Privacy Policy

Our client’s privacy and confidentiality are important to us. We respect your rights to privacy under Australia’s Privacy Act 1988 (the “privacy act”) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APP’s), which was introduced in 2014. We aim to meet the privacy acts requirements in respect of the collection, use and disclosure of your personal data.

The purpose of Collecting and Holding Client Information

A client’s personal information is gathered and used for the purpose of providing psychological services, which includes assessing, diagnosing and treating a client’s presenting issue. Psychologists are bound by the APHRA psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Code of Ethics to maintain accurate and detailed documentation of client sessions and contact. Personal information is retained in order to document what happens during sessions, and enable the psychologist to provide a relevant and informed psychological service.

Type of information collected

In order to provide high quality psychological services, Erin Todd Psychology will collect the following information from clients or referrers. As a base, the following information will likely be collected.

·       Name, address, date of birth

·       Contact details

·       Current and past medical information

·       Your family medical history to the extent that it may inform current services

·       Your educational and occupational history

·       Your personal psychological history

·       Your current psychological symptomology and experiences

·       Legal history

All of the above material is used to inform accurate assessment, diagnosis and develop treatment plans for Erin Todd Psychology. Not having this information may result in a service that is sub-optimal or mean that a psychological service is not able to be supplied to the client.

How information is collected

A client’s personal information is collected in a number of ways during psychological consultation with Erin Todd Psychology, including when the client provides information directly to Erin Todd Psychology, using hardcopy forms, online forms, correspondence via email, when the client interacts directly with Erin Todd Psychology, and when other health practitioners provide personal information to Erin Todd Psychology, via various methods, including referrals, correspondence and medical reports.

How information is stored

Client records are stored in secure electronic storage via Client Management Software which is accessible by authorised employees and contractors of Erin Todd Psychology. The Client Management Software is also at times accessible by the software provider support staff to assist with technical issues with the software.

Online Counselling

Unfortunately, there is no complete secure transmission of information over the internet, so we cannot guarantee complete privacy through these methods of communication (e.g. online counselling, email communications). To help manage this issue, we use an industry standard software called Zoom, which has a secure and encrypted video platform. For more information about Zoom, please see www.zoom.us. Users of this website, and online counselling should note and acknowledge the inherent risks, and know that the information you share with us could be accessed or tampered with by a third party, and release us from any and all claims arising out of the use of such intercepted information in any unauthorised manner. Users should therefore make your own assessment of the potential risk to the security of their information.

Request for access and Collection of Client information

At any stage clients may request to see and correct the personal information about them kept on file. The psychologist may discuss the contents with them and/or give them a copy, subject to the exceptions in the Privacy Act 1988. If satisfied that personal information is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken in these circumstances to ensure that this information is corrected. All requests by clients for access to or correction of personal information held about them should be lodged with Erin Todd. These requests will be responded to in writing within 28 days, and an appointment will be made if necessary, for clarification purposes.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Clients personal information will remain confidential except when:

1.       It is subpoenaed by a court, or disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law; or

2.       Failure to disclose the information would in the reasonable belief of Erin Todd place a client or another person at serious risk of life, health or safety; or

3.       The client’s prior approval has been obtained to:

a.       Provide a written report to another agency or professional e.g. a GP or a lawyer; or

b.       Discuss the material with another person e.g. a parent, employer, health provider or third-party funder; or

c.       Disclose the information in another way; or

d.       Disclose to another professional or agency (e.g. your GP) and disclosure of your personal information to that third party is for a purpose which is directly related to the primary purpose for which your personal information was collected.

A client’s personal information will not be used, sold, rented or disclosed for any other purpose.

Contact by Erin Todd Psychology

Erin Todd Psychology may like to stay in contact with you at times by email in the future, to send you information and marketing communications about services, as well as tip sheets, strategies or activities that we consider may be of interest to you. You may unsubscribe from receiving any marketing communications from us at any time. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications from us, please contact us, or opt-out through the ‘Unsubscribe’ link provided.

Psychologist Duty of Care

All psychologists of VUP are guided by the Australian Psychological Society’s (APS’s) Code of Ethics (2007). The APS Code of Ethics (2007) can be obtained from Erin Todd Psychology, or from the APS Website (psychology.org.au).

The Charter for Clients of APS Psychologists explains your rights as a client and can be viewed at www.psychology.org.au/Assets/Files/APS-Charter-for-clients.pdf.

The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is responsible for the registration of psychologists throughout Australia. Through AHPRA, and under National Law, there are requirements for registered health practitioners to make mandatory notifications to prevent the public from being placed at risk of harm. Revised guidelines took effect from 17th March 2014.

Concerns

If clients have a concern about the management of their personal information, they may inform Erin Todd via email (erintodd.psychology@gmail.com). They can obtain a copy of the Australian Privacy Principles, which describe their rights and how their personal information should be handled. Ultimately, if clients wish to lodge a formal complaint about the use, or disclosure of, or access to, their personal information, they may do so with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (www.oaic.gov.au).

Other agencies that concerns or complaints can be directed to are:

·       Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (www.ahpra.gov.au)

·       The Australian Psychological Society (www.psychology.org.au).

Contact

If you have any questions about our privacy policy, or anything else associated with our services, please contact us via the regular email (erintodd.psychology@gmail.com) or use the contact form on this website.