Confidentiality and Privacy

Confidentiality and privacy are related but distinct concepts. Confidentiality is a legal and ethical obligation: when you share information with a treating practitioner, that practitioner is bound to keep it confidential. Privacy is a broader right - it refers to the expectation that your personal information is not shared, disclosed, or used for purposes you have not consented to, such as marketing or promotions.

Both obligations are taken seriously at this clinic and are described in more detail below.

Confidentiality

Everything you share during sessions is treated as confidential. Information disclosed in the context of clinical work is held under a legal and ethical duty of confidentiality and will not be shared with third parties without your knowledge and consent, except in the circumstances described below.

When confidentiality may be breached

There are specific circumstances in which a practitioner has a duty of care that may require disclosing information, even without your consent. These include:

• Risk of harm to yourself or others - if there is a serious and imminent risk that you or another person may be harmed, the clinic has a duty of care to act on that information. While not always legally mandated to report in every circumstance, it is the policy of this clinic to respond as if mandatory reporting obligations apply whenever a serious risk is identified.
• Child protection concerns - practitioners in Victoria are mandatory reporters under the Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic). If there are reasonable grounds to believe a child is at risk of significant harm, this must be reported to the appropriate authority.
• Mental health and safety - the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 (Vic), which commenced 1 September 2023, provides a framework for situations where a person's mental health creates a risk to their safety or the safety of others and intervention may be required.
• Legal requirements - a court order or other lawful direction may compel the disclosure of clinical records or information.

Communication with other health professionals

Where you have a Mental Health Care Plan or are engaged with other treating professionals, it may sometimes be necessary to share basic clinical information - such as attendance, progress notes, or a summary report - with your GP or other treating practitioner. This will only occur with your knowledge and consent. If you have questions about what is shared and with whom, please ask at any time.

Privacy

Privacy in Australian law has been described as the right of individuals to protect their personal life from unwarranted intrusion and to control the flow of their personal information. It is not an absolute right and must be balanced against other competing rights and duties, but it is a right this clinic takes seriously.

The following legislation governs the handling of personal and health information in the context of this clinic's services:

• Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) - governs the collection, use, and disclosure of health information in Victoria
• Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities Act 2006 (Vic) - enshrines the right to privacy and the protection of personal information
• Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) - includes provisions relating to the privacy of children and families in welfare and child protection contexts
• The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles - federal legislation governing the handling of personal information, including sensitive health data

This clinic does not share or sell any individual or group information to third parties for commercial purposes. Personal details such as your name, phone number, or email address are not used for marketing unless you have specifically requested or authorised this. All information is collected, stored, and handled in accordance with the applicable law.

For full details of how the clinic collects, stores, and handles personal data - including information collected through the website and online shop - please refer to the Privacy Policy.

Cancellation Policy

Consistency and regularity of appointments is important for achieving good treatment outcomes, particularly in neurotherapy where the brain benefits from repeated, well-spaced sessions. Intermittent attendance or frequent rescheduling can slow progress and make it harder to build the therapeutic relationship that underpins effective counselling.

It is understood that illness and unexpected events sometimes make it unavoidable to change or cancel an appointment. The following policy is in place to manage this fairly for all clients.

Notice required for cancellation or rescheduling

A minimum of 24 hours notice is requested for any cancellation or rescheduling. If sufficient notice is not received, a cancellation fee may apply to cover the lost appointment time, preparation costs, and income that cannot be recovered from that session. The full standard session fee applies to appointments cancelled or rescheduled with less than 24 hours notice, unless the circumstances are genuinely unavoidable.

Clinic-initiated changes

Every effort is made to honour scheduled appointments. In the event that an appointment needs to be rescheduled on the clinic's side - due to illness or an unforeseen circumstance - as much notice as possible will be given. This is expected to be rare.

Late arrival

If you are running late, please phone ahead where possible. Sessions will begin on your arrival and conclude at the originally scheduled end time, so that other clients are not inconvenienced. The full standard session fee applies regardless of arrival time.