Privacy & Confidentiality Agreement
Legal consent for the collection, use and disclosure of your health information
Focus Mind Care is committed to protecting your privacy in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and applicable state health records legislation. This document explains how we collect, use, store and disclose your personal and health information, and asks for your consent to our standard practices.
Collection of Information
We collect personal and sensitive health information directly from you, and where relevant from your GP, referring practitioner, other treating health professionals, parents/guardians, and Medicare, in order to assess your needs, provide safe clinical care, and meet our legal and professional obligations, including those set out in the RANZCP Code of Ethics and the Medical Board of Australia's Good Medical Practice code of conduct.
Use and Disclosure
- Your information is used to plan and provide your psychiatric care, and to coordinate with your GP and other treating practitioners.
- We may disclose relevant information to your nominated emergency contact, referring GP, or other treating health professionals listed on your registration form, and to a support person or carer you have identified.
- We may share information with Medicare, DVA, private health insurers, or pathology/imaging providers as required to process claims or investigations.
- Information will only be disclosed to third parties without your consent where required or authorised by law — for example, a serious risk to the health or safety of you or another person, a mandatory reporting obligation (such as child protection legislation), or a court subpoena.
- We do not sell or use your health information for marketing purposes.
Storage, Security & Data Breaches
Your medical record is stored securely in our clinical software system with restricted staff access, encryption, and regular backups. Records are retained in accordance with legal requirements (generally a minimum of 7 years from the date of last contact for adults, and until age 25 for patients who were minors at the time of treatment, subject to the requirements of the state or territory in which you were treated). In the unlikely event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
Telehealth-Specific Privacy Considerations
- Where consultations are conducted by video or phone, we use secure, clinically appropriate platforms and do not use personal, non-clinical accounts to contact you.
- We will ask about the privacy of your location before each telehealth consultation and discuss options if your space is not private or suitable.
- We do not record telehealth consultations unless we have obtained your express informed consent beforehand; you should also let us know if you intend to record a session.
Access to Your Records
You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your health information at any time by contacting our practice in writing. A reasonable administrative fee may apply for large record requests.
Confidentiality of Minors
Where the patient is under 18, information may also be shared with parents/guardians with parental responsibility, except where the treating clinician considers this is not in the best interests of the young person, or the young person is assessed as competent to consent to their own treatment.