Client Policies

Privacy Policy For Management Of Personal Information

A privacy policy is in place at That Psychology Guy for the purposes of managing a client’s personal information. The psychological service provided is bound by the legal requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988.

Client Information

As part of providing a psychological service to your child, your psychologist (Anthony Ross of That Psychology Guy) will need to collect and record personal information from you and from your child that is relevant to the child’s current situation. In addition, your psychologist may also need to collect and record information from other professionals who have previously worked with your child. Such professionals may include the child’s general practitioner, paediatrician, mental health / allied health / other health professionals, school staff and others. The information is gathered as part of the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of the client’s presenting problem, and is seen only by your psychologist. The information is retained in order to enable your psychologist to provide a relevant and informed psychological service. The amount of personal information disclosed to your psychologist is under your control, and permission does not have to be given to contact other professionals. However, having a fuller understanding of the situation will assist your psychologist in providing a quality service.

Information Collection, Storage, And Access

Personal information is collected in a number of ways by your psychologist, including through verbal interaction, written or email correspondence, referrals, reports, and hardcopy or online questionnaires and forms. Client files are stored electronically and accessible only to your psychologist. The information on a client’s file includes personal information such as name, address, and contact details, as well as case notes, psychoeducational assessment data and reports, communication records and correspondence, and all other documentation relevant to the psychological service being provided. Raw data from psychoeducational assessments may be entered into and stored on separate secure online databases (controlled by the publisher of the assessment) for the purposes of scoring. At any stage you as a parent are entitled to request access to the information about your child that is kept on file, unless relevant legislation stipulates otherwise. Your psychologist will discuss appropriate forms of access with you, such as reviewing the contents with you or providing you with a copy of the information. Information access requests should be submitted to your psychologist and will be responded to in writing within 14 days. If information on file is inaccurate, outdated or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure the correction of information.

Confidentiality

All information gathered by your psychologist during the provision of the psychological service will remain confidential and secure except where:

  1. It is subpoenaed by a court.
  2. Failure to disclose the information would place the client or another person at serious and imminent risk of harm.
  3. Your prior approval has been obtained to discuss the material with (or provide a written report to) another professional, service or agency (e.g., the child’s doctor or school), or another person (e.g., parent or family member).
  4. If the disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.

Please note that wherever possible your psychologist will advise you in situations where information needs to be disclosed and will consult with you in order to discuss the processes to be undertaken for the disclosure.

Privacy Concerns

The Australian Privacy Principles describe client rights and how personal information should be handled.

https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles

If you have any concerns about the management of your child’s personal information, please discuss these with your psychologist. If you have concerns about the conduct of your psychologist with relation to the management of your child’s personal information, you may contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner about making a privacy complaint via the weblink below.

https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints

Informed Consent

Informed consent refers to the parent and their child being informed — understanding what service is going to be provided for the child; and also giving consent — giving permission for the proposed service to go ahead. Upon referral your psychologist will discuss with you a proposed method (or methods) of treatment or assessment and explain how this methodology may be of benefit to the client. Methods of treatment or assessment may also be adapted or changed over time. Psychological services will cease when there is an agreement between you and your psychologist that these services are no longer required. You have the right not to provide your consent for a proposed psychological service, or to withdraw your consent for that service at any time.

Charter For Clients Of Psychologists

All psychologists are legally required to be registered in Australia, which means that your psychologist (Anthony Ross of That Psychology Guy) is registered with the Psychology Board of Australia, under the Australian Health Practitioners Registration Agency (AHPRA). This ensures that your psychologist is properly trained and that you receive high quality, ethical service.

As a client of a psychologist, you have a right to expect that:

  • You will be treated with respect at all times.
  • Your cultural background and language tradition will be respected.
  • You will be given a clear explanation of the services you will receive.
  • You will be asked to give your consent for any service provided by your psychologist prior to the service commencing and as it progresses.
  • You will receive an explanation about the confidentiality of the service and the exceptional situations where your confidentiality may not be protected.
  • You will receive a clear statement about fees for your psychologist’s services.
  • There will be a discussion about the estimated number of sessions required to achieve your goals.
  • You will receive skilled and professional services from your psychologist.
  • There will be clear goals that you and your psychologist are working toward.
  • You can ask any questions about the service you are receiving.

Please note that this charter has been adapted from the “Charter for clients of APS psychologists” developed in 2015 by the Australian Psychological Society.

https://psychology.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/ethics-and-practice-standards/charter-for-clients

Rights Concerns

If you have any concerns about the management of your rights as a client of a psychologist, please discuss these with your psychologist. If you have concerns about the conduct of your psychologist with relation to the management of your rights as a client of a psychologist, you may contact the Psychology Board of Australia on 1300 419 495 or via the weblink below.

https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Notifications/Concerned-about-a-health-practitioner.aspx