Purpose of this Policy
This privacy policy outlines how Hannah Myall handles prospective and current clients' personal information, in agreement with Australian Privacy Principles. By accessing Hannahmyall.com or engaging in services, you agree to be bound by this privacy policy.
Relevant Laws and other Documents
The psychological service provided is bound by the legal requirements of the Commonwealth Privacy Act 1988, the Australian Privacy Principles 2014 and the Australian Psychological Society – Code of Ethics (2007). The APS Code of Ethics (2007) can be obtained from the APS website (Psychology.org.au).
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) is responsible for the registration of psychologists throughout Australia. Through AHPRA, and under National Law, there are requirements for registered health practitioners to make mandatory notifications to prevent the public from being placed at risk of harm. Revised guidelines took effect from 17th March 2014.
What is personal Information?
Personal information means any information which may identify you. Sensitive information is personal information that may include details around your health, sexual orientation, religion, racial or ethnic origin or any criminal records.
What personal Information does Hannah Myall Collect?
In order to provide optimal psychological services Hannah Myall will need to collect information from clients or referring health professionals. However Hannah Myall will try to only collect personal information relevant to the service being provided. As a starting point the following personal information will most likely be collected from you when you make an enquiry or consent to services:
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Your name, address and date of birth.
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Your contact details including emergency contact
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Your current and past medical information.
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Any relevant family medical history which may inform your treatment
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Your educational and occupational history.
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Any Legal or offending history
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Government-related identifiers such as Medicare or DVA numbers
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Bank account details or details of third parties involved in the funding of your appointments e.g. insurers
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Details of referring healthcare professionals or those involved in your care
Following consent to services, the following personal information may also be collected to best support your treatment and care:
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Results from any previous and current psychological tests, assessments and questionnaires.
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Referral letters, reports, Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP), Eating Disorder Plan (EDP)
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Information related to your session notes; treatment plan and your response to treatment.
The above information is necessary to inform accurate assessment and intervention for all clients and to aid optimal treatment outcomes.
Why do we Collect your Personal Information?
Hannah Myall collects your personal information for the following reasons:
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To be able to provide optimal psychological services
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To be able to accurately assess whether psychological services are the most appropriate service for you to access
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To be able to communicate with you, for example to send you appointment reminders, resources, questionnaires or invoices
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To be able to assist you to receive any benefits or funding for you to access services
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To be able to respond to your enquiries, questions or feedback
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To be able to continuously update your records as needed
Information Provided by Third Parties
Hannah Myall may also require information from other individuals in your support team, such as a parent, carer or spouse or other healthcare professionals such as your GP. You will be informed of the information collected at all times and Hannah Myall will seek and obtain written informed consent ahead of contacting these individuals to retrieve any personal information.
Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
Hannah Myall will disclose personal information for the sole and primary purpose of providing you with the highest level of care. A common example of this is a written report which is sent to your referrer, in addition to others involved in your care, if relevant.
Please note that in some special circumstances Hannah Myall may be required by law to disclose personal information without your consent. This may occur to “lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual, or to public health or safety”. In addition disclosure may be required if requested by Australian law or a court/tribunal order.
Storage and Security of your Personal Information
Hannah Myall will take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference or loss, and from unauthorised modification, access or disclosure:
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Paper documents will be stored under lock
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Electronic information containing personal information listed above will be stored and backed up securely, in accordance with the APS Code of Ethics (2007)
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Once your personal information is no longer needed, reasonable steps will be taken to destroy or de-identify this
However Hannah Myall cannot guarantee that any electronic information stored on servers accessible through the internet can or will remain full secure. In addition there is no guarantee around the security of documents or reports containing personal information that may be provided to you.
Can you Access your Personal Information?
You have a right to access your personal information at any time. Such requests need to be put in writing for security and recording purposes and Hannah Myall must respond within 30 days.
Access to your personal information may be declined where it is legally entitled to do so. For example, where giving you access would put you or another person at risk of harm. In these circumstances Hannag Myall will notify you in writing explaining the reasons for the request refusal. If a person requests access to your personal information they will need to be an authorised representative such as a guardian or lawyer. Hannah Myall will ask them to provide evidence of their identity before releasing any information in addition obtaining informed consent from you.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
Hannah Myall may be required to make changes to this policy to reflect changes in the law or professional best-practice guidelines. All clients and referrers are encouraged to periodically review this policy to remain informed.
Feedback and Complaints
You have a right to make a complaint about the handing of your personal information. Complaints can be made via email at hello@hannahmyall.com. Hannah Myall will respond to reasonable complaints within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with your response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Full contact details for the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner can be found at www.oaic.gov.au.
This privacy policy is due for revision 12 months after the date of the last change (08/07/2023).