Purpose

1. Bronwyn Tough, Counselling Psychologist (“BTCP”) is committed to providing quality services to you. This Privacy Policy outlines BTCP’s ongoing obligations to you in respect of how your personal information is managed.
2. BTCP is bound by the legal requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (“APPs”). The APPs govern the way in which BTCP collects, uses, discloses, stores, secures and disposes of your personal information. A copy of the APPs may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.

Consent

3. By engaging BTCP, registering your details on the Website or by email or telephone, and/or using the Website or completing a client consent form, you implicitly agree with this Privacy Policy and consent to BTCP collecting, using and disclosing your personal information (including health information) for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy.

Personal information collection

4. BTCP collects personal information for the purposes of arranging appointments and delivering counselling services as well as communicating with you.
5. Your personal information is collected in a number of ways by BTCP, including enquiries made via the BTCP website, correspondence via email, when you interact directly with BTCP, when you provide information directly using hardcopy forms, and when other health practitioners provide personal information to BTCP, via referrals, correspondence and medical reports.
6. BTCP may collect and use information including, but not limited to:
(a) information such as name, address, contact phone numbers, medical history, billing and financial information, and other personal information collected as part of providing services;
(b) information about interactions carried out over this website (including but not limited to personal communications with BTCP and personal information that may include health related information); and
(c) any other information that you send or otherwise provide to BTCP.

Security of your personal information

7. BTCP is committed to ensuring that the information you provide is secure, however, the transmission and exchange of information is carried out at your own risk. BTCP cannot guarantee the security of any information that you transmit or receive.
8. Although BTCP takes measures to safeguard and protect your personal information, there is no guarantee that the personal information collected will not be disclosed in a manner that is inconsistent with this Privacy Policy. Suitable physical, electronic, and managerial procedures have been put in place to safeguard and secure information and protect it from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification, and disclosure including but not limited to:
(a) when your personal information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, BTCP will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify the information;
(b) your personal information is not disclosed to overseas recipients by BTCP unless you consent or such disclosure is otherwise required by law; and
(c) your personal information will not be used, sold, rented or disclosed for any other purpose by BTCP.
9. In the event that unauthorised access, or disclosure or loss of your personal information occurs, BTCP will activate data breach action procedures and use all reasonable endeavours to minimise any risk of consequential serious harm.

Disclosure of personal information

10. Your personal information will be accessible by BTCP and, to the extent necessary, any employees of BTCP.
11. Your personal information will remain confidential except when:
(a) it is subpoenaed by a court, or disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law; or
(b) failure to disclose the information would in the reasonable belief of BTCP would place you or another person at serious risk to life, health or safety; or
(c) your prior approval has been obtained, including to:
(i) provide a written report to another professional or agency, e.g., a GP or a lawyer; or
(ii) discuss the material with another person, e.g. a parent, employer or health provider; or
(iii) disclose the information in another way; or
(iv) disclose to another professional or agency (e.g. your GP) and disclosure of your personal information to that third party is for a purpose which is directly related to the primary purpose for which your personal information was collected.
12. BTCP may choose to discuss aspects of your situation and treatment with other psychologists to ensure that the service they provide is safe, ethical and competent. In order to uphold your confidentiality, no identifying information will be disclosed during these discussions.

Website

13. Please note, the following information may be accessed whilst using the BTCP website, in order to improve its efficiency for users: the type of browser you are using; the date and time of your visit; your top-level domain name (for example .com, .gov, .au, .uk etc); the address of the referring site; your server’s IP address; and the address of the pages accessed and any documents downloaded.
14. No attempt will be made by BTCP to identify users or their browsing activities, unless disclosure is required by law or due to a mandatory requirement of a Court, Governmental Agency or Regulatory Authority. BTCP may use the information only for statistical analysis or systems administration purposes.

Links

15. The BTCP website may contain links to other websites, services or offers which are owned, operated, or maintained by third parties. Clicking a link will direct you to that third website or service. The fact that the BTCP website links to another website or service is not an endorsement, authorisation, or representation of BTCP’s affiliation with that third party, nor is it an endorsement of their privacy or information security policies or practices.
16. BTCP encourages our users to be aware, when they leave our website, to read the privacy statements of each website that collects personally identifiable information.

Cookies

17. The BTCP website may use “cookies”. A cookie is a small file placed in your web browser that collects information about your web browsing behaviour. Use of cookies allows a website to tailor its configuration to your needs and preferences. Cookies do not access information stored on your computer or any personal data (e.g. name, address, email address or telephone number). Most web browsers automatically accept cookies but you can choose to reject cookies by changing your browser settings. This may, however, prevent you from taking full advantage of the BTCP website.
18. In the course of serving advertisements to the BTCP website (if any), third-party advertisers or ad servers may place or recognise a unique cookie on your browser. The use of cookies by such third-party advertisers or ad servers is not subject to this Privacy Policy but is subject to their own respective privacy policies.

Requests for access and correction to client information

19. At any stage you may request to see and correct your personal information kept on file. BTCP may discuss the contents with you and/or give you a copy, subject to the exceptions in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). If satisfied that personal information is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken in the circumstances to ensure that this information is corrected.
20. All requests for access to, or correction of personal information held about you should be lodged with BTCP in writing. These requests will be responded to in writing within 20 days.

Policy updates

21. BTCP may change this Privacy Policy at any time. Please return to this website periodically to review the Privacy Policy.

Contact

22. If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or BTCP’s treatment of your personal information, please write by email to: connect@perth-psychologist.com.au.