COVID & Privacy Policy

We are mindful of concerns regarding Covid-19 and wanted to write to you to address any questions you may have. As practitioners in an allied health setting, we would like to reassure you that we are committed to the health and safety of all visitors and have put in place several measures as precautions.

No cancellation Fee Applies In the Event You Are Feeling Unwell.

Wellbeing Therapy Space requests that you:

do not attend your appointment face to face, if you are unwell with any cold, cough or ‘flu like symptoms. If you do attend with any such symptoms, you may be asked to return home.
adhere to any government policy in relation to quarantine or self-isolation
do not visit the practice for at least 14 days if you have returned from countries with outbreaks listed here even if you do not have any symptoms. Instead, organise a video session to allow us to continue continuity of care.

For those that attend our clinic we request that you;

use the hand sanitizer provided for you in reception
take your used tissues with you when you leave

What precautions have we implemented?

• Handwash/soap is available in all bathrooms.
• Hand towels are replaced daily.
• We wash our hands thoroughly between each appointment and will refrain from shaking hands.
• High frequency touch areas such as door handles therapy rooms are cleaned between each session.
• Tissues are available in our waiting area and in therapy rooms.
• Alcohol based hand sanitizer is available in reception.
• The high touch areas in the kitchen, reception and bathroom will be cleaned twice a day.

If your practitioner is unable to attend the session for any reason, we will advise you by email or phone at the earliest opportunity.

Further Resources:

National Health Service Information
Australian Government Department of Health

POLICY FOR MANAGEMENT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

This document describes the management of your information. The psychology service provided is bound by the legal requirements of the National Privacy Principles from the Privacy Amendment (Private Sector) Act 2000.

What COVID-related implications are there in terms of privacy?

In the event that our staff or any of our clients or visitors (as the case may be) contract Covid-19, we may be required to disclose names and contact details of people we have been in contact with to The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), as well as the nature of our contact. We will protect your privacy in as much as is possible, whilst giving necessary information.

Our commitment to you:
• We will take precautions and regularly review our health and safety procedures in order to protect our practitioners and clients.
• In the event that one of us are ill but fail to meet the criteria for testing, we will remain home for 14 days as advised by the The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) for Health Care Workers (HCW)
• In the event that any of our team contract Covid-19, they will self-isolate until they are confirmed clear of the virus and offer all sessions online if they are well enough.
• Please note that a practitioner will not work if they are not well enough, particularly if they have a cough, which can be disruptive to your session.
• In the event that we find out AFTER the fact that a client or colleague has had contact with someone with Covid-19, I will advise you, via email or phone and we will discuss whether in person or online sessions would be appropriate for you.
• We will be as informed as possible and direct you to suitable sources where your questions are outside of my expertise.

Psychological Service

As part of providing psychological services to you, I will need to collect and record personal information from you that is relevant to your current situation. This information will be a necessary part of the psychological assessment and intervention that is conducted. This information is seen only by the psychologist or other authorised administrative personnel. The information is retained in order to document what happens during sessions and enables the psychologist to provide a relevant and informed psychological service.

Client Information

Client files are held in a secure filing cabinet and on a secure firewalled database, which is accessible only to authorised employees. The information on each file includes personal information such as name, address, contact phone numbers and other information which is relevant to the psychological service being provided.

Access to Information

You may access the material recorded in your file upon request, subject to the exceptions in National Privacy Principle 6. The request must be serious, i.e. “The request must not be frivolous or vexatious”. All requests by clients for access to information held about them should be lodged with your counsellor. These requests will be responded to within 14 days and an appointment may be made if necessary for clarification purposes.

Confidentiality

All personal information gathered by me during the provision of the psychological service will remain confidential and secure except when:

It is subpoenaed by a court, or
Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at imminent risk, or
Your prior approval has been obtained to:
1. Provide a written report to another professional or agency, e.g. a GP or lawyer; or
2. Discuss the material with another person, e.g. parent or employer; or if disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.

Concerns

If you have a concern about the management of your personal information, please inform us. If you wish, you can obtain a copy of the National Privacy Principles, which describe your rights and how your information should be handled. Ultimately, if you wish to lodge a formal complaint about the use of, or access to, your personal information, you may do so with the Office of the Federal Privacy Commissioner on 1300 363 992, or GPO Box 5218, Sydney, NSW 1042.