Privacy policy
How we collect, use and protect your information. Last updated: [date]
About this policy
Spoken Word Psychology respects your privacy. This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we look after it, and what your rights are. We follow the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles. [Confirm whether the Victorian Health Records Act 2001 also applies.]
Who we are: Spoken Word Psychology [legal business name and ABN], based in Melbourne's west and providing telehealth across Australia.
Contact: (03) 9021 1385 · admin@spokenwordpsychology.com.au
What information we collect
Your name, date of birth, address, phone number and email
Your Medicare, referral and private health details, if you use them
Information about your health, history and what you tell us in sessions
Our clinical notes and records of your care
Payment details, handled through our payment provider
Details about how you use our website
How we collect it
Mostly directly from you: when you book, complete intake forms, speak to our admin team, talk with your psychologist or contact us through the website. We may also receive information from your GP or another health professional who refers you.
Why we collect and use it
To provide psychological care and keep accurate records
To book and manage appointments and send reminders
To claim Medicare or private health rebates
To meet our legal and professional duties
To handle payments, complaints and insurance requirements
We only use your information for these purposes, or for a closely related purpose you would reasonably expect.
Who can see your information
Your psychologist and our admin team, who keep it confidential [confirm confidentiality agreements]
Other psychologists at Spoken Word Psychology, if involved in your care
Your GP or other health professionals, with your consent
Services we use to run the practice, including Halaxy (booking, records, billing), [payment provider], Squarespace (website) and [email provider]
Medicare and your health fund, to process claims
Supervisors or peers, only without identifying details, for professional consultation
Others where the law requires or allows it, such as serious risk of harm to you or someone else, a court order or mandatory reporting
We don't sell your information or use it for marketing.
Overseas storage
[Confirm with Halaxy, Squarespace and your other providers where data is stored, and say whether any is stored or accessed outside Australia.]
Our website
Our website may use cookies and analytics to understand how it is used. [Name the tools you use, or delete this.] The enquiry form on our website is not a secure way to send private information. Please don't include sensitive details, and use it for general questions only. Our website is not for urgent help. In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000), or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
How we keep it safe
We store records in secure, password-protected systems with limited access, and we use secure video for sessions. [Add what is true for you: multi-factor authentication, encrypted devices, secure disposal.] Our admin team is trained in confidentiality and privacy.
How long we keep records
We keep records for as long as the law and professional standards require. [Confirm the period for your situation.] After that, we securely destroy or de-identify them.
Seeing or correcting your information
You can ask to see the information we hold about you, or to correct it. Contact us on the details above. We may need to confirm who you are, and in limited cases the law allows us to refuse access. If we do, we will explain why.
Making a complaint
If you're concerned about how we've handled your information, please contact us first. We will respond within [30 days]. If you're not satisfied, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (oaic.gov.au) [and the Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria), if relevant].
If something goes wrong
If there is a data breach likely to cause serious harm, we will tell the people affected and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as the law requires.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy. The latest version is always on our website.