1. About this policy
Alongside Bec Counselling respects the privacy, confidentiality and security of personal and health information. This policy explains how information is collected, used, stored, disclosed and protected, and how you can ask to access or correct information held about you.
This policy is intended to support Alongside Bec Counselling’s obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles and, where applicable, the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).
2. Information that may be collected
Depending on the service provided, Alongside Bec Counselling may collect:
- your name, date of birth and contact details
- parent, guardian, carer or emergency-contact details where relevant
- information about why you are seeking support and your counselling goals
- relevant mental-health, physical-health, disability and support information
- information about neurodivergence, including ADHD or autism where relevant to your care
- NDIS information and funding arrangements
- relevant family, safety, legal or referral information
- billing and invoicing information
- counselling notes and other records created while services are provided.
3. How information is collected
Information may be collected directly from you through counselling sessions, telephone or email contact, intake and consent forms, and the website enquiry form. Information may also be received from an authorised parent, guardian, referrer, health professional, NDIS plan manager or other person where appropriate.
4. Why information is used
Information may be used to provide counselling, understand your circumstances and goals, provide safe and appropriate support, communicate with you, manage appointments, maintain records, prepare invoices, administer NDIS-funded services, respond to safety concerns and meet legal, ethical and professional obligations.
5. Sensitive and health information
Counselling can involve highly personal information. Health information, disability information and other sensitive information are handled with additional care and are only collected, used or disclosed where there is an appropriate basis to do so.
6. Young people
Alongside Bec Counselling works with young people as well as adults. Consent, confidentiality and communication with a parent or guardian depend on the young person’s age, maturity, capacity, circumstances and the legal and professional requirements that apply. Information is not routinely shared with a parent or guardian solely because a client is under 18.
7. Sharing and disclosure
Personal and health information is generally only shared with your consent and only to the extent reasonably needed for the purpose. This may include communication with another health professional, an NDIS plan manager, a parent or guardian where appropriate, or another service you have authorised.
Information may also be disclosed without consent where disclosure is required or authorised by law, where a lawful order applies, or in limited circumstances involving serious threats to life, health or safety or child-safety concerns.
8. Records and security
Reasonable steps are taken to protect personal and health information from loss, misuse, interference, unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Electronic client information is intended to be kept within appropriate business and practice systems rather than retained as unnecessary permanent local copies on a personal computer.
Where paper documents are used, they may be securely converted to an electronic client record and the paper copy securely destroyed once the electronic record has been checked.
9. Website, contact form and email
The website enquiry form is intended for basic contact details and a brief initial enquiry. Please avoid including detailed or highly sensitive health information in the first website message. You may instead contact Alongside Bec Counselling by phone or email.
The website, contact form, email and other technology services rely on third-party service providers. Those providers may process information according to their own privacy and security arrangements, and some technology providers may process data outside Australia. You can contact Bec if you would like current information about the systems being used.
10. NDIS information
Alongside Bec Counselling can work with self-managed and plan-managed NDIS participants. Information reasonably required for invoicing, payment and service administration may be provided to the relevant participant or plan manager where authorised and appropriate.
11. How long health records are kept
Health records are retained for the period required by applicable law. In Victoria, a private health service provider generally must not delete health information until the later of seven years after the last health service was provided or, for health information collected while the client was a child, after the client turns 25.
12. Access and correction
You may request access to personal or health information held about you and may ask for information to be corrected where it is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date, irrelevant or misleading. Requests should preferably be made in writing so the request and response can be clearly recorded.
13. Privacy complaints
If you have a concern about how your information has been handled, please contact Alongside Bec Counselling first so the issue can be reviewed and addressed.
If a privacy concern cannot be resolved directly, you may also have the option of contacting the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner and/or the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, depending on the issue.
14. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated from time to time as the practice, technology, services or legal requirements change. The current version will be published on this website.