Privacy Policy

Current as of September 2024

Introduction

This privacy policy provides information to you, our patient, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our psychology practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary.

When you register as a patient of our practice, you provide consent for our psychology and practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.

Why do we collect, use, hold, and share your personal information?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding, and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits, and business processes (e.g. staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you includes your:
  • Names, date of birth, addresses, contact details
  • Medical information includes medical history, social history, family history, and risk factors
  • Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes
  • Health fund details

Dealing with us anonymously.

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.
  1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.
  2. During the course of providing medical services, we may collect further personal information from other treating healthcare professionals, as well as electronic transfer of patient records from your referring general practitioners.
  3. We may also collect your personal information when you send us an email, SMS, or telephone us.
  4. In some circumstances, personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:
    • Your guardian or responsible person
    • Other involved healthcare providers, such as specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals and community health services
    • Your health fund, Medicare, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, or paying third-party (as necessary)

When why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:
  • With third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as virtual administration, or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy
  • With other healthcare providers
  • When it is required or authorised by law (e.g. court subpoenas)
  • When it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent
  • To assist in locating a missing person
  • To establish, exercise, or defend an equitable claim
  • For the purpose of a confidential dispute resolution process
  • When there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information
  • During the course of providing medical services

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing medical services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances permitted by law) without your consent.

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our patients through research and analysis of our patient data internally.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms. This includes electronic records, referrals and reports.

Our practice stores all personal information securely. Our practice stores your information in electronic format through an Electronic Health Record System called Halaxy. This is protected information in a secured environment including the use of strong passwords, two-factor authentication and confidentiality agreements for all staff and contractors.

Virtual Reception and Confidentiality

Please note that our reception is virtual. All interactions and data handling processes are conducted confidentially and securely, in compliance with The Privacy Act 1988. We ensure that all virtual reception staff are trained to maintain the highest standards of privacy and confidentiality.

How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Our practice acknowledges patients may request access to their medical records. We require you to put this request in writing via email or fax and our practice will respond within a reasonable time of up to 30 days. There may be administrative costs involved with this request depending on the medical file and these costs will be advised to you prior to accessing these medical records.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to team@fellowpsychology.com.

How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure. Contact details for the practice include email team@fellowpsychology.com. You may also send your complaint in writing to Fellow Psychology, 3&5 Macquarie Street, Prahan VIC 3181 addressed to The Director. Our contact number is (03) 99640717. Your complaint will be handled with utmost care, and you will receive a reply within 30 days of receiving this complaint.

You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992. You may also contact the Health Complaints Commissioner on 1300 582 113 who may also assist you with any complaint query.

Privacy and our website

Please note that we do not collect your data through our website.

Policy review statement

This privacy policy will be reviewed on a six-monthly basis or in line with any changes to The Privacy Act 1988 or as advised by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC). We will notify you of any changes to this privacy act as soon as practical.