Therapeutic Conversations Clinical Psychology Subiaco Policies

Practice Polices:

Letters, reports, documentation:

As standard, I will provide your referrer (GP, Psychiatrist or other professional) with correspondence in the form of a standard psychological assessment / letter meeting standard professional / Medicare / Private Health Insurer requirements.

Please note, I am not able to provide specialist assessments / reports / documentation for worker's compensation, custody and / or other legal proceedings.

Any non-standard documentation required will need to be requested in writing (email). If a am able to meet the request, the full Standard Fee per hour taken to write the document will be charged (with the fee negotiated at time of acceptance of request). This Fee will be collected prior to the writing and provision of the non-standardised documentation.

Confidentiality:

I will collect and record personal information about you, which may be relevant for psychological assessment / treatment, letter, report and/or for billing purposes.

If there is anything about yourself you would not like to be included / recorded, you may choose not to disclose it at all, or disclose with a negotiated caveat of non-inclusion (which may or may not be possible, but can be explored prior to disclosure).

If you would like to maintain anonymity, you have the option to use an alias and pay fees with cash only, no Medicare or Private Insurer rebates.

All information collected will be stored securely and not released without your consent, unless the following occurs:

Release of information is required due to risk of harm to yourself.
Release of information is required due to risk of harm to someone else.
Release of information is required due to risk of engagement in illegal activity placing yourself or another at risk of harm.
Release of information is required in response to a court (or similar power) ordered subpoena.
Release of information is required by the referrer (medical doctor, other professional / service) or as required to obtain Medicare or Private Health Insurer Rebates.
Release of case only information may be required within the process of my professional development and/or supervision, but no personally identifying information will be released.

In sessions, notes will be taken to form the basis of assessment / treatment processes, and any required letter, report writing.

You are welcome to read session notes within your session.

Once information from session notes required for assessment / treatment and letter, report writing has be obtained, the session notes will be destroyed (permanently deleted or shredded).

Information collected for the purpose of assessment / treatment, required letters, reports and billing is the property of the practice, and will be kept securely for a minimum of 7 years post final contact.

You may access information collected via email / written request, and the payment of a negotiated fee (dependent on time required to obtain / transfer it). Please note, the provision of such information remains at the discretion of the practice and/or author.

Communication Policy:

Telephone calls / text / voice messages, emails and e-faxes will be responded to ASAP within practice opening hours, Wednesday to Friday (8 am - 6:30 pm).

Outside of these times, all communication options will be set to secure storage, received and responded to ASAP when the practice is next open.

Social Media Policy:

You are welcome to follow the Therapeutic Conversations Clinical Psychology FB page, which is administered, to maintain professional / confidential / safe and socially responsible communication.

Please note, it is against professional codes of conduct for psychologists to utilise endorsements / testimonials to promote the services they provide. Thus, the page will not include any posts which could be construed as such.

In line with professional codes of conduct, I am not able to friend / follow any current / past clients on FB.

Safety and Security:

The practice is a safe space for all. To promote safety:

Sessions are by pre-booked appointment only, strictly no walk-ins. If walking by, and you would like to make an appointment, please telephone or email and an appointment can be scheduled ASAP.

The practice entry door is not open-able from the outside during sessions. Entry is at the discretion of identifying you and your appointment as scheduled. Additionally, at times extra security may mean the veranda gate leading to the practice door is also locked. Please wait patiently and without any disturbance just outside the gate for your session time. The gate and door will be opened just prior to your session commencing.

During all sessions a motion-activated camera will record a visual only record of all sessions. No audio recording will occur, so as to maintain privacy and confidentially. The camera is located so as to visually record all movement in the office area only. The camera cannot record use of the change room / toilet area.

If you utilise the change room / toilet area, you will do so alone, or with the assistance of your support person or carer, if required.

For safety reasons, a staff member will not access the change room / toilet area when it is in use, unless in the case of a life-threatening emergency.

Any life-threatening emergencies, crises or anti-social behaviour in the practice, will be responded to with the engagement of Police and/or Ambulance services. Ambulance service fees will be at the cost of the person requiring the ambulance.

All cash on the premises is kept to a minimum, and in locked storage. Thus, if paying with cash, bring the exact amount, as providing change will not be possible.

After hours, the practice has numerous security measures to prevent illegal entry. All electronic devises, and any hard copy recording of confidential information is in locked storage to prevent unauthorized access or theft.

All electronic storage of confidential information and camera vision-only footage, is stored securely and under password protection.

Camera vision-only footage will only be provided for the viewing by another under the circumstance of a court ordered subpoena.

Environmental Responsibility:

The practice is furnished largely with pre-used furniture, and avoids single-use / disposable products as much as possible, these efforts reduce new production and landfill.

Heating / cooling requirements are minimal due to the building design, thus reducing electricity use.

All communication / documentation is digital, and only printed if necessary.

If you / your referrer / other consulting professionals have a confidential email / e-fax service, please provide it, and we can all save paper together.

All necessary paper use (printed documents, business cards, tissue and toilet paper) is made from 100% recycled paper pulp and / or responsibly obtained bamboo pulp.