Megan Henderson Psychology is committed to protecting your privacy and and complying with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (Privacy Act) and other relevant state laws about the management of personal information. Our Privacy Policy applies to the personal information we handle about clients, prospective clients, visitors to our website www.meganhendersonpsychology.com.au    users of services we provide and members of the public. Our Privacy Policy should be read together with our Terms & Conditions. By accessing our website or using our services, you agree to be bound by the terms of our Privacy Policy.

Meanings

References to “Megan Henderson Psychology”, “Dr Megan Henderson”, “we”, “us” and “our” are references to Megan Henderson Psychology ABN 34 401 625 415. References to “you” and “your” are references to any individual about whom we collect personal information.

Personal Information

What personal information we collect about you

At Megan Henderson Psychology, we collect personal information essential for delivering psychological services. This includes your name, contact details (phone number, email address, and residential address), date of birth, health history, current conditions, and details of psychological assessments and treatment plans. We also gather information about family history, social supports, and other personal information collected as part of providing the psychological service.

When you enquire about our services, we may collect additional personal information to determine our suitability for your needs and to provide relevant information or resources. This includes sensitive details collected during appointment bookings and throughout the course of treatment, such as your address, emergency contact information, and Medicare details. We may also collect your bank account details and details of third parties involved in the management or funding of your appointments, for the purposes of managing payment arrangements.

We may also collect information from healthcare professionals who refer clients to us or provide services to our clients. This includes details like your name, medical specialty, position, and contact information.

As a psychological service provider, we may collect sensitive information related to your mental health and well-being. This information is handled with the highest level of confidentiality and care. We obtain your informed consent before initiating services, and you have the right to withdraw consent at any time. Without necessary identifying information, we may not be able to provide you with psychological services.

For any questions regarding the collection and use of your personal information, please contact us.

How we collect your personal information

We collect personal information through various channels to effectively provide psychological services. This includes direct interactions during psychological consultations, completion of hardcopy or electronic questionnaires and forms, and communications via telephone and email or via out website (www.meganhendersonpsychology.com.au). We also gather information from referrals and reports from other health practitioners, as well as school-based information (if relevant) such as academic reports and NAPLAN results to support the assessment and treatment process.

Personal information is collected in several ways: directly from you during consultations or through forms and correspondence, and from other health practitioners via referrals and medical reports. We aim to collect information directly from you whenever possible, whether through phone interactions, in-person meetings, written documents, or online communications through our website, or email. Megan Henderson Psychology does not have a social media account.

In some cases, we may collect personal information indirectly from sources such as your GP, other healthcare professionals, government agencies, carers, legal professionals, or individuals responsible for your healthcare decisions. If you wish to share information that includes identifiable details about another person, you must obtain their permission and inform them about our Privacy Policy.

How we store your personal information

Megan Henderson Psychology collects and stores your personal information in electronic form. We hold your personal information securely on our patient management system (Cliniko). Some information may be collected in paper-based documents which may be converted to electronic form and the original paper copy destroyed in a secure manner when we no longer need it. Personal information retained in paper-based documents is stored in locked file cabinet in Port Macquarie, NSW. This ensures the protection and confidentiality of your clinical records.

We must keep timely, accurate, current, and complete case notes and records of psychological services consistent with the APS Code of Ethics (2007) and our professional and legal obligations. We are legally required to store clinical records for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last entry in your record or if you are a minor until you attain or would have attained 25 years of age.

How we protect your personal information

We ensure that your personal information is kept secure and is only accessible to authorised personnel. We take reasonable steps to protect the security of the personal information we hold, by:

  • Implementing physical security measures for both paper and electronic data storage, such as locks and security systems, and continuously enhancing these protections as needed.
  • Employing security protocols for electronic data, including firewalls, passcodes, and two-factor authentication where available.
  • Taking steps to securely destroy or de-identify your personal information when it is no longer required.
  • Conducting regular privacy and data security audits to verify our compliance with these security practices.

Despite these efforts, please be aware that no data transmission over the internet or information stored on internet-accessible servers can be guaranteed as fully secure. Additionally, we cannot ensure the security of personal information once it is in your possession, such as paper-based reports or emails sent to you.

Why we collect your personal information

We collect your personal information to effectively provide psychological assessments, diagnoses, and treatments, as well as to manage communications about your appointments and treatment plans. This information also helps us handle billing and administrative tasks, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, and enhance the quality of our services.

Specifically, we use your personal information to assess our suitability as a service provider, deliver psychological services, send appointment reminders, provide treatment resources, process billing and entitlements, and respond to your inquiries and feedback. Maintaining accurate and complete information is crucial for the effectiveness and safety of our services. If you have concerns about the information we request, please inform us.

Disclosure of your personal information

At Megan Henderson Psychology, all personal information collected during the provision of psychological services is treated as confidential. However, there are specific circumstances where disclosure may occur: if required by law (such as in response to a subpoena or legal order), if there is a reasonable belief that failing to disclose would pose a serious risk to someone’s safety, or if the client has given prior written consent for sharing information with other parties such as a GP, school, or legal representative.

For clients accessing services under the Better Access Scheme, consent to share information with the referring professional is required, including at the beginning of treatment, at the request for additional sessions, and at the conclusion of treatment. Personal information may also be disclosed if it is necessary to prevent a serious threat to life or health, or to comply with legal obligations.

Personal information may also be shared with Megan Henderson Psychology staff for administrative purposes or with trusted third parties for services such as IT and data security, without being used, sold, or rented for other purposes. Personal information is not disclosed to overseas recipients, unless you consent, or such disclosure is otherwise required by law. Your personal information will not be used, sold, rented, or disclosed for any other purpose.

In the case of young clients (under 18 years old), while confidentiality is maintained, exceptions include mandatory reporting requirements for suspected child abuse or neglect, as regulated by relevant legislation. The confidentiality of young clients will be upheld, except where disclosure is legally required or where it is necessary to protect the young person’s safety.

For any questions about the handling of your personal information, please contact us.

Access and correction of your personal information

You have the right to access and request corrections to your personal information held by Megan Henderson Psychology. If you believe your information is inaccurate or outdated, you can make a request in writing. We will respond to your request within 30 days. To ensure the security of your information, we may require you to verify your identity before processing your request.

Access to your personal information may be restricted under certain circumstances, such as when providing access could pose a risk of harm to you or others. In such cases, we must notify you in writing with an explanation for the refusal. If you are a client, access to your personal information will typically be provided through a scheduled appointment with the psychologist responsible for your file. Please note that these appointments are billed at the current private sessional rates and must be paid at the time of the appointment. We do not provide copies of clinical records without a court subpoena due to the sensitive nature of the information, which may be harmful if reviewed without professional guidance.

If you request access or correction through an authorised representative, such as a lawyer or guardian, we will require evidence of their authority and may ask for your informed consent before releasing any information.

We strive to ensure that the personal information we hold is accurate, current, and complete. If you identify any inaccuracies, you can request corrections. If we are unable to correct the information, you may ask us to attach a statement explaining why you believe the information is incorrect. If we make a correction and the incorrect information has been disclosed to others, we will inform those parties of the correction, unless there is a valid reason not to.

All requests for access or correction should be addressed to Megan Henderson Psychology. If necessary, an appointment may be arranged to clarify any details.

Consequence of Not Providing Personal Information

If you choose not to provide the personal information required by this Privacy Policy, Dr. Megan Henderson may be unable to offer psychological services effectively, and therefore may not be in a position to provide the psychological service to the client.

In some cases, you may request to be anonymous or to use a pseudonym. This option is generally impractical and may not be feasible if it conflicts with legal requirements or the need for accurate identification. In most cases, anonymity or the use of a pseudonym will not be possible.

Failure to provide the requested personal information may, therefore, impact our ability to deliver appropriate psychological services.

Concerns or Complaints

If you have any concerns regarding the management of your personal information or believe there has been a breach of privacy obligations, please contact us directly. We are committed to addressing your concerns according to our established complaints handling procedures.

You can raise your concerns by contacting us in writing. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint promptly and investigate the matter, aiming to provide a response within 30 days. If necessary, we will take appropriate steps to resolve the issue.

If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may escalate the matter to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. You can reach them by phone at 1300 363 992, online at www.oaic.gov.au, or by mail at Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5218, Sydney, NSW 2001. Additionally, a copy of the Australian Privacy Principles is available upon request, outlining your rights and how your personal information should be managed.

Other agencies to which clients may bring complaints are as follows:

Data Breach Protocol

In the event of unauthorised access, disclosure, or loss of personal information, Dr. Megan Henderson will promptly activate its data breach response plan and use all reasonable efforts to minimise any risk of consequential serious harm.

If a data breach occurs that is likely to result in serious harm to you or others, we will thoroughly investigate the incident and notify you as well as the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as required by the Privacy Act. Our aim is to ensure that any breach is handled with the utmost care to protect your personal information and address any potential risks.

Please see OAIC for further information about National requirements: https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/notifiable-data-breaches/.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any updates will be posted on our website. We encourage you to review the policy regularly to stay informed about how your personal information is handled. The most current version of our Privacy Policy can be found at www.meganhendersonpsychology.com.au/privacy.

Further Information

For further information on your privacy rights go to: www.privacy.gov.au

Contact Us

For any questions, concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, or requests for access or correction please contact us in writing at:

Dr Megan Henderson

Megan Henderson Psychology
info@meganhendersonpsychology.com.au

 

Last updated: September 2024.

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