Privacy Policy

At Bruce Psychology, we are dedicated to safeguarding the privacy and confidentiality of all personal information collected from our clients. Our practices comply with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) outlined in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 (Cth).

Collection of Personal Information

We collect personal information from clients to enable the delivery of psychological services. This information may include:
• Name, address, and contact details
• Date of birth, gender, and occupation
• Medical, mental health, and family history
• Encrypted credit card details securely stored on file
• Any other information relevant to the provision of psychological services
Personal information is collected only with the client’s consent and through lawful means.

Use and Disclosure of Personal Information

Personal information gathered by Bruce Psychology is used or disclosed solely for the purpose for which it was collected, unless otherwise required or authorised by law.

We may share relevant information with other health professionals involved in a client’s care, as well as with Medicare or private health insurance providers for billing and rebate purposes.

We will not disclose personal information to any third party without the client’s consent, except where disclosure is required by law.

Data Security

Bruce Psychology takes all reasonable measures to protect clients’ personal information from unauthorised access, misuse, modification, or disclosure. Security safeguards are in place to ensure information is handled safely and responsibly.

Access and Correction

Clients have the right to access and request corrections to their personal information held by Bruce Psychology. All requests should be directed to the Practice Manager.

Complaints

If you wish to make a complaint regarding the handling of your personal information, please contact the Practice Manager to obtain a copy of our Complaints Handling Policy.

Contact Us

For any questions or concerns about this privacy policy or how we manage personal information, please contact the Practice Manager.

Non-Emergency Service Policy

Bruce Psychology operates as a private practice and unable to offer phone support between scheduled sessions. Consequently, we are not equipped to provide services for high-risk clients. Please be aware that our practice does not accommodate Emergency Appointments, nor do we function as a crisis centre.

It is important to note that Bruce Psychology’s phone support remains unavailable between sessions. In situations requiring additional appointments, clients are kindly encouraged to schedule extra sessions with their designated psychologist. In the event that our capacity is at its maximum, clients have the option to be placed on a cancellation list for the potential availability of additional appointments. However, we would like to emphasise that in cases of emergency, immediate action should be taken by contacting 000 or the emergency department at your local hospital.
For your convenience, please find alternative contacts below:

Emergency Situations:

– Dial 000 for immediate emergency response services or visit the emergency department at your local hospital.

Additional Support Helplines:

To connect with your local public mental health service, please call 1300 MH CALL (1300 64 22 55).

– Seek a referral to an appropriate service by contacting your local General Practitioner (GP).

– Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
– Kids Helpline (for those under 25): 1800 55 1800
– Ngala Parenting Line: 08 9368 9368 or 1800 111 546
– Domestic Violence Information Line: 1800 811 811
– Lifeline: 13 11 14
– Mensline Australia: 1300 78 99 78
– Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

Your well-being is of utmost importance, and we encourage you to seek the appropriate assistance from the resources listed above in the event of an emergency or if you require immediate support. Bruce Psychology is dedicated to providing quality care within the scope of our practice, and your safety and welfare remain paramount.

Cancellation Policy

In the event that you find it necessary to cancel or reschedule your appointment, we kindly request that you promptly contact our reception. You may do so by telephone, leaving a voice message, or by sending an email as soon as possible. Your understanding and cooperation in this matter are greatly appreciated.

We highly value you as a client and also respect the valuable time of our clinicians. If, for any reason, you are unable to attend your scheduled appointment, we kindly ask that you notify us before the 48-hour window, and whenever possible, in advance. This advance notice allows us to extend the opportunity for the consultation to another client in need.
It is important to recognize that a late cancellation or a missed appointment affects three parties:

1. The client who cancels, who experiences a delay in their therapy progress.
2. Another client who may have been awaiting an urgent appointment and remains on our waitlist.
3. The clinician, who invests time in preparing for each session.

To assist in maintaining your appointment schedule, we send an email and an SMS text reminder four days prior to your scheduled appointment, and another reminder is sent 24 hours prior. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to stay informed about your scheduled appointments.
Cancellation fees are as follows for late cancellations, or ‘No Shows.’ It is important to note that cancellation fees are not claimable under Medicare or Private Health Insurance:

– Under 48 Hours’ Notice: Full Fee Charged
– Over 48 Hours’ Notice: No Charge

In the event that a client cancels consecutive appointments or fails to provide any communication regarding their appointments, we reserve the right to cancel future appointments. This policy is implemented to ensure that we can make these appointments available to other clients on our waiting list.

Regarding ‘No Shows’ or non-attendance, if a client fails to attend an appointment without prior contact with the clinic, we reserve the right to cancel all future appointments at our discretion.

We greatly appreciate your understanding of these policies, which enable us to provide the best possible service to all our clients. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Your commitment to your therapy journey is sincerely valued.

Payment Policy

Bruce Psychology is a private clinic.

New Clients: A $100 deposit must be paid at time of booking for initial appointments.

Ongoing Therapy Clients: Full payment is required at the time of the appointment. We are unable to book further appointments until the account is settled. Clients run the risk of their appointments being removed/cancelled due to unpaid accounts. We are not a Bulk Billing Service. We have EFTPOS, Medicare, Private Health claim facilities and we accept cash.

Assessment Clients: A $500 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your assessment date. The remaining amount is due 7 days prior to the assessment appointment.

Late Payment Fees

Any late payments run the risk of a 5% late fee being applied to the service fee per each week the payment has not been made. If we do not receive payment or make multiple attempts to contact you for payment with no success, we will refer your account to our debt collection service.
Non-payment will result in service termination and debt collection.

Request for Reports & Assessments

Full payment is required when a report is requested in order for us to proceed. We do not start the assessment process or report writing process until the requested report is fully paid for.

Medicare Policies

If you are referred under a Mental Health Care Plan, please note that if you are late to an appointment, you may not be able to claim a Medicare rebate. This is as per Medicare’s Item Number policies.

Medicare Expired Referrals

It is the responsibility of the client or parent of child clients to ensure that the referral is valid if you wish to receive a Medicare Rebate. Please ensure you check with Medicare how many sessions you have used or keep track of this yourself.

Shared Parental Responsibility/ Parental Court Orders

In cases involving children, we extend a warm welcome to the participation of both parents. It is important to note that, in the absence of court-issued directives, both parents possess the authorisation to attend appointments.
Should you possess a court-issued mandate stipulating shared parental responsibility, we will secure consent from both parents before commencing therapy sessions. This ensures that we adhere to legal requirements and uphold the best interests of the child.

Confidentiality and Release of Information

We value our client’s privacy.

We are guided by Privacy Laws and do not release any information without Informed Consent for our client or unless subpoenaed by a Court of Law.

When a third party contacts our clinic and requests information, this message is conveyed.

In the case of separated families, we encourage both parents to be involved when possible unless a Court Order has stated otherwise. However, it is not our role to share information relating to appointments or to take a mediator role between parents.

We believe children have the right to have access to a safe place to share their feelings and thoughts that is safe.

Confidentiality of Young People

The Australian Psychological Society has ethical guidelines for psychologist working with young people in child and adolescent mental health. Young person means a child under the age of 18 years. The following are the legal and ethical considerations for psychologists when working with young people and are based on extracts from the APS guidelines.

All personal information is subject to the Privacy Act of 2002.

All client records are kept securely.

Informed Consent is required

Information on diagnosis and intervention suggestions is provided to the referring practitioner (GP, psychiatrist, paediatrician)

Confidentiality is needed between children, and adolescent and their psychologist. This means that the parent will not be told from the psychologist information shared by the child/adolescent. However, this is discussed further with the child and adolescents, in most cases a general overview of what was covered may be provided (e.g., today we focused on helpful thoughts, strategies to increase mood etc) where deemed appropriate. This is discussed in your first session with the psychologist. Clinicians will encourage a teenager to talk with their parent but will break confidentiality only when the child’s safety is at risk.

Payment Methods

– EFTPOS Machine (credit or debit cards)
– Cash
– Payment online via link or at time of booking online
– Bank Transfer

We do NOT offer Bulk Billing.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Our team is committed to delivering services within a secure and psychologically safe environment. We hold a duty of care not only to our team members but also to all clients who access our services, ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone involved. As part of maintaining this environment, we do not tolerate antisocial behaviour. Any individuals found engaging in the following conduct will regrettably be denied services at our clinic:

Our practice policy dictates that we maintain the right to refuse service to anyone displaying:

1. Abusive Behaviour: This includes but is not limited to aggressive verbal communication, yelling, insults, slamming doors, written threats, and any aggressive non-verbal behaviours.
2. Intimidation or Humiliation: Any conduct that intimidates, humiliates, or involves threatening emails or actions.
3. Harassment: Any intimidating or harassing behaviour directed towards our team members or other clients.
4. Threats: Any form of verbal or nonverbal aggression directed towards our team members or other clientele is strictly prohibited.
5. Unrealistic Demands: Persistent or unrealistic demands that result in stress to our staff will not be accepted.
6. Property Damage or Theft: Causing damage or stealing from the practice’s premises, staff, or patients. Any actions resulting in property damage.

We maintain the unequivocal right to refuse service to individuals who compromise the physical or psychological safety of our staff. Our commitment is to foster a kind and welcoming environment, and there is no justification for aggressive behaviour.

We emphasize: There is absolutely no excuse for abusive or threatening behaviour.

THERE IS ZERO TOLERANCE FOR ABUSE!