Our Privacy Policy

During the provision of our psychological services, we collect and store client information comprising of personal details (including your name, email address, date of birth, contact number), emergency contact details, Medicare details, billing details (including credit/debit card details), referral information, correspondence from referrers and other interested parties, assessment results, reports, case notes, and other information relevant to the service provided. Where appropriate and clinically indictive, we will also collect sensitive client health information such as medical history and medication schedules.

Client information is gathered through enquires submitted through our website, authorised third parties (e.g., GP, lawyer, allied health service provider, schools), intake and/or consent forms, and correspondence received by our employees or psychologists via telephone, emails, writing, or in-person.

We are committed to ensuring the security and privacy of client information, and in so doing take reasonable steps to protect the information from misuse, loss, or unwarranted disclosure by maintaining up to date security measures.

Client information is stored in three ways: in a secure electronic cloud-based practice management software, in an internal electronic cloud-based server, and/or in a locked filing cabinet on our premises. All cloud-based software stores information within Australia. Client information can only be accessed by authorised employees who are aware of, and bound to, the Privacy Act and this policy. Administration staff have access to all client information, excluding case notes, which each treating practitioner is responsible for storing securely.

Your personal information is collected and used for providing and documenting the psychological service we provide. Client information is used solely for the purposes for which it was originally collected, or for reasons associated with its original collection purposes, unless stated otherwise within this policy or at the time of collection. This includes administrative purposes such as arranging appointments, taking payments, communication purposes, facilitating correspondence between your treating psychologist and referrer (or other interested party).

Unless encrypted on our electronic practice management software, billing details are only collected and retained for the time necessary to facilitate over-the-phone payments, after which point, they are destroyed and disposed of.

Your de-identified personal information may be used by us to create our own internal marketing and engagement statistics, identify client demand, assist our client’s needs, and improve our services.

Under the following circumstances, we may be required to disclose your personal information:

• To adhere with a legal requirement or if subpoenaed by a court.

• Where failing to disclose personal information, according to the professional judgement of your treating psychologist, would pose a serious risk to yours, or another person’s, life, health, or safety.

• After obtaining your informed consent we may disclose your personal information to provide a letter or report to another service provider or organisation (e.g., GP, specialist physician, allied health professional, lawyer, authorised third party), to discuss or share some personal information with someone else (e.g., parent, family member, carer, employer), or to disclose information in another way (e.g., email, in-writing).

• We will disclose personal information to protect the rights, property, or safety of RS Psychology’s employees, associates, clients, or third parties.

Choosing Not to Disclose Personal Information

While you are not obliged to provide us with your personal information, not doing so may impact our ability to provide psychological services to you.

Dara Retention

Psychologists must retain adult client information for 7 years after the client’s last session and until child or adolescent clients reach 25-years-old. Once it is no longer necessary to retain client information, the psychologist will permanently delete client information from our secure cloud-based practice management software, and paper files will be shredded on-site.

We will not disclose or sell your personal information to third parties without your informed consent. We do not disclose client information to third parties except in the event that such disclosure provides necessary information to services you are engaged with, granted we have obtained your prior informed consent.

Occasionally, it will be necessary for us to modify our privacy policy in light of new laws, guidelines, technologies, and/or changes to our own procedures. All updates to our privacy policy will be effective immediately and all personal information we hold will be handled according to our most recent privacy policy. The most current version of our privacy policy will be posted to our website, and we encourage you to regularly revisit our website for updates.

You may request the release of your personal information to another practitioner or interested party. Your psychologist will review your request, and, in most cases, release your information accordingly, taking into account any legal or ethical considerations. We will ask you to complete a transfer or records consent form, and standard service fee charges may apply to account for time necessary to prepare your file and any accompanying letters or reports.

You may request access to any personal information we hold about you by writing to us. Your treating psychologist will review your request, and we will endeavour to respond to you in a timely manner. In most circumstances, you will be provided access to the personal information, including health information, we hold about you, except where legal or ethical requirements prevent us from doing so.

Similarly, you may change or amend your personal details at any time by advising us in-writing, via email, over the phone, or in-person.

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints regarding our privacy policy, or wish to discuss the use of your personal information, please contact us on 0416 981 082 or admin@rspsych.com.au and we will endeavour to respond to your enquiry in a timely manner.

For further information regarding your privacy, please visit: www.privacy.gov.au

‍ ‍