Clients

You sign your service agreement digitally when you sign up through the app. By signing up, you agree to the following:

Consent

You give Suitsme consent to:

• Record information about you to help us do our work and support you

• Talk about you within the team that is supporting you, so we can offer you the best support possible

• Collect data and information about your app use including in app messaging

We will:

• Keep your information secure so outside people can’t see it

• Only share it with staff at Suitsme who are working with you

• Ask your permission before sharing it with people outside Suitsme

• Only keep information that is needed to help with your support or to improve our services

• Make sure that when we combine information for reports and statistics that it does not identify you or anyone in your family

You can:

• Withdraw consent at any time. If you withdraw consent, we may not be able to keep supporting you

• Ask to see what information we have about you

• Ask to have information updated if it is not correct or has changed

When will consent be broken?

• If you are at risk of serious harm to yourself or others

• If we are subpoenaed by a court

• If a child’s safety is at risk

Unless it is unsafe to do so, we will talk to you and keep you informed if we need to do this.

When will we share information?

• We will only share information that will improve your access to support

• If you give us the details of other people or services that you are working with or that you want us to talk to, we understand this means you give us permission to talk to them too

Your Funding

• We charge in accordance with the terms and prices in the NDIA price guide
• All our rates are published here
• We charge an establishment fee when you start with us
• We may charge for non face to face supports or phone based supports where it best represents the best use of your funds
• If the NDIA changes the prices or business rules, then we will change ours too
• If we have to pay staff to get to you, we will charge your funding to pay them

Your service

• You will set the times, days and frequency of your appointments using the app.
• We will provide reasonable and necessary supports in accordance with your NDIS plan with the funding you assign to Suitsme 
• You can see the how much funding you have allocated to Suitsme, and how much you have spent in the app
• We can only drive you places if you have added transport funding in the app 

What we expect of you

• Create and maintain your profile on the app
• Set and review your goals
• Let Suitsme know immediately if your NDIS plan is suspended or replaced by a new NDIS plan, or if you stop being a participant in the NDIS
• You will do your part to keep staff safe. This includes:
  • Letting staff know if you are physically or mentally unwell
  • Being sober when staff are with you
  • Treating all Suitsme staff with respect and never bully or harass them
• Be open and honest with Suitsme and your workers
• Provide guidance to your workers
• Provide feedback to your workers and to Suitsme
• Give as much notice as possible if you are going to change or cancel a shift. If you don’t give enough notice and staff still need to be paid, we will charge your funding to pay them
• If you have self-managed funds, you need to pay your invoices on time. If you don’t pay, you won’t be able to book more shifts
• Never request a booking from a family member or friend
• Never propose or accept a private arrangement with a worker outside the app

What you can expect from us

• We will verify that all staff are suitably qualified and have appropriate safety checks
• We will be honest and fair with any investigation
• If you are using your funding too quickly, or too slowly we will let you know
• We will consult with you and listen to you
• Give you as much notice as possible if we suspend or terminate a staff member you are working with
• We will take all due care to keep the app up and running, however if there is an outage, you release Suitsme against any claim arising out of inaccessibility or unavailability of the app at any time
• If your plan expires you won’t be able to make bookings. We will contact you to see if you need assistance to set up your new plan. If we can’t contact you, we’ll deactivate your profile
• If you violate this agreement, we will put services on hold and investigate. If we are going to cease services, we will give you 14 days' notice

Suitsme Documents

We make our documents accessible and easy to understand. It’s important that you read and understand the documents below. Where a document places obligations on you, it is a condition of this agreement that you comply with them at all times. Suitsme may update these documents at any time and by continuing to make bookings, you accept the updated terms. Suitsme will let you know if there is a big change that affects you. By ticking the box in the app, you are agreeing to all terms as outlined above and in Suitsme documents.

Suitsme has a FAQ page here where you can find out more. If you have any questions or concerns please contact us.

Mental Health is everyone’s business. Whether you are a client, family member, carer or staff member you will inevitably go through ups and downs in life and it’s important to look after your mental health.

There’s lots of resources out there that you can use to help monitor your mental health and stay well. We’ll show you a bunch of them that we really like here. We try to keep this up to date, but if you find a link that doesn’t work, please let us know so we can fix it.

It’s not all about us though. You probably have some strategies that work well for you and we would love for you to share them with us and the Suitsme community.

If it’s an emergency, or you feel unsafe contact emergency services or MHERL.

• Emergency Services - 000
• Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL)
  • MHERL Metro - 1300 555 788
  • MHERL Peel - 1800 676 822

If you are feeling suicidal, you’ve had a rough day, or you just need to talk to someone; there are services you can call:

• Suicide Callback Service – 1300 659 467 or online and video chat 24/7 

• Lifeline 13 11 14

• Lifeline also offers online chat between 7pm – midnight (Sydney Time)

• Crisis Care 9223 1111 (24/7)

• Samaritans 13 52 47

• SANE helpline (10am-10pm AEST) 1800 187 263 or online chat 

• MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978

• Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36

If you are under 25 you can also access:

• Kid’s helpline 1800 55 1800

• Eheadspace 1800 650 890 (9am – 1am AEST)

Alcohol, Drugs and Addiction Support

• Alcohol and Drug Support Line 9442 5000 (24/7)

• Free Drug and Alcohol counselling online

• You can also find a list of other services and providers here

There are many simple ways to look after your mental health on a daily basis. We are all different and what works for one of us may not work for another. There are little things you can do daily which may help.

Think Mental Health WA has this list of things you can try that may help to look after your mental health and wellbeing:

1. Do things with others. Spending time with family or friends, meeting new people and getting involved in activities can make a difference to how you feel. Get involved in community activities, kick the footy around, go for a bike ride etc.
2. Do something creative.  Activities or hobbies can keep you distracted, have a positive impact on your sense of mental health and wellbeing and can help increase your confidence and self-esteem. This could be building something, playing an instrument, gardening, art, doing a puzzle, painting, cooking, writing etc.
3. Invest time in relationships. Connecting with people and investing in good relationships are important for your mental health. Get in touch with people who you trust or feel good around. Give them a call, send them a message or organise to catch-up with them.
4. Focus on strengths. Having positive thoughts can help you feel better. Try these support tools for guidance on how to feel positive. 
5. Take time out. When you relax, you give yourself permission to let go of worries for a while. Relaxing gives your mind and body time to recover from the stresses of everyday life. Try some relaxation apps to guide you on how to relax.
6. Sleep well. We cannot function properly without sleep. Sleep helps us to repair and restore our bodies and minds. Try these tips from the Sleep Health Foundation for guidance on how to get a better night’s sleep.
7. Keeping active. Your physical health plays a key role in keeping you mentally healthy. Being physically active can improve your mood and reduces stress.
8. Eat well. Nutrition and eating well can make a difference to the way you feel and in-turn may improve your mental health.
9. Mindfulness. Mindfulness can help you feel better and reduce stress. It is easy to fit into your day. You can do it one minute at a time.  

For more tips on staying well and managing your mental health have a look at ReachOut. It’s full of resources and articles on a wide range of mental health related topics.

Believe it or not, we love apps at Suitsme! There’s pretty much an app for everything these days including apps to help manage your mental health and support your recovery. Here are some apps that we’ve used, or at least checked them out and think they look pretty good. All the apps we list here are free although some have paid content as well.

No matter how good an app is, it’s no substitute for clinical support. Apps can help you to stay well and recognise when you are becoming unwell, but if you are unwell or you feel unsafe call your clinical team, GP or one of the emergency numbers above.

We’d love to hear what you think of these apps so please let us know. If there are other apps that you find helpful, then tell us about them so we can share them with the Suitsme community.

Beyond Now (suicide safety app)

Developed by Beyond Blue this app helps you to make a suicide prevention plan. You can share this plan with people in your life, including your worker.

My compass is an online tool that helps you track your mental health and gives you personalised tips and activities to help you understand and manage your mental health

Calm has meditation and mindfullness exercises; some content on Calm is free, some features cost money

Mood Prism helps you keep track of your mood by regularly asking you a few simple questions. It can help you to spot when you are starting to feel anxious or depressed. Once you have used MoodPrism for a while, it makes personalised suggestions of resources that could be helpful for you.

What’s up is a free app that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help you cope with Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and more.

Need a happy fix? With its psychologist-approved mood-training program, the Happify app is your fast-track to a good mood. Try various engaging games, activity suggestions, gratitude prompts and more to train your brain as if it were a muscle, to overcome negative thoughts. The best part? Its free!

Some apps are designed specifically for people experiencing specific mental health conditions. Here’s a few of them:

MoodTools aims to support people with clinical depression by aiding the path to recovery. Discover helpful videos that can improve your mood and behavior, log and analyze your thoughts using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles, develop a suicide safety plan and more with this free app.

Feartools is an evidence-based app designed to help you combat anxiety, aiding you on your road to recovery. This application is especially useful for those experiencing Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Phobias, and Social Anxiety Disorder.

Rise Up + Recover is a unique app as it not only allows you to track your meals and how you feel when you eat them, but you can also transcribe your progress into a PDF printout. Pull up the Rise + Recover app on your mobile when you feel the urge to binge or skip a meal, and need quick coping strategies.

eMoods is a mood tracking app designed specifically for people with bipolar disorder. Throughout the day, users can track depressive and psychotic symptoms, elevated mood, and irritability and give an indication of the severity of their symptoms. Users can then see their mood changes on a color-coded monthly calendar and even export a monthly summary report to identify specific triggers and better understand their fluctuating mood.

Resources to learn about specific mental health conditions

Suitsme only hires workers with the skills and qualifications required to work in this sector. Suitsme also tries to have a range of workers for you to choose from, so you can find a worker that you click with.

Once you’ve found a worker that suits you, they are still going to need some guidance about what support you want and how you like to be supported.

Your first opportunity to guide workers is in your profile. Workers will read your profile when you request a booking with them. In your profile, you can tell workers how you like to be supported.

When you signed up with the app we asked about things that are important to know. You can edit these at any time.

Some examples of things you could include in there are:

• Loud banging sounds can be a trigger for me. When triggered, I become fearful and want to get away from the sound as soon as possible. I need you to help me get somewhere safe, to be with me while I calm down and to debrief with me afterwards.

• It’s important to me that you respect my decision if I tell you I’m not up to doing a planned activity.

• Sometimes I’ll tell you I don’t want to do a planned activity, but it’s important that you try to motivate me. Give me encouragement to try the activity. If I still say no, try making me again after 30 minutes.

• I can sometimes be a bit forgetful, it’s important to me that we sit and write a to do list at the end of every session

• I find it hard to concentrate when there’s lots of noise around me. It’s important that we find a quiet place when we are chatting.

• If I seem to be hallucinating, call my GP and if they’re not available call MHERL.

• My mum helps me a lot and keeps track of things for me, it’s important to keep her updated.

These are just examples – you can put anything that is important to you. If it is important to you, then it is important that your worker know.

We also asked who for key contacts who we can get in touch with if you are unwell. You can edit these at any time too. If you mention someone as important then you should add their contact details so staff can find them if they need to.

If there is other information that you want workers to know then you can include it in the “about me” section of your profile.

The key to keeping any relationship on track is communication; the more you give your worker clear instructions and feedback the better your relationship will be.

Everyone is different and has different preferences. Sometimes things seem obvious to us, but it’s not obvious to everyone else. For example:

Anne works with two clients, John and Sean. If they have two bags of shopping, John may think it’s obvious that Anne would carry one of the bags, so they have one each. Whereas Sean may think it is obvious that he would carry both bags (he has two hands after all).

Neither John nor Sean’s preference is obvious to Anne, she needs them to tell her how they like to be supported.

Direct instructions and feedback tend to work well, but if something comes up and you are not comfortable telling staff directly, you can let Suitsme know and we can help address it with them.

You will have identified some goals in your NDIS plan and received funding to help you achieve those goals. It is helpful to your worker if you share your plan with them and explain which goals you want them to support you with.

It is also helpful to spend some time planning how you will achieve your goals and breaking them down into smaller, more achievable parts. You can do this in the app either by yourself or with a worker. You can find a more detailed guide to goal setting here

Your worker will have generalist training, but they may not have specific knowledge of your culture, diagnosis etc. Suitsme has a range of resources that both you and your worker can access which you can find here.

If you want to increase your worker’s knowledge in a specific area, then you can instruct them to complete the training during shift time. Suitsme will charge your funding to pay the staff to complete training that you instruct them to complete. Staff will get the most value out of the training if you both look at the resource together and you can explain to them how it applies to you.

Suitsme endeavours to provide resources that are relevant and helpful to you and your workers. If you have any suggestions of resources you would like offered, then please let us know.

Your worker is instructed to dress appropriately for the activity they are supporting you with. It's helpful to message your worker in the app to let them know what you want to do that day so they can wear the right clothes. For example, if you want them to come for a run with you, then they'll want to wear exercise clothes.

Workers may also ask you if you have any preferences for how they dress. It’s fine to let them know your preferences, as long as you are respectful and appropriate.

What’s the difference between travel and transport?

Travel means a worker driving to or from you.

Transport means a worker taking you with them in their car.

Does Suitsme charge me for staff travel?

It depends.

If workers are travelling to or from their home, then we do not charge you.

If workers travel from you, directly to another client then we don’t charge you.

If workers are travelling directly to you from another client, we charge you 30 minutes additional time for them to get to you. If it takes them less than 30 minutes to get to you then you get extra shift time. We will also charge you for the kms that workers travel to get to you at a rate of $0.85 per km.

Does Suitsme charge me if staff transport me?

Yes.

Staff can only provide you with transport if you have agreed to pay transport costs when you set up your services in the app.

If you have agreed to pay transport costs, we will charge you $0.85 per km that staff transport you. If workers incur parking or public transport expenses we will charge that to your funding too.

I can drive and have a car; can we use my car instead?

Maybe.

If you are interested in this option, have a read of the "Client driving with Worker in the car" and "Workers driving a Client's vehicle" section of this document (below) and contact Suitsme management to discuss.

Will my worker’s car be suitable and accessible?

Workers at Suitsme use their own personal car. Suitsme has a wide range of workers and this will mean a wide range of different cars.

Regardless of what type of car your worker has, they will have insurance

What do I do if my worker’s car is not suitable?

One option is to take public transport. This is a great option to consider because it can build your independence to get out and about without your worker. Another option is to try another worker. Once you have sent them a booking request, you can ask them in the app chat what sort of car they have and decide if that is more suitable.

If you have an accessible vehicle then your worker may be able to drive you in that. Read the "Workers driving a Client's vehicle" section (below) and contact Suitsme management.

If you have specific accessibility requirements, then it’s unlikely that a worker will have a suitable car to accommodate you. While we can’t guarantee anything, it is worth contacting Suitsme management a to see if we can come up with a solution together.

Can I drive my worker’s car?
You must not drive your worker’s car under any circumstances.

Can I drive my own vehicle with a worker as a passenger?
You can drive with your worker as a passenger in your vehicle as long as you have been approved to do so by Suitsme management. Suitsme is required by law to ensure a safe working environment for workers.

If you want to drive workers in your car:

1. Contact Suitsme Management on 6115 0013 or hello@suitsme.app 
2. Provide a copy of your drivers licence
3. Provide the licence plate details of any vehicle(s) you intend to drive a worker in
4. Provide evidence of third party and/or comprehensive insurance for that vehicle, that covers you as the driver. Suitsme’s insurance does not cover your vehicle
5. Ensure that your vehicle is safe, clean and roadworthy
6. Ensure your vehicle is maintained and serviced as per the owner manual

These must be kept up to date with Suitsme management and you must inform Suitsme management if anything changes prior to expiry (e.g. if you lose your licence).

Suitsme management will consider other factors when assessing your request. For example, your request will not be approved if risks around your use of alcohol and/or other drugs have been identified. Approval for any client to drive a Suitsme worker is at Suitsme’s absolute discretion.

If you have been approved to drive workers then this will be indicated in admin notes in the Safety Plan section of your profile. This will also indicate the licence plate of approved vehicle(s) and expiry dates of any licences, registrations and insurance policies.

Can a worker drive my car?
A worker can drive your vehicle as long as the vehicle has been approved by Suitsme management. Suitsme is required by law to ensure a safe working environment for workers. If you want a worker to drive your vehicle:

1. Contact Suitsme Management on 6115 0013 or hello@suitsme.app 
2. Provide the licence plate details of any vehicle(s) you would like a worker to drive.
3. Provide evidence of comprehensive, any driver insurance for the vehicle(s).  Suitsme’s insurance does not cover your vehicle. 
4. Ensure that your vehicle is safe, clean and roadworthy.
5. Ensure your vehicle is maintained and serviced as per the owner manual.

If your is approved for workers to drive then this will be indicated in admin notes in the Safety Plan section of your profile. This will also indicate the licence plate of approved vehicle(s) and expiry dates of any registrations and insurance policies. These must be kept up to date with Suitsme management and you must inform Suitsme management if anything changes prior to expiry (e.g. if your car is yellow stickered).

Ensure the support worker knows how to operate your vehicle.

• Suitsme management check that the worker has a current driver’s licence. If a worker does not have a current driver’s licence, this will be indicated in the About Me section of their profile.
• Suitsme management does not check what class of licence the worker has. If your vehicle requires a manual licence or anything other than a class C licence, you must check the worker’s licence prior to them driving you vehicle.
   

Suitsme’s insurance does not cover car insurance for workers or clients. Any client using their own vehicle must have compulsory third party insurance and third party insurance.

We recommend you also have comprehensive insurance. If you’re not sure what all these insurances mean, have a look here for definitions. https://rac.com.au/car-motoring/info/car-insurance-quick-guide.

If you are the owner or driver of a vehicle in a crash, you must report it to ICWA Motor Injury Insurance Scheme as soon as practicable after the crash. See their website for more details on the process https://www.icwa.wa.gov.au/motor-injury-insurance .

What is co-design?

Co-design means making something together.

At Suitsme, it means we ask you to tell us about your experience and what you think. It's about you telling us what you want; because you know what’s best for you. It's also about us listening to your ideas and making changes based on what you tell us.

Some examples of co-design are:

• Us asking you about what works for you in a service

• Us asking you what you think of a new document

• You meeting with us and our app developer to give ideas on how to build new features

• You testing new features of the app and giving us feedback

How does co-design work?

It will probably be a little bit different each time we do co-design, depending on what we are asking you about, but there are some rules that we follow:

• We’ll give you information about the topic we are co-designing

• We can give this in a document or talk to you. We can also get it translated.

• We’ll give you time to think about the information

• If we ask you to come to a meeting, we will pay for you to get to the meeting

• We’ll reimburse you for your time

• We’ll respect what you say, so be honest and say what you think.

• We’ll keep what you say private

• We’ll tell you how we use your ideas

• At the end, we’ll ask for your feedback on the co-design process

Who is involved in Co-design?

Depending on what we are working on, we may involve:

• Clients

• Client’s family members, carers or advocates

• Support workers

How to get involved?

If you are interested in being part of a co-design process please let us know, by call or email. You can also follow us on social media where we will post open invitations to be part of co-design projects.

Suitsme may also proactively contact you to ask you to participate in co-design.

There are situations where suitsme may deactivate either a worker or client’s profile.

If we deactivate the profile of one of your workers, then we will contact you to let you know what has happened.

If we deactivate your profile, we will contact you to let you know:

• We have deactivated your profile

• If it is temporary or permanent

• Why we deactivated it

We will also contact any workers who you had existing bookings with and let them know what has happened.

Deactivating a client’s profile is a last resort for us, we do everything we can to continue to work with you. There are three main reasons that we would deactivate your profile:

Breach of Service agreement

In the Service agreement, we explain what we expect of you.

If you breach the terms of our service agreement, we will put your account on hold while we investigate.

We will keep you informed during the investigation and will let you know the outcome. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, we will consider a range of options including:

• Reactivating your account

• Adding additional information to your profile and then reactivating your account

• Placing restrictions on your account so that you can only book with certain workers.

• Deactivating your account permanently

• If we deactivate your account permanently, we will also:

  • Give you 14 days notice
  • End your service agreement
  • End our service booking on the NDIS portal and return any unspent funds to your plan.
  • Provide you with details of other providers who may be able to support you.

Staff Safety

Suitsme have an obligation to provide a safe working environment for staff. If staff raise any safety concerns, we will usually deactivate your profile while we work through any safety issues with you.

Some things that can make staff feel unsafe are:

• Aggression towards them or around them

• People using drugs or being intoxicated around them

• Unexpected people being present for the support session

Suitsme is unable to claim your funding

When you sign up with Suitsme you tell us your NDIS plan end date. You will not be able to book services after your plan end date. If you get a new plan, it is important that you update your details in the app or contact us so we can help you set it up.

When you sign up with Suitsme a “Service Booking” is created in the NDIS portal. If you alter or delete this “Service Booking” and Suitsme is not able to claim your funding, then you won’t be able to make bookings until this is resolved.

If your funding is self or plan managed, then you are responsible for ensuring invoices are paid. We will contact you to follow up on unpaid invoices, however if you refuse to pay or don’t respond, then you won’t be able to make any more bookings.

You can get your worker to complete any of the units listed here. They will get the most out of it if you are with them while they complete it because you can add your own experience and context. If you ask a worker to complete one of these units, they will do it during a shift with you.

You are also welcome to access these resources yourself.

If you want to know what we tell workers when they join Suitsme check out the onboarding videos here

Reimagine provides some great resources that were co-designed by people from within LGBTIQ+ communities, with lived experience of mental health concerns, their carers and chosen supports. The resources on this hub give personal stories and experiences as well as advice on engaging with the NDIS.

QNADA provides this training that, although developed for clinicians of AOD services, is helpful for anyone.

MHPOD provided a wide range of units. To access them, you or your worker just need to follow this link and sign up an account. Here's a few that we think are useful:

1. NDIS Review Processes

1. Carer advocacy

1. Carer participation

1. Recovery

1. Recovery based practice

1. Skills for promoting physical health

1. Skills for supporting consumers to study or work

1. Social relationships: working with families

1. Social wellbeing, connection and belonging

1. Trauma and mental health

1. Cultural awareness

1. Culturally sensitive practice

1. Classification of mental disorders

1. Citizenship and recovery

If you identify with one of the specific conditions or situations in this next block it could be worth getting your worker to complete the unit with you:

1. Acquired brain injury & sensory impairment

1. CAMHS and youth MH: conditions and assessments

1. CAMHS and youth MH: interventions

1. Dual diagnosis – i.e. mental health and AOD

1. Dual disability – i.e. mental health and another disability

1. Eating disorders

1. Gender issues in mental health

1. Impact of medical conditions

1. Living with chronic ill-health

1. Mental health histories and MSE (Mental State Examinations)

1. Mental health care for indigenous Australians

1. Mental health for older persons: conditions and assessments

1. Mental health for older persons: interventions

1. Mental health for same sex attracted persons

1. Strategies for working with people at risk of suicide

1. Working with people who self-harm

1. Working with people with borderline personality disorder

1. Working with people with forensic histories or at risk of offending

Then there’s a whole host of other modules which are all good, though some are probably more relevant than others.

The Mental Health Commission provide a couple of resources that we recommend.

The first is called "Mental Health Act (2014)". It's a set of units that cover the mental health system in WA and client’s legal rights under the Mental Health Act.

The second is "Introduction to Alcohol and Other Drugs (2nd Edition)" The name says it all.

Follow this link to access these. You or your worker will need to register an account to access them.

What is an incident?

Safety of clients and staff is our top priority. The way we do things and the systems we use are designed with safety in mind. Despite this sometimes things happen, and client or staff safety is put at risk.

Some examples of incidents are:

• A client falls over and scrapes their arm

• A worker is in a car accident while travelling between clients

• A client dies

• A client is admitted to hospital

• A client hurts a member of the public

• Abuse or neglect of a client (see also Abuse and neglect – Zero tolerance)

• Any restrictive practice

• A worker can’t find or contact a client

• Someone threatens a worker or a client

• Client has an open wound

Near misses are also incidents, for example:

• A client falls over but is uninjured

• A worker feels unsafe

• A client tells a worker they feel suicidal

• A client tells a worker things that do not reflect the worker’s experience of reality

What happens if an incident occurs?

The worker present will put submit an incident report via the app. If a serious incident (see below) has occurred, the worker will also contact Suitsme management as soon as possible.

The worker’s first priority is to ensure they are safe. Once they are safe, they will provide emotional support to you and support you to access the appropriate services (where required).

What happens next?

Once Suitsme receives the incident report, we will follow it up within one working day. This means Suitsme management will:

• Record the incident

• Follow the Abuse and neglect document if the incident relates to abuse or neglect of a client

• Assign the incident to a specific person (usually a manager) to follow up

• If an investigation is required, it will be done fairly

• Communicate to anyone who was involved in the incident

• Identify learnings from the incident and make improvements to reduce the risk of it happening again

• Submit a Serious Incident Report within 7 days of the incident occurring (if required)

• Collect de-identified data about the incident to monitor trends

In the event of a serious or notifiable incident Suitsme will:

• Follow the Incident management process outlined above

• Report the incident to the Department of Communities: Disability Services Directorate within 7 days

• Work with the Disability Services Directorate with any additional follow up required

A serious incident means one or more of the following:

• The death of a person with a disability

• Serious physical injury or psychological harm suffered by a person with disability

• Abuse including physical, emotional, sexual, psychological, financial and neglect of a person with disability

• The person is judged as posing a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of themselves or others

• Exploitation or unjustified restrictive practices used with a person with disability

• An assault on staff or a visitor to the service by a person with disability.

Notifiable Incident: means any of the following:

• The occurrence of a Serious Incident

• Where a Service User causes or contributes to injury, illness or death of any person, or poses a serious risk to the health, safety or welfare of any person

• Any referral of any matter or complaint regarding any Service User, the Services or the Service Provider generally, to any regulatory or investigative body

• The charging of the Service Provider or an Associate with a criminal offence involving a sexual offence, dishonesty or breach of trust or which otherwise may result in imprisonment of that person

• Serious verbal or written complaints received in relation to the Service or in relation to the Service Provider generally

• The occurrence of any event which may cause adverse publicity including but not limited to if the Service Provider is contacted by the media for comment on any aspect of the Services or involving a Service User.

Our Privacy, Confidentiality and Consent Document applies to all personal and sensitive information collected, received, or held by Suitsme about clients, job applicants, volunteers, contractors, and employees (for purposes unrelated to their employment agreement).

What information do we collect?

We will always notify you either at the time or before we collect information. We will only collect information that is necessary for, or directly related to, Suitsme’s work. Where information is collected for research and /or evaluation purposes, additional consents will be sought. Personal information will be collected from the individual directly (or if information is received by referrals, the information will be checked with the client). In addition, staff will only collect sensitive information with the individual’s informed consent.

Informed consent

Consent and confidentiality are fundamental rights that must be available to all people accessing services. Staff obtain informed consent before collecting information, disclosing personal information, or providing services.

To provide informed consent, clients need to understand:

• what services Suitsme can provide

• conditions for accessing Suitsme’s services, including client rights and responsibilities

• how personal information is managed by Suitsme

• the extent and limits of client confidentiality

• the right to change and withdraw consent at any time, and the consequences of withdrawing consent

When do we use or disclose personal information?

Personal information about an individual that is collected for one purpose (e.g., engagement in a Suitsme program, making a complaint, or a job application) must not be used or disclosed for another purpose (e.g., soliciting donations), except when the individual would reasonably expect it or when they provide consent.

Disclosure of personal information about an individual is permitted when:

• there is a serious and imminent threat to an individual’s or other’s life, health, or safety;

• the disclosure is authorised or required by law (please refer to Responding to Subpoenas and External Requests for Information); or

• the disclosure relates to significant criminal behaviour, and is made to authorities with responsibility for dealing with such behaviour, and disclosure is not outweighed by other privacy principles;

When personal information is used or disclosed, in accordance with the above, a written note of the use or disclosure must be made in the individual’s record. Any staff member involved in making this disclosure will not make the decision to do so alone, but will liaise with their line manager, on-call or other senior staff member.

Access to personal information

Suitsme provides access to an individual’s personal information, on request, unless an exception applies. Suitsme must be satisfied that a request for personal information is made by the individual concerned, or by another person who is authorised to make a request on their behalf (e.g. a legal guardian or authorised agent).

All requests to access personal information will be responded to within 30 calendar days of receiving the request. If there is a delay for any reason, Suitsme must contact the individual to explain the delay and provide an expected timeframe for finalising the request.

In some cases, Suitsme may decline access to information as outlined in The Australian Privacy Principles. In these cases, Suitsme must provide the individual with a written notice that sets out the reasons for the refusal and the complaint mechanisms available to the individual.

How you can complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles

We are committed to protecting your privacy and upholding the Australian Privacy Principles. If you believe we have breached the Australian Privacy Principles, please contact us with your concerns, using the contact details below.

We take all complaints very seriously and we will endeavour to respond to your complaint and address your concerns as soon as possible.

How you can provide feedback or comments on this policy

If you have some questions or feedback about our Privacy Policy Statement or anything you have seen or read at Suitsme, please contact hello@suitsme.app. We will endeavour to respond to your feedback as soon as possible.

Privacy

This document outlines how Suitsme manages personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act, 13 Australian Privacy Principles, and Notifiable Data Breach Scheme.

This procedure applies to all personal and sensitive information collected, received, or held by Suitsme about clients, donors, job applicants, volunteers, contractors, and employees (for purposes unrelated to their employment agreement).

Confidentiality and Informed Consent

This procedure outlines the process of providing information for individuals about service options and disclosure of personal information, and the extent and limits of confidentiality, so they can make informed decisions in their interest.

Privacy - Australian Privacy Principles

The Privacy Act, which contains 13 Australian Privacy Principles, regulates how personal information must be managed to protect an individual’s privacy. Suitsme complies with these in the following ways.

Open and transparent management of personal information; Suitsme manages personal information in an open and transparent way by having:

• Procedures and systems that enable compliance with the Australian Privacy Principles

• A readily available Privacy Statement on Suitsme’s website, in client welcome packs that clearly outlines the kinds of information Suitsme collects, how we collect the information, and the purposes for collecting the information.

Anonymity and pseudonymity

Whenever it is lawful and practical, individuals must be given the option of not identifying themselves while dealing with Suitsme. Options for anonymity include using an alias.

Collection of personal information

Personal information is primarily collected via the App. There is limited scope for staff to collect personal information other than information input into the app by a client. Staff must only collect personal information that is necessary for, or directly related to, Suitsme’s work. Where information is collected for research and /or evaluation purposes additional consents will be sought. Personal information will be collected from the individual directly (or if information is received by referrals, the information will be checked with the client). In addition, staff will only collect sensitive information with the individual’s informed consent.

Unsolicited personal information

When Suitsme receives unsolicited personal information, the staff member who receives the information must decide whether the information is necessary for, or directly related to, Suitsme’s work. If the information could have been collected as part of Suitsme’s core work, the other privacy principles apply to that personal information. If the information couldn't have been collected under Suitsme’s normal work, then steps must be taken to either destroy the information or de-identify it so that it no longer contains personal information, unless the information is contained in a Commonwealth record.

Notification of the collection of personal information

Either at the time or before Suitsme collects information, staff must ensure that the individual is aware that Suitsme collects personal information about them. All client referral/assessments, recruitment advertisements, and Suitsme’s website must notify individuals that Suitsme collects personal information.

Use or disclosure of personal information

Personal information about an individual that is collected for one purpose (e.g. engagement with Suitsme, making a complaint, or a job application) must not be used or disclosed for another purpose (e.g., soliciting donations), except when the individual would reasonably expect it or when they provide consent. Disclosure of personal information about an individual is permitted when:

• There is a serious and imminent threat to an individual’s or other’s life, health, or safety

• The disclosure is authorised or required by law

• The disclosure relates to significant criminal behaviour, and is made to authorities with responsibility for dealing with such behaviour, and disclosure is not outweighed by other privacy principles

When personal information is used or disclosed, in accordance with the above, a written note of the use or disclosure must be made in the individual’s record. Any staff member involved in making this disclosure should not make the decision to do so alone, but should liaise with their line manager, on-call or other senior staff member.

Adoption, use, or disclosure of government-related identifiers

Suitsme uses government-related identifiers (e.g., driver license, passport) to confirm the identity of prospective employees. This personal information is handled in accordance with the other privacy principles.

Quality of personal information

Suitsme must take reasonable steps to ensure that all personal information it holds is accurate, up-to-date, and complete. Regular client file audits and personnel record checks assist Suitsme to meet this requirement.

All staff are responsible for updating the records they maintain to reflect changes. If some personal information is likely to change regularly, staff must check the records periodically to ensure that they are accurate, up-to-date, and complete.

Where a worker identifies client records that require update, they will request that the client updates this in the App. If this is not practicable, workers will report the record to their manager.

Security of personal information

Suitsme takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from:

• Misuse, interference, and loss

• Unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

Suitsme takes reasonable steps to de-identify or destroy personal information when:

• It is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was collected and allowed to be used or disclosed

• The information is not contained in a Commonwealth record

• Suitsme is not legally required to retain the information.

To ensure the security of personal information:

• Client and personnel records and other forms of personal information must only be accessed by authorised staff who require access for their duties.

• Unauthorised access may result in termination of employment with suitme. It may constitute a Notifiable Data Breach that has legal implications.

• All records containing personal information must be destroyed securely or de-identified in accordance with the Record Retention and Disposal Schedule

Access to personal information

Suitsme provides access to an individual’s personal information, on request, unless an exception applies (as outlined below)

Verify identity

Suitsme must be satisfied that a request for personal information is made by the individual concerned, or by another person who is authorised to make a request on their behalf (e.g. a legal guardian or authorised agent). If Suitsme gives access to the personal information of another person, this could constitute an unauthorised breach of privacy.

Timely response

While in practice it is likely to be much quicker, Suitsme must respond to a request for access within 30 calendar days of receipt of the request. Suitsme must respond by giving access to the requested information, or by notifying refusal to give access. If there is a justifiable reason for delay (e.g. need to clarify scope of request, or to locate and assemble the requested information, or to consult a third party), Suitsme must contact the individual to explain the delay and provide an expected timeframe for finalising the request.

Exceptions to requests for access

The Australian Privacy Principles outline circumstances when a request for access can be declined, including when:

• the information relates to a current or former employment relationship or the individual’s employee record;

• the information relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings between the organisation and the individual, and would not be accessible by the process of discovery in those proceedings

• giving access would reveal the intentions of the organisation in relation to negotiations with the individual in such a way as to prejudice those negotiations

• giving access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals

• giving access would pose a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual, or to public health or public safety.

If a decision to refuse access is made, suitme must provide the individual with a written notice that sets out the reasons for the refusal and the complaint mechanisms available to the individual. The individual may have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner under the Privacy Act. After investigation, the Commissioner may determine that Suitsme failed to comply with Australian Privacy Principles and require that Suitsme give access.

Method of access

Suitsme must give access to personal information in the manner requested by the

individual if it is reasonable and practical to do so. The manner of access may include by email, phone, in person, hard copy, or electronic record.

Correction of personal information

Suitsme must take reasonable steps to correct personal information it holds about an individual if the individual requests that it be corrected. When personal information is used or disclosed, staff may need to correct it before use or disclosure if it is satisfied the information is inaccurate, out-of-date, incomplete, irrelevant, or misleading.

Direct Marketing

Suitsme will only use or disclose an individual’s personal details for direct marketing when:

• Suitsme collected the personal information directly from the individual and the individual would reasonably expect their personal information to be used or disclosed for direct marketing

• the individual has consented to their personal information being used or disclosed for direct marketing or

• it is impractical to get the individual’s consent to their personal information being used or disclosed for direct marketing

When Suitsme uses or discloses an individual’s personal information for direct marketing, Suitsme will:

• Provide the individual with a simple means of opting out of future direct marketing communications

• Give the individual information about how to opt out in each direct marketing communication (such as by including an obvious statement in the marketing material)

• If requested, stop using or disclosing an individual’s personal information for direct marketing within 30 days of the individual making the request, and

• If requested, tell the individual where you got their personal information from (unless this is not reasonable or practical). You must provide the individual with a response within a reasonable period of time – generally within 30 days of the request

Where Suitsme utilises a form of direct messaging (such as text or email) for direct marketing, Suitsme will ensure compliance with the Spam Act. This will include;

• Obtaining the individual’s consent prior to sending

• Clearly identifying Suitsme as the sender

• Including a clear unsubscribe option

Cross-border disclosure of personal information

Suitsme does not disclose information to any overseas recipient

Privacy – data breaches

What is a data breach?

A data breach occurs when personal information held by Suitsme is lost or accessed or disclosed by an unauthorised person or in an unauthorised manner. A data breach may be caused by malicious action (by an external or internal party), human error, or a failure in information handling or security systems.

Examples of data breaches include:

• Loss or theft of physical devices that contain personal information (e.g. laptops)

• Unauthorised access to personal information by an employee

• Inadvertent disclosure of personal information due to human error, e.g.an email sent to the wrong person

• Disclosure of an individual’s personal information to a scammer, due to in adequate identity verification procedures

A data breach may result in serious harm to the individual whose personal information was breached. Examples of serious harm include:

• Financial fraud including unauthorised credit card transactions or credit fraud

• Identity theft causing financial loss or emotional and psychological harm

• Physical harm or intimidation

What is a notifiable data breach?

The Notifiable Date Breach Scheme in Part IIIC of the Privacy Act requires Suitsme to notify affected individuals and the Privacy Commissioner when:

• There is a data breach; and

• The data breach is likely to result in serious harm to any of the individuals to whom the information relates; and

• Suitsme has been unable to prevent the likely risk of serious harm with remedial action.

What to do if there is any breach of privacy or data breach

If any data breach occurs, it must be treated as a critical incident and escalated and investigated in accordance with Suitsme’s Risk Management process

The breach must be escalated to the CEO to ensure Suitsme can respond to the breach as required by the Privacy Act.

Informed consent

Consent and confidentiality are fundamental rights that must be available to all people accessing services. Suitsme obtains consent via the App before collecting information, disclosing personal information or providing services.

To provide informed consent, clients need to understand:

• What services Suitsme can provide

• Conditions for accessing Suitsme’s services, including client rights and responsibilities

• How personal information is managed by Suitsme

• The extent and limits of client confidentiality

• The right to change and withdraw consent at any time, and

• The consequences of withdrawing consent

Clients have a choice about whether to access Suitsme’s services. Without consent, Suitsme is not able to deliver services. Clients are encouraged to discuss with carers and other stakeholders prior to providing informed consent.

Clients must be provided with enough information to make an informed decision and must also be capable to do so. Capability to provide informed consent includes, for example, clients who do not have diminished capacity requiring a Guardian or Power of Attorney and must be over 18 years of age or assessed as a mature minor.

Consent for sharing information

Clients are provided with information about the how Suitsme manages information securely and the extent and limits of confidentiality.

Suitsme obtains written permission before any personal information is provided to or obtained from an external organisation, the public, a client’s carer or family member.

Extent and limits of client confidentiality

Clients are informed of the limits of confidentiality. Suitsme has a duty of care and in some cases a legal responsibility to inform relevant parties to ensure the safety and wellbeing of individuals and the public, as outlined under the Australian Privacy Principles

Mature minors and consent

Under the WA Mental Health Act 2014 a young person in Western Australia under the age of 18 years can be considered competent to provide their consent to be referred to and to participate in a mental health service.

The number of young people requiring such assessment by Suitsme is relatively small and the assessment, undertaken using the Gillick Principle, is considered a specific skill set. Suitsme recognise that to meet the requirements of all legislative and client expectations in this area, the assessment of a young person’s ability to make these decisions are largely subjective. Therefore, all such cases must be assessed and signed off by a manager.

In determining if a person aged 16 to 18 years of age can provide consent, managers need to consider:

• The age of the child (anyone aged under 18 years is legally a child)

• The child's history of making their own decisions

• The length of time the child has been living independently (if applicable)

• The child's cognitive functioning, i.e. presence or absence of any decision making or psychiatric impairment, or drug/alcohol use that may affect the child's ability to understand the implications/impact of decisions being made

• The child's level of understanding of the matter and the likely consequences of any decisions made

• What the child is consenting to (e.g. consenting to discuss their personal relationship problems versus to consenting to medical treatment or to live away from home).

Legal guardianship and consent

Some clients have an enduring power of attorney, enduring power of guardianship, or an administration order through the State Administrative Tribunal. Suitsme ask clients if this is the case on entry to a service, via the App.

If power of attorney or guardianship or administration order are identified, consent forms are required to be completed by the nominated guardian. Consent forms signed by clients on a Guardianship Order are not considered legal documents because the individual has been assessed as incapable of providing informed consent.

Definitions

Personal Information

Information about an identified individual, or an individual who is reasonably identifiable. Common examples are an individual’s name, signature, address, telephone number, date of birth, medical records, bank account details, and opinion about the individual (e.g., notes in staff or client records).

Sensitive Information

A type of personal information that includes information about an individual’s race or ethnic origin, political opinions, memberships of a political association, professional or trade association or trade union, religious or philosophical beliefs or affiliations, sexual orientation or practices, gender identity, genetic or biometric information, health information, and criminal record.

Informed Consent

The process for providing clear understandable information for individuals about service options and disclosure of information, so they can make decisions in their interest; obtaining permission before providing services or disclosing personal information; permission granted with full knowledge of possible risks and benefits.

Confidentiality

The legal and ethical obligation not to disclose information to a third party when that information has been provided in confidence.

Confidential information

Information about an individual that the individual can reasonably expect not to be disclosed and which has not already been made public.

I don’t want support from Suitsme anymore, what do I do?
We really hope that this is because you have achieved your goals and no longer require support.

If you are leaving Suitsme because you are unhappy with your services, we would love to talk to you so we can make things better. You can find out more about how to give feedback or make a complaint here.
 

Suitsme does not require a notice period if you wish to cease services. If you decide to leave Suitsme and change provider, then please contact Suitsme to let us know.

If you get a new plan and change provider:

• Contact Suitsme to let us know. If you don’t contact us then we will contact you to confirm that you no longer require support from us. 
• Let us know if there is any information that you would like us to pass on to your new provider. 
• Nothing needs to be updated in the app or on the NDIS portal.

If you change provider mid way through a plan:
You have a couple of options here

1. You can contact Suitsme and let us know. We can make the required changes in the app and on the NDIS portal
2. You can cease services using the app and the NDIS portal by following these steps:

• Cancel any booked sessions in the app
• Reduce your budgets in the app, either to $0, or just enough to cover any remaining sessions (and transport)
• If your funding is self or plan managed, that’s all you need to do. 
• If your funding is NDIA managed, go to the NDIS portal and either end your service booking, leaving enough to cover any remaining sessions you have booked.
• Someone from Suitsme will still try to contact you to get feedback about your experience with Suitsme and how we could do better.