Pottsville Occupational Therapy maintains a waitlist for future or returning clients. Some clients may have a more urgent need for therapy than others. As such, Pottsville Occupational Therapy reserves the right to select clients from that waitlist for appointments at our complete discretion.

Inactive Files

As Pottsville Occupational Therapy may maintain a waitlist for our services, we strongly recommend pre-booking future therapy sessions. Where appointments have not been pre-booked, Pottsville Occupational Therapy cannot guarantee a client an appointment on a certain day or at a certain time. Where appointments have been cancelled on two (2) or more consecutive occasions, or where a client has cancelled on multiple occasions, appointment slots may be provided to other clients.

Discretion Concerning Services Offered and to Whom

Pottsville Occupational Therapy has complete discretion over the services we offer and to which clients those services are offered to. Should a decision be made to cease providing services to a client, that decision, and the date from which that decision is effective, is at the complete discretion of Pottsville Occupational Therapy.

Feedback, Complaints and Disputes

If a client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) wishes to give Pottsville Occupational Therapy feedback or make a complaint, the client (or the client's parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) should email info@pottsvilleot.com.au and address the email to either the Director of Pottsville Partners Pty Ltd or the Principal Occupational Therapist, call us on 0402 988 381, or send a letter addressed to the Director of Pottsville Partners Pty Ltd or the Principal Occupational Therapist at PO Box 6755, Tweed Heads South NSW 2486.

Updating Terms and Conditions, Privacy Policy and Fees

Pottsville Occupational Therapy may, from time to time, update or amend these Terms and Conditions, including our Privacy Policy and Fees. When significant changes are made to these Terms and Conditions, including our Privacy Policy and Fees, clients (or the client’s parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) will be notified in writing by email.

Clients (and the client’s parent/guardian/carer/representative/nominee, as appropriate) agree to the Terms and Conditions, including our Privacy Policy and Fees, as updated from time to time.

Emergency Support

Pottsville Occupational Therapy are unable to provide emergency or urgent support or support outside of business hours. If you require emergency or urgent support, please dial 000 or present at your nearest emergency department. The following hotlines may also be of assistance.

Emergency services: 000
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 18 00
Mental Health Access Line: 1800 011 511

Queries or Concerns

If you have any queries or concerns, please contact us at:

Pottsville Occupational Therapy
Email: info@pottsvilleot.com.au
Phone: 0402 988 381

Dated: 4 May 2024 (Version: 1.0)

Have Any Questions?

If you have any questions about our services and how we can support you or your family, please feel free to contact us.