Relate Psychology Privacy Policy

Personal Information​

Relate Psychology may collect personal and sensitive information necessary for providing psychological services. Personal information identifies you and may include your name, contact details, and other relevant information. Sensitive information may include, for example:

·       Location and emergency contact details

·       Medical history, mental health history, or criminal history

·       Sexual orientation

·       Bank or Medicare details

All personal information is collected mindfully and lawfully in accordance with relevant legal requirements.

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Purpose of Collecting Personal Information

Your information is collected to:

• to book an appointment for you whether via email or over the phone (using only enough personal information to effectively respond to your request);

• to contact and communicate with you about your appointment (using only enough personal information to effectively respond to your request);

• to enable your referring doctor to refer you to us and/or book an appointment for you;

• to register you as a client

• to check you in at my practice;

• for internal record keeping;

• for administrative purposes including invoicing and billing purposes;

• for online assessment purposes, if required;

• to enable you to access and use my website and trusted associated applications and platforms; and

• to comply with our legal obligations and resolve any disputes that we may have

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The information on each file may include personal information such as:

• name, address, contact phone numbers, email addresses and other contact details;

• initial intake information, therapy notes, reports (i.e., diagnostic reports, NDIS plans, other professionals’ reports), completed surveys, copies of information recorded on the whiteboard in session, copies of written homework activities, all correspondences related to the client (email, SMS, logged phone calls);

• medical history, medications, adverse events, social history, family history, referral letters and details of other health service providers involve in care;

• Medicare number, healthcare and/or health fund details;

• financial payment details (such as credit card number);

• legal documents (such as Family Law Court Orders, Apprehended Violence Orders, etc.)

• any other personal information collected as part of providing the psychological service.

Any printed out hard-copy files are digitally converted, securely stored digitally and then are shredded (security level P4) at the end of the working day so that no physical copies of client information exist.

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Disclosure of Personal Information

Confidentiality and Use of Personal Information

All personal information collected during psychological services is confidential and secure. It will generally only be used for the purpose it was collected, including:

• Maintaining contact details and clinical records

• Providing psychological services

• Processing payments and managing billing​

 

Other Disclosures (Legal, Consent, or Safety Requirements)

Your information may also be disclosed:

1. When required by law or to protect safety

   • If subpoenaed by a court or required by law

   • If withholding information would place you or another person at serious and imminent risk

2. With your consent

   • To provide reports to other professionals or agencies (e.g., GP; for Medicare referrals, reports at 6 and 10 sessions)

   • To discuss information with another person (e.g., employer or spouse)

3. Other lawful purposes

   • To other healthcare providers when necessary for the delivery of healthcare services

   • Where otherwise required or authorised by law

Your psychologist has a legal and ethical responsibility to maintain confidentiality for all services, whether face-to-face or via telehealth.

Personal information may also be used or disclosed for purposes reasonably expected by you, or as permitted by the Privacy Act, such as obtaining professional advice, audits, or legal compliance.

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Disclosures to Third-Party Service Providers (Confidential Use Only)

We may share personal information with certain trusted third-party service providers who perform specific functions on our behalf, such as: IT support, secure data storage, payment processing, or administrative tasks. These providers:

• Only receive the minimum information necessary to perform their role

• Are prohibited from using or sharing your information for any other purpose

• Are required to comply with confidentiality and security standards consistent with Australian privacy legislation

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Personal information retention

Your personal information is only kept while it is required for the purpose for which it was collected or as required by law. It will then be securely destroyed or de-identified. Health records are kept for a minimum of 7 years since the last time you we provided you a health service. When I destroy your health record, I keep a note of your name, the date the file was destroyed, and the time period the record covered. This is to comply with the Health Record Act 2001 (VIC). 

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Third-Party Services Used for Clinical Care and Administration

To provide safe, efficient, and high-quality care, Relate Psychology uses several secure third-party platforms. These services assist with administration, assessments, and clinical documentation. Each service complies with the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

I may disclose your personal information to the following services only as required to provide psychological care:

 

1. Halaxy (Practice Management Software)

Purpose: Appointment management, clinical records, secure correspondence.
Security:
• Uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) with data stored in Australia.
• Employs strong encryption, security protocols, and multi-layered protection.

Privacy & Security Information:
• Halaxy Privacy Policy: https://www.halaxy.com/article/privacy
• Halaxy Security Statement: https://www.halaxy.com/article/security
• AWS Data Privacy: https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/australia-data-privacy/

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2. NovoPsych (Online Assessments & Questionnaires)

Purpose: Delivery and scoring of psychological questionnaires used in your treatment.
Security:
• Complies with the Australian Privacy Principles.
• Uses secure Australian servers and encrypted data handling.

Privacy & Security Information:
• NovoPsych Security & Privacy: https://novopsych.com.au/security/

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3. NovoNote (Clinical Note-Taking Tool)

Purpose: Converts session audio in real time into a clinical summary to support accurate record-keeping and engagement in session.
Security & Compliance:
• Developed by NovoPsych (Australia).
• Complies with APPs, AHPRA requirements, and HIPAA standards.
• Uses industry-level encryption.
• Audio is not stored—it is processed temporarily, transcribed, and then deleted.
• Data is stored on secure Australian servers.
• No data is used for AI training.

Privacy & Security Information:
• NovoNote Security Page: https://novopsych.com.au/novonote-security/

Your Control:
• You may choose not to use NovoNote.
• You can withdraw consent at any time by advising your psychologist.

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4. Coviu (Telehealth Platform)

Purpose: Coviu is used for secure video consultations for Telehealth sessions.
Security & Compliance:
• ISO 27001 certified information security management.
• HIPAA compliant.
• ST4S compliant for Australian schools.
• End-to-end encrypted where supported, with no call data (audio, video, images, documents) stored after the session.
• Data is not sold or commercialised.

More Information:
• Coviu Privacy & Security: https://www.coviu.com/en-au/compliance-and-security

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5. ProtonMail (Secure Email Service)

Purpose: Relate Psychology uses ProtonMail for all email communication, including administrative messages such as scheduling, practice information, and links to forms.

Security & Compliance:
• End-to-end encryption for emails in transit and at rest.
• Data is stored exclusively on servers in Switzerland or Germany, protected by some of the world’s strongest privacy laws.
• Includes advanced security protections such as 2FA, link protection, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and device-level encryption.
• Proton does not scan emails for advertising or sell data.

More Information:
• ProtonMail Privacy Policy: https://proton.me/mail/privacy-policy

Client Use of Email

Although ProtonMail is highly secure, email by its nature, is not suitable for sensitive or personal mental health information. Clients are encouraged to use email only for administrative matters and to consider the privacy of their own devices, networks, and workplace systems when choosing what to send. Emails can be forwarded, copied, or accessed by others, and even when deleted, copies may still exist on other systems.

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Storage and Security Measures

Relate Psychology takes the security of your information seriously and uses multiple safeguards, including:
• Encrypted electronic records
• Password protection and multi-factor authentication
• Firewalls, antivirus protection, and secure devices
• Secure, encrypted email (ProtonMail)

These measures are designed to reduce the risk of unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure of your information. Our security practices are reviewed regularly and updated as new technologies, systems, and processes become available to support the ongoing safety of your information.

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Requests for Access to Client Information 

At any stage, clients may request to view and/or correct the personal information held about them. This excludes circumstances where Relate Psychology is bound by legislative processes and by law.

 

Your psychologist may discuss the contents with you and/or provide a copy, subject to the exceptions outlined in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). If information is found to be inaccurate, out of date, or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken to correct it.

Requests will be responded to in writing within 14–28 days. If needed, an appointment may be arranged for clarification or communication purposes. An administration or session fee may apply to cover the time required to locate, prepare, and provide the information. An invoice will be issued, and once payment is confirmed, the requested information will be released and/or the session or communication will proceed.

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Changes To This Policy

This policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation or professional best-practice guidelines. Clients are encouraged to review the policy periodically to remain informed of current practices. This Policy is current as of 16/10/2025.

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Contact Information

If you have any questions or concerns, you are welcome to contact Relate Psychology directly:

Phone: 03 8370 0003
Email: meg@relatepsychology.com
Relate Psychology
Suite 21, 5 Everage Street
Moonee Ponds VIC 3039​