Privacy Policy

Your Privacy Matters to Us

At The Psych Approach Clinic, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, respect, and confidentiality.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information in connection with our psychological services.

We are committed to complying with:

• the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs)

• the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) where applicable

• relevant professional obligations, including the standards and ethical responsibilities that apply to registered psychologists in Australia

Personal information refers to any information or opinion that identifies you or could reasonably identify you.

What Personal Information We Collect

We may collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for us to provide psychological services and manage our practice effectively.

This may include:

• your name, date of birth, address, phone number, and email address

• emergency contact details

• Medicare or private health fund details where relevant

• referral information from your GP, psychiatrist, or other healthcare providers

• clinical notes and records created during therapy

• psychological assessment results

• reports, letters, and other documents relating to your care

• payment and billing information

• correspondence between you and our practice

Where relevant, we may also collect information from a parent, guardian, caregiver, authorised representative, or other treating professionals involved in your care.

How We Collect Personal Information

We may collect personal information in a number of ways, including when you:

• contact us by phone, email, website form, or online enquiry

• book an appointment

• complete intake, consent, or registration forms

• attend therapy sessions

• communicate with us during the course of treatment

• provide information through telehealth or practice management platforms

Because we currently provide online services only, some information may be collected and stored through secure digital systems used to manage appointments, records, billing, and telehealth.

We may also receive information from third parties where relevant and authorised, such as:

• your GP, psychiatrist, paediatrician, or other health professionals

• a parent or legal guardian

• an authorised support person or caregiver

• Medicare, private health insurers, or NDIS-related parties where applicable

• other professionals involved in your care, with consent where required

Why We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information for two main purposes:

1. To Manage Our Practice

This includes using your information to:

• arrange and confirm appointments

• communicate with you about appointments or services

• process payments, invoices, Medicare claims, or rebates where applicable

• maintain administrative and business records

• respond to enquiries and provide client support

2. To Provide Psychological Services

This includes using your information to:

• assess your needs and provide appropriate care

• maintain clinical records

• prepare letters, reports, treatment plans, or referrals where appropriate

• communicate with other healthcare providers involved in your care, where authorised or required

If you choose not to provide information that is necessary for us to deliver services safely and appropriately, we may not be able to provide treatment.

Consent

By contacting us, submitting forms, booking an appointment, or engaging in services with The Psych Approach Clinic, you consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as described in this Privacy Policy.

Where required, we will seek your consent before sharing information with third parties, unless an exception applies under law or professional duty.

Privacy and Children

We provide services for children, adolescents, and young people, as well as parents and caregivers.

Privacy protections apply to clients of all ages. In some circumstances, a young person under 18 may be able to make decisions about their own privacy if they are considered mature enough to understand the nature and consequences of those decisions. This is assessed in accordance with professional judgment and legal requirements.

Where appropriate, parents or guardians may be involved in communication, consent, and care planning.

How We Use Your Personal Information

We may use your personal information to:

• provide psychological assessment, support, and treatment

• communicate with you about appointments, updates, or service-related matters

• send invoices, receipts, Medicare documentation, or practice correspondence

• improve our services and practice operations

• comply with legal, ethical, and regulatory obligations

We may contact you via:

• phone

• email

• SMS

• secure digital platforms

Confidentiality

Your personal information is treated as confidential and will generally only be used or shared for the purpose of providing services to you, unless:

• you have consented to the disclosure

• the disclosure is required or authorised by law

• there is a serious and immediate risk to your safety or the safety of another person

• mandatory reporting obligations apply

• records are subpoenaed or otherwise legally compelled

• disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health, or safety

In some cases, psychologists may discuss aspects of clinical work during professional supervision or consultation. Where possible, identifying details are limited or removed to protect your privacy.

Disclosure of Personal Information

With your consent, or where otherwise permitted or required, your personal information may be disclosed to:

• your GP, psychiatrist, paediatrician, or other treating health professionals

• a parent, guardian, or caregiver where appropriate

• Medicare or private health insurers for billing and claiming purposes

• NDIS-related parties where relevant

• accountants, auditors, insurers, legal advisors, or regulatory authorities where required

• technology providers that support secure practice systems and service delivery

We do not sell your personal information.

If our business structure changes in the future, personal information may be transferred as part of that process where permitted by law and subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.

Telehealth, Practice Systems, and Third-Party Providers

As The Psych Approach Clinic currently operates online only, we use secure digital systems to manage appointments, communication, records, and telehealth services.

These service providers may include software used for:

• appointment scheduling

• intake and consent forms

• invoicing and payments

• telehealth consultations

• secure note-taking and record storage

These providers are only given access to information reasonably necessary for them to provide their services.

Suggested optional clause if you want to name your software:
The practice may use platforms such as [insert software names here, e.g. Halaxy, Zoom, Heidi, NovoPsych, Stripe, Cliniko, etc.] for secure service delivery and administration.

Storage and Security of Personal Information

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

This includes the use of:

• secure digital practice systems

• password-protected platforms and devices

• restricted access to client records

• appropriate administrative, physical, and electronic safeguards

While we take reasonable precautions, no online transmission or electronic storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If an eligible data breach occurs, we will respond in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

Website Use, Cookies, and Online Enquiries

When you visit our website, certain technical information may be collected automatically, such as browser type, device information, and pages visited. This helps us understand website usage and improve the user experience.

Our website may use cookies or similar technologies. You can usually disable cookies through your browser settings, although this may affect how the website functions.

If you submit an enquiry through our website, the information you provide will be used to respond to your enquiry and, where relevant, assist with appointment booking or service delivery.

Our website may also contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those external sites.

Social Media

If you interact with us through social media platforms, those platforms may collect and handle your information according to their own privacy policies.

We recommend that you avoid sharing sensitive personal or clinical information through public social media channels.

Accessing and Correcting Your Information

You may request access to your personal information or ask us to correct inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated information.

Requests can be made by contacting The Psych Approach Clinic using the contact details below.

We will respond to requests within a reasonable time, subject to any legal or professional limitations. In some cases, an administrative fee may apply for access requests where permitted.

We may decline access in certain circumstances where allowed by law, including where access may pose a serious risk to health or safety, unreasonably impact another person’s privacy, or where legal restrictions apply.

Complaints and Privacy Concerns

If you have a question, concern, or complaint about how your personal information has been handled, please contact us first so we can try to resolve the issue.

The Psych Approach Clinic
Email: [insert email address]
Phone: [insert phone number]
Address: [insert business or mailing address]

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the relevant privacy or health complaints authority, including:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: 1300 363 992

Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria)
570 Bourke Street, Melbourne VIC 3000
Phone: 1300 582 113

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to our services, systems, legal obligations, or professional requirements.

Any updated version will take effect when published on our website.