Elizabeth Neal Psychology
Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
Our practice is committed to best practice in relation to the management of sensitive information we collect about you and your family. This practice has developed a policy to protect your privacy in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (‘the Privacy Act’). Our policy is to inform you of:
the kinds of information that we collect and hold is likely to be ‘health information’ for the purposes of the Privacy Act;
2. What kinds of personal information do we collect?
The type of information we may collect and hold includes:
3. How do we collect and hold personal information?
We will generally collect personal information:
4. Why do we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information?
In general, we collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information for the following purposes:
to provide the best possible health service to you;
to communicate with you in relation to the health service being provided to you;
to comply with legal obligations which may be enacted such as a court subpoena;
to help us manage our administrative services;
to communicate with others involved in your healthcare such as doctors and other allied health professionals;
5. How can you access and correct your personal information?
6. How do we hold your personal information?
Our staff are trained and required to respect and protect your privacy. We take reasonable steps to protect information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Information is stored in paper and electronic form. All reasonable steps are taken to keep your information stored safely and securely, such as:
7. Privacy in the waiting room
While we like to offer a comfortable waiting room atmosphere, our priority however is to protect the privacy of clients in session. Some steps we have taken to ensure this is to ask clients to arrive just a couple of minutes prior to the time of their session and to leave the building as soon as realistically possible after the session.
8. Anonymity and pseudonyms
We believe it is impracticable to deal with patients using a pseudonym as the provision of services is likely to be impacted.
9. Updates to this Policy
This policy will be reviewed from time to time to take account of new laws and technology, changes to our operations and other necessary developments. Updates will be publicised on the practice's website www.northsidetherapy.com.au
10. Website, email and text messaging
The email addresses @elizabethneal.com.au are for the purpose of making an appointment enquiry. The form submitted via this email address provides the opportunity to complete your name, email, phone number and message to enable the enquiry to be handled by the appropriate clinician. It is advised that no further personal information be sent to this email address. If you are uncomfortable about sending information via this email form please contact the practice via phone. Text messaging is purely for the purpose of making or changing an appointment.
11. Contact details for privacy related issues
To contact us regarding privacy related issues please call our practice on 0416 567 769 or via mail at:
Privacy Officer
Elizabeth Neal Psychology
Suite 4, 141 Victoria Road
Drummoyne NSW 2047
12. Privacy related questions and complaints
If you have any questions about privacy-related issues or wish to complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles or the handling of your personal information by us, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You may lodge your complaint in writing to (see below for details). We will normally respond to your request within 30 days.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may refer the matter to the (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) OAIC:
PH; 1300 363 992
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 02 9248 9666
Post: GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001
Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au/individuals/how-do-i-make-a-privacy-complaint
Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
Our practice is committed to best practice in relation to the management of sensitive information we collect about you and your family. This practice has developed a policy to protect your privacy in compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (‘the Privacy Act’). Our policy is to inform you of:
the kinds of information that we collect and hold is likely to be ‘health information’ for the purposes of the Privacy Act;
- how we collect and hold personal information;
- the purposes for which we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information;
- how you may access your personal information and seek the correction of that information;
- how you may complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles and how we will deal with such a complaint;
2. What kinds of personal information do we collect?
The type of information we may collect and hold includes:
- your name, address, date of birth, email and contact details;
- relevant family information such as family history, details about your child /children if applicable;
- notes of your presenting concerns, symptoms or diagnosis and the treatment given to you;
- reports from medical practitioners, school counsellors, occupational and speech therapists and other health professionals;
- any other information about your race, sexuality or religion if applicable;
3. How do we collect and hold personal information?
We will generally collect personal information:
- from you directly when you provide your details to us. This might be via a face to face discussion, telephone conversation, text messaging, registration form or online form;
- if you are under 18, we may collect information from a person responsible for you
- from third parties where the Privacy Act or other law allows it - this may include, but is not limited to: other members of your treating team, specialists, allied health professionals and hospitals.
4. Why do we collect, hold, use and disclose personal information?
In general, we collect, hold, use and disclose your personal information for the following purposes:
to provide the best possible health service to you;
to communicate with you in relation to the health service being provided to you;
to comply with legal obligations which may be enacted such as a court subpoena;
to help us manage our administrative services;
to communicate with others involved in your healthcare such as doctors and other allied health professionals;
5. How can you access and correct your personal information?
- You have a right to seek access to, and correction of the personal information which we hold about you.
- We will normally respond to your request within 14 days.
- We may may decline a request for access to information if the Privacy Act requires us to do so, or if the request does not meet with our governing body guidelines.
- Access to your information is likely to occur in the context of a standard 1 hour counselling session by appointment. This would be charged at the standard fee for a one hour session. If a Mental Health Care Plan is in place the session may be claimable under medicare. Some clients may be able to claim the session through their health fund.
6. How do we hold your personal information?
Our staff are trained and required to respect and protect your privacy. We take reasonable steps to protect information from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Information is stored in paper and electronic form. All reasonable steps are taken to keep your information stored safely and securely, such as:
- Case files and information are stored in a locked filing cabinet;
- The file room remains locked at all times and requires staff to enter a pin number for entry;
- Information and reports kept on computers require password access;
- Our staff are registered with a governing body such as the Australian Psychological Society and are ethically and legally required to uphold the confidentiality policy and procedures of their relevant association.
7. Privacy in the waiting room
While we like to offer a comfortable waiting room atmosphere, our priority however is to protect the privacy of clients in session. Some steps we have taken to ensure this is to ask clients to arrive just a couple of minutes prior to the time of their session and to leave the building as soon as realistically possible after the session.
8. Anonymity and pseudonyms
We believe it is impracticable to deal with patients using a pseudonym as the provision of services is likely to be impacted.
9. Updates to this Policy
This policy will be reviewed from time to time to take account of new laws and technology, changes to our operations and other necessary developments. Updates will be publicised on the practice's website www.northsidetherapy.com.au
10. Website, email and text messaging
The email addresses @elizabethneal.com.au are for the purpose of making an appointment enquiry. The form submitted via this email address provides the opportunity to complete your name, email, phone number and message to enable the enquiry to be handled by the appropriate clinician. It is advised that no further personal information be sent to this email address. If you are uncomfortable about sending information via this email form please contact the practice via phone. Text messaging is purely for the purpose of making or changing an appointment.
11. Contact details for privacy related issues
To contact us regarding privacy related issues please call our practice on 0416 567 769 or via mail at:
Privacy Officer
Elizabeth Neal Psychology
Suite 4, 141 Victoria Road
Drummoyne NSW 2047
12. Privacy related questions and complaints
If you have any questions about privacy-related issues or wish to complain about a breach of the Australian Privacy Principles or the handling of your personal information by us, please don’t hesitate to contact us. You may lodge your complaint in writing to (see below for details). We will normally respond to your request within 30 days.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may refer the matter to the (Office of the Australian Information Commissioner) OAIC:
PH; 1300 363 992
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 02 9248 9666
Post: GPO Box 5218
Sydney NSW 2001
Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au/individuals/how-do-i-make-a-privacy-complaint