Privacy policy

Policy for the Management of Personal Information

All MPC services are bound by the legal requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

Client information

Over the course of treatment at the Psychology Clinic, information is gathered that allows the psychologist to make an informed professional decision as to the most appropriate assessment and treatment methods to be used. This information will include basic demographic data (e.g. name, date of birth, address, etc), as well as other information that is deemed relevant. This will usually include the following:

• the nature of the problem for which you are presenting
• areas of behaviour related to the presenting problems
• a history of the presenting problem
• a family history of relevant information
• other information deemed necessary to make an informed clinical judgement about the nature of the presenting complaint and other relevant factors.

Disclosure of personal information

Generally, all information gathered over the course of assessment and treatment at the Psychology Clinic remains confidential. There are several notable exceptions, however, to this confidentiality:

• All provisional psychologists at the Clinic discuss their case load with an experienced Clinical Psychologist in a supervisory relationship. Information on the nature of the case is shared with the provisional psychologist’s supervisor;
• In the event that the psychologist forms the professional opinion that either the client, or another individual is a risk for significant harm, a moral obligation may exist to act on this information with the aim of preventing such harm;
• In the event that a file is subpoenaed to court;
• In the event that a written Record Release Authority is provided with the client’s signature.

Requests for access and correction to client information

All requests for access to personal information should be done in writing and lodged with the Clinic Director. These requests will be responded to in writing within 28 days and should be specific as to the exact information required.

Concerns

Official complaints or requests to change inaccurate or erroneous information should be made to the Clinic Director for investigation. Further complaints about the disclosure of, or access to, personal information, can be dealt with by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints/lodge-a-privacy-complaint-with-us