Introduction
At DBT Clinics Australia, we are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal information is handled with the highest standards of confidentiality, professionalism, and security.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), and applicable Australian health records legislation.
This policy has been developed to ensure that information collected during your assessment and treatment is used appropriately, stored securely, and made available for access or correction where required by law.
Our Commitment to Privacy & Your Rights
DBT Clinics Australia is a specialist psychology practice providing evidence-based mental health services throughout Australia.
We recognise that privacy and confidentiality are fundamental to the therapeutic relationship. We are committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal information throughout every stage of your care.
All employees, psychologists, counsellors, contractors, students, and administrative staff are required to comply with strict confidentiality obligations and professional privacy standards as a condition of their employment or engagement with DBT Clinics Australia.
Contacting Us About Privacy
If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is managed, please contact us.
DBT Clinics Australia
Email: admin@dbtclinics.com.au
Phone: [Insert Phone Number]
Website: www.dbtclinics.com.au
Postal Address:
DBT Clinics Australia
144 Martin Street Brighton VIC 3186 Australia
You may contact us to:
- ask questions about this Privacy Policy
- request access to your personal information
- request correction of inaccurate information
- make a privacy complaint
- obtain a printed copy of this Privacy Policy
Information We Collect
To provide safe and effective psychological care, we collect information necessary for assessment, diagnosis, treatment, communication, and administration.
This information may include:
Personal Information
- Name
- Date of birth
- Residential and postal address
- Telephone number
- Email address
- Emergency contact details
- Medicare details
- Private health insurance details
- Referral information
- Payment information
Clinical Information
This may include:
- The reason you are seeking treatment
- Current symptoms and concerns
- Mental health history
- Medical history
- Psychiatric history
- Medication information
- Family history relevant to treatment
- Relationship history
- Social and occupational functioning
- Risk assessments
- Treatment plans
- Progress notes
- Assessment results
- Psychological reports
- Correspondence from other health professionals
- Any additional information considered clinically relevant by your treating psychologist
We collect only information that is reasonably necessary to provide high-quality psychological services.
Confidentiality
Information obtained during assessment and treatment remains confidential except in circumstances where disclosure is:
- authorised by you;
- required or authorised by Australian law;
- necessary to prevent a serious threat to your life, health or safety or that of another person;
- required by mandatory reporting legislation;
- required by a court subpoena or lawful order.
Our psychologists also participate in professional supervision and peer consultation to maintain high standards of clinical practice. Where clinical cases are discussed, identifying information is minimised wherever practicable.
How We Use Your Information
Your personal information is used solely for purposes directly related to providing psychological care and operating our practice.
This includes:
Clinical Care
- assessment and diagnosis
- treatment planning
- delivery of psychological services
- ongoing clinical review
- communication with you regarding your care
Administrative Purposes
- appointment scheduling
- billing and payment processing
- Medicare and health fund claims
- communicating with referring practitioners (where appropriate)
- legal and regulatory compliance
Quality Improvement
De-identified information may be used to:
- evaluate clinical services
- improve treatment programs
- conduct service audits
- support research
- prepare statistical reports
No information used for these purposes identifies individual clients.
Disclosure of Information
Your information will only be disclosed where:
- you have provided informed consent;
- disclosure is necessary for your healthcare;
- disclosure is required by law;
- disclosure is necessary to prevent serious harm.
Where appropriate, information may be shared with:
- General Practitioners
- Psychiatrists
- Medical Specialists
- Hospitals
- Allied Health Professionals
- NDIS providers
- Insurance providers
- Legal representatives (with appropriate authority)
- Government agencies where legally required
Security of Information
DBT Clinics Australia is committed to protecting your information from unauthorised access, misuse, loss, alteration, or disclosure.
Security measures include:
- encrypted electronic medical records
- secure cloud-based clinical systems
- password-protected databases
- multi-factor authentication
- restricted staff access
- secure backups
- regular security monitoring
DBT Clinics Australia maintains electronic medical records only.
Where paper documents are received, they are securely scanned into our encrypted clinical record system before being confidentially destroyed.
Some electronic information may be securely stored using third-party clinical software providers. Depending on the provider, information may be stored outside Australia in secure data centres that comply with recognised international security standards.
By engaging our services, you acknowledge that secure electronic storage may occur using these providers.
Access to Your Information
You have the right to request access to your personal information.
Requests should be made in writing to the Clinical Director.
Your request should clearly identify the information being sought.
We aim to acknowledge requests within 14 days and provide access within a reasonable period, subject to applicable legislation.
In some circumstances, access may be limited where permitted by law.
Correction of Information
If you believe that information we hold about you is inaccurate, incomplete, misleading, or out of date, please contact us.
We will take reasonable steps to investigate your request and correct information where appropriate.
Website Privacy
When you visit our website we may collect limited technical information including:
- browser type
- IP address
- pages viewed
- referring website
- device information
- cookies
- website analytics
This information helps improve website functionality and user experience.
Our website may use cookies and third-party analytics services. You may disable cookies through your browser settings if you prefer.
Privacy Complaints
If you have concerns regarding your privacy or believe your information has not been handled appropriately, please contact the Clinical Director.
We take all privacy complaints seriously and will investigate them promptly.
If you remain dissatisfied after our review, you may lodge a complaint with the:
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au
Changes to This Policy
DBT Clinics Australia may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, technology, or our services.
The current version will always be available on our website.
Our Commitment
Your trust is central to everything we do.
DBT Clinics Australia is committed to protecting your privacy while providing compassionate, evidence-based psychological care in a safe, respectful, and confidential environment.
Our mission is to help every client build skills, heal from trauma, and create a life worth living—and a life worth sharing.