CLIENT INFORMATION SHEET

Welcome to The Psychology Company!

In order to best assist you we have outlined some pertinent aspects about the service in terms of what to expect, confidentiality/privacy and fees. 

CONFIDENTIALITY

As part of providing psychological services, your psychologist will collect and record personal information as a necessary part of your treatment. At The Psychology Company, we practice a limited confidentiality as per AHPRA requirements. This means that all information gathered by your psychologist will be treated as strictly confidential, except under specific circumstances including when:

• it is mandated by a court of law
• we feel that there is a threat to the safety or integrity of yourself or someone else
• you have given your psychologist prior approval/consent to communicate with another person or agency
• you are referred under a Medicare Mental Health Care Plan, then it is a requirement of this service to communicate with your GP or Specialist
• or, if under 18, years of age, a parent/legal guardian has the right to certain information

When you attend sessions with your therapist your information will kept on file. Files are kept secure for a period of 7 years from the date of your last contact with the clinic. If you are aged 17 or younger, then your records are stored until you attain the age of 25 years. You may access the material recorded in your file upon request, subject to the exceptions in the Australian Privacy Principles. Please note that no records will be presented for your possession unless legally mandated to do so.

As we take privacy and confidentiality seriously, please note that only you will be able to discuss appointment times and bookings with reception, unless you have provided written consent for others to do so. By signing below, you also give consent for your psychologist to contact the emergency contact person listed above, should there be an emergency situation, or concern for your wellbeing.

ATTENDANCE/SESSION FEE POLICY

The Psychology Company is a busy practice and a scheduled appointment means that time has been specifically reserved for you.

If you decide to book in, that session time is set aside for you, which means that the fee attached to that session will also be yours; whether or not you choose to attend. If you are unsure if you can attend an appointment offered, please do not book it in.

Notifying us early is key:  If, however, for any reason you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment and there is less than two (2) business days’ notice of cancellation given, the full session fee will apply. This session fee will need to be paid before attending any further appointments. 

If you aren’t able to attend on the day, please call us as we can arrange other ways for you to attend your appointment ie. having the appointment by phone or video link.

EMAIL COMMUNICATION

Please be aware that email communication is not fully secure and should contain minimal sensitive information. We intend to use email for administrative purposes such as setting up appointments. TPC will provide you with suggestions to help you protect your own privacy online for our sessions, if requested.

TELEHEALTH

Where it is required, a telephone or video consultation may be offered. TPC currently uses secure videoconferencing software called ‘Halaxy’ as our telehealth platform, which is free for clients and meets Australian standards for security requirements. Should you wish to take up this option, please discuss it with admin or your psychologist.  

We will email you a meeting link which will help you connect you with your psychologist. However, we will need to use your email address to send the meeting invitation link which you then open and follow the prompts to the virtual waiting room. As with face-to-face sessions, your psychologist will make sure that these calls are made in private settings and that you are not overheard. We strongly urge you to also take the important steps necessary to ensure a private and comfortable setting at your location that is free from distractions. 

We will ask you to respect the privacy of your psychologist by agreeing not to make recordings of your meetings. If you wish to record sessions or use session material for other purposes, you must seek the written consent from your psychologist to do so.

At the beginning of each Telehealth appointment, you will be required to provide your location and ensure your emergency contact details are up to date. 

The Telehealth consultation will not be exactly the same as face-to-face consultations. This may affect the psychologist’s ability to respond to your needs and expectations. The capacity for crisis intervention may also be diminished.

We understand that internet connections can be unreliable at times and cannot guarantee uninterrupted sessions. TPC cannot take responsibility for any disruption in service due to poor internet connection. Should the internet connection not be conducive for a Telehealth session or should the service drop-out, then a telephone session may be considered. Please be aware that you are responsible for any costs incurred in relation to the provision of your own software, hardware and data usage associated with this Telehealth service.

FEES AND PAYMENT

In order to make our services accessible to the community, our fees are significantly lower than the current Australian Psychological Society recommended rate for a psychology consultation. Fees will differ depending on service required and which psychologist/counsellor you will be working with. Payments for services are required on the day of your appointment and will be processed online using our Halaxy software. 

MENTAL HEALTH CARE PLANS

If you have a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, you should be eligible to receive a rebate from Medicare. A Mental Health Care Plan allows you to receive this rebate for up to a total of 10 sessions per calendar year. This practice no longer bulk bills unless prior arranged with your psychologist. 

WHAT TO EXPECT

Following a comprehensive assessment and review of your goals, your therapist will explain to you their approach, discuss the assessment, treatment methods and the individualised treatment plan for you. You may terminate your sessions at any time, but it is recommended that you discuss your intention with your therapist if possible. 

The client/parent/carer agrees to:

•  inform TPC about any particular goals they may have for therapy
•  inform TPC regarding preferred way/therapeutic approach to achieve these goals
•  treat TPC team with courtesy and respect
•  talk to TPC if you have any concerns about the services being provided
• inform TPC immediately if any funding used for payment of sessions is cancelled, suspended or being reviewed
• inform TPC at outset of treatment if there are any relevant current or expected legal/court issues

Please be mindful that psychotherapy may stir up uncomfortable feelings as part of the treatment process. If you at any stage have any concerns, please feel free to discuss these with your psychologist. If you need to contact your therapist, please call (07) 5211 0544 and administration will notify your therapist. As many of our clinicians work part-time there may be some delay in responding to your request. Please note that this is not a Crisis Response centre. If you are in need of urgent support, you can contact your nearest hospital or call a number of crisis helplines such as Life-Line on 13 11 14.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Psychologists are unable to accept friend requests on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram and are not allowed to accept testimonials or online reviews from clients (e.g. Google review). It is always our preference that you share your feedback directly with your psychologist. If this is not possible, please contact the clinic director (Frank Bergmann).

 FEEDBACK/COMPLAINTS/DISPUTES

If you wish to provide feedback or raise a complaint/dispute with TPC, please contact us on (07) 5211 0544. Alternatively, feedback complaints or disputes can be made in writing to Frank Bergmann through admin@thepsychologycompany.com.au. A written or verbal response will be provided within 14 days.