Privacy Policy

​R.G Psychology and Assessments, ABN: 15 505 482 504, (“us”, “we”, or “our”) respects the importance of privacy and your right to understand how your personal information (“data”) is collected, used, and handled. Our Privacy Policy aligns with the Australian Privacy Principles as set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and applies to our website and services provided by us.

 

Key terms:

• Personal Information: Any identifiable information which might include, but is not limited to, your name, address, and contact information (such as your phone number and email address)

• Sensitive Information: Information which might include, but is not limited to, a person’s racial or ethnic background, gender identity, and health information.

 

Collection of information

To provide services to you, we collect Personal Information, such as your contact details, including your name, email address and contact phone number, your payment and billing information (such as credit card details) which we use to bill you for the services and to process your payments. We may also collect details of conversations we have with you or any other information relevant to us.

 

Through our website and services, we collect information that is often not personally identifiable, such as IP addresses, browser type and other information relating to the device through which these online services are accessed.

 

With your consent, R.G Psychology and Assessments also collects Sensitive Information about you, such as medical and health history and reports, psychology and school reports, referrals, and medication information. This information is necessary for us to provide psychological assessment and treatment to you.  

 

Access and use of your information

At any stage, you are entitled to access the information about you kept on file unless the relevant legislation provides otherwise. Requests by clients to access, or correct, personal information should be lodged with R.G Psychology and Assessments via email. Such requests will be responded to in writing within 21 days and the psychologist will make an appointment if necessary for clarification purposes.

 

We encourage you to maintain the accuracy of information provided to us and update us where changes may affect service provision (for example, contact number or change of address).

Information gathered as part of the assessment and therapy process is seen only by authorised employees at R.G Psychology and Assessments.

 

Consequence of not providing personal information

If you do not wish for your personal information to be collected in the way outlined within this policy, R.G Psychology and Assessments may not be in a position to provide psychological services. In some circumstances, clients may request to be anonymous or to use a pseudonym. However, in most cases, it is not possible to be anonymous or use a pseudonym as R.G Psychology and Assessments is required and/or authorised by law to deal with identified individuals.

 

Separated parents

In situations where both parents have legal responsibility for a child/dependent, they are both able to request and access information about the psychological services provided by R.G Psychology and Assessments. Please note, however, it is a parent’s obligation to advise us of the current family situation, including the disclosure of pending or upcoming Family Court proceeding and providing copies of Court Orders.

 

When your information will be shared

All personal information gathered by R.G Psychology and Assessments during the provision of the psychological service (therapy or assessment) will remain confidential and secure except where:

1. It is subpoenaed by court, or

2. Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious and imminent risk, or

3. Your prior approval have been obtained to:

   • provide a written report to another professional or agency (e.g. a teacher, paediatrician, or GP), or

   • discuss the material with another person (e.g. a parent, or other healthcare provider)

4. You would reasonably expect your personal information to be disclosed 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 and service provided, or

5. Disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law. 

 

R.G Psychology and Assessments will not divulge your attendance, either previously, currently, or planned in the future, to anyone else without your permission. Your privacy rights are outlined in the National Privacy Principles (2000). 

 

Telehealth

Telehealth consultations are facilitated via Zoom which is compliant with the Australian standards for online security and encryption. While we use secure platforms to protect your privacy, there are still potential risks associated with telehealth, such as technical difficulties. The privacy of any form of communication via the internet is potentially vulnerable and limited by the security of the technology used.

For telehealth consultations, you will need to ensure you have a quiet, private space, use an appropriate device (such as a smartphone, laptop, computer, or tablet with a camera and microphone) and have a reliable internet connection.

 

Security and storage

We will take reasonable steps to protect your Personal Information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access and modification or disclosure. We use commercially reasonable physical, technical, and administrative measures to protect Personal Information that we hold, including, where appropriate, password protection, encryption, and SSL to protect our Site.

 

Despite taking appropriate measures to protect your Personal Information used and collected by us, please be aware that no data security measures can guarantee 100% security all the time. We cannot guarantee the security of any information transmitted to us via the internet and such transmission is at your risk.

 

Client files are securely stored either electronically or in a locked filing cabinet during service provision. When service provision is complete, all client files are digitised and stored electronically on a secure Australian-based server.

 

Personal and Sensitive Information is kept to document what happens during sessions and enables the psychologist to provide the psychological service. R.G Psychology and Assessments is required to keep all client files for a period of at least 7 years (for clients aged 18 years and over) or until a child/adolescent client turns 25 years old.