Privacy Policy

The confidentiality of your information is held to be of the greatest importance, and Walters Green Clinical Psychology Practice (WGCPP) fully observes the Federal Privacy Laws and the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Queensland Information Privacy Act 2009, as well as adhering to the Australian Psychological Society (APS) Code of Conduct (2025).

This document describes the privacy policy of WGCPP for the management of your personal information.

The information collected includes your personal details such as name, address, and contact phone numbers. As part of providing a psychological service (e.g., assessment or treatment), we will also need to collect and record other personal information that is relevant to your current situation. This includes, keeping a record of what happens during sessions, any psychological tests you complete, and any information received from others, such as your GP, lawyer, or insurance company.

Your information is stored securely and accessed only by your Psychologist and the authorised staff or providers of the Practice, as required, in accordance with the Practice’s policies and procedures. The information we collect is stored securely in an Australian-based ‘cloud’ data storage service that complies with all relevant Australian privacy laws.

We will obtain your informed consent before collecting, using, or disclosing your personal information, except where otherwise permitted or required by law.

There are a number of ways your personal information is collected, including when:
• You provide information directly to your Psychologist in your session and in writing (e.g., letters,
email, text messages);
• You interact directly with employees of WGCPP such as our Administration staff;
• Other health practitioners, such as your GP, provide personal information to WGCPP through referrals, correspondence, and/or medical reports; and
• We receive personal information from other sources, such as lawyers, employers. or insurance companies through correspondence or reports.

Strict confidentiality is maintained except in the following circumstances:
a). You explicitly permit communication with another party (e.g., family member, guardian or carer);
b). You are considered to be at risk of harm to yourself or other/s;
c). The disclosure of information is required by Court order (e.g., subpoena);
d). When necessary to communicate with other health service providers involved in your care to ensure coordinated treatment, with your consent (e.g., your GP and/or Psychiatrist);
e). Third parties that may be paying for your attendance (e.g., employer, agencies such as WorkCover),
or request a report regarding your assessment or treatment (e.g., lawyer or insurance company); or
f). When it is required because the Psychologist must make a mandatory report on a concern.

Psychologists are required to consult and receive supervision from colleagues from time to time. If your information is shared in this context, all care is taken to deidentify your information in such a way that you remain anonymous.

Your personal information is gathered and used for the purpose of providing a psychological service to you. Your personal information is retained in order to document what happens during sessions, and enables your Psychologist to provide a relevant and informed psychological service to you.

We maintain records in accordance with APS and Psychology Board of Australia requirements, including a two-part patient file system that separates clinical and administrative information. Psychologists are required to keep your file for seven years from the date last seen or, if patients are under the age of 18 at the time of treatment, until they are aged 25 years. The file is disposed of securely thereafter.

You can request to access your personal information kept on file. Your Psychologist may discuss the contents with you and/or give you a copy, subject to the exceptions in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
There may be some exceptions that impact your ability to access the information, which are outlined in the relevant legislation. If you would like to access your information, please discuss it with us or you can request in writing. All written requests for access to information will be responded to in writing within 30 days as per the Privacy Act, and an appointment will be made if necessary for clarification purposes.

If your Psychologist is satisfied that your personal information is inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken in the circumstances to ensure that this information is corrected.

In the event that any unauthorised access, disclosure, or loss of your personal information occurs, WGCPP will activate its data breach plan and use all reasonable endeavours to minimise any risk of consequential serious harm.

If you have concerns about your privacy or how your information is handled, you are encouraged to discuss these with us. Upon request you can obtain a copy of the Australian Privacy Principles, which describe your rights and how your personal information should be handled. Ultimately, if you wish to lodge a formal complaint about the use of, disclosure of, or access to, your personal information, you may do so with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner:
• By phoning: 1300 363 992
• Online at https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints/lodge-a-privacy-complaint-with-us
• By post to: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5288, Sydney, NSW, 2001.

By engaging with WGCPP, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.