IOGHA Mental Health Services Privacy Policy
IOGHA Mental Health Services is committed to safeguarding your privacy and adhering to the Privacy Act 1988 (Privacy Act) and relevant state legislation concerning the management of personal data. This Privacy Policy pertains to the handling of personal information concerning clients and potential clients of IOGHA Mental Health Services.
This includes people who utilise or have utilised our services, visitors to our website (ioghamentalhealth.com.au), and users of services provided by IOGHA Mental Health Services. By accessing our website or utilising our services, you consent to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy.
Definitions
References to “IOGHA Mental Health Services,” “we,” “us,” or “our” refer to Wendy Iogha operating as IOGHA Mental Health Services (ABN: 83 324 106 513).
References to “you” and “your” refer to any individual from whom we collect personal information.
References to “Mental Health Nurse Practitioner,” "nurse", “clinician,” or “practitioner” refer to Wendy Iogha, who provides services through IOGHA Mental Health Services.
Personal Information
In this Policy, “personal information” carries the meaning provided in the Privacy Act. This generally refers to information or opinions that could be used to identify you.
Sensitive information includes personal data concerning health, criminal history, sexual orientation, religious or philosophical beliefs, racial or ethnic origin, and political opinions.
Health Information
In this Policy, “health information” has the meaning provided under the Privacy Act 1988 (Australia). Health information is considered sensitive information and includes information or opinions about your physical or mental health, disability, medical history, diagnoses, treatment plans, medications, and other information collected in the course of providing a health service.
As a Mental Health Nurse Practitioner service, IOGHA Mental Health Services may collect health information that is necessary to provide safe and appropriate care. This may include mental health history, current symptoms, medications or prescriptions, relevant medical history, referral information, diagnostic or assessment information, and other details required for assessment, treatment, and ongoing care.
Health information will only be collected when reasonably necessary to provide services and will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 and relevant state legislation.
Information Collection
IOGHA Mental Health Services aims to collect only the personal and health information necessary to provide mental health services and manage business operations.
When you inquire about the services provided, we may collect information such as your:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Email address
- Phone number
- Other relevant personal details
This may include sensitive information that helps determine the suitability of services and allows us to provide appropriate information or resources.
Additional personal and health information, including sensitive information, may be collected when you schedule an appointment and agree to engage in services. This may include:
- Residential address
- Emergency contact details
- Medical or mental health history
- Referral information
Personal and health information may also be collected about healthcare professionals who refer patients to IOGHA Mental Health Services, including their name, medical specialty, and contact details.
Your banking details, or the details of third parties involved in funding appointments, may also be collected for payment processing.
If we engage commercially, we may collect information about individuals or organisations interacting with IOGHA Mental Health Services. This may include service providers, contractors, or other professional contacts. Information collected may include names, contact details, professional registration numbers, insurance certificates, and details of professional interactions.
Information Gathering
Personal information may be collected during interactions including:
- Telephone calls
- In-person consultations
- Emails
- Letters or documents
- Online forms or website submissions
- SMS communications
- Social media interactions
Personal information may also be collected indirectly through referrals from healthcare providers or other professionals.
If you provide identifiable information about another individual, you must have their consent to do so and inform them of this Privacy Policy.
Data Storage and Security
Personal information held by IOGHA Mental Health Services is maintained in secure systems accessible only to authorised personnel.
Reasonable steps are taken to protect personal information through both physical and electronic safeguards, including:
- Secure password-protected systems
- Encrypted digital platforms where possible
- Lockable filing cabinets for printed records
Personal information will be securely destroyed or de-identified when it is no longer required, in accordance with relevant legislation.
While all reasonable steps are taken to protect information, the security of data transmitted over the internet cannot be absolutely guaranteed. Similarly, information provided to you by us, such as printed documents or emails, may not remain secure once received.
Purpose of Data Collection
Personal information is collected in order to provide mental health services and manage administrative functions of the practice. These functions may include:
- Assessing suitability for services
- Providing assessment and treatment
- Communicating with clients
- Managing appointments and records
- Responding to enquiries
If you have concerns regarding the personal information requested, please contact IOGHA Mental Health Services at ioghamentalhealthservices@outlook.com
Disclosure of Personal Information
In certain circumstances, we may be legally permitted or required to disclose personal information to third parties. While consent will be sought where possible, this may not always be safe or feasible.
Personal information may be disclosed if there is a reasonable belief that:
- You may be at risk of seriously harming yourself or another person
- Abuse is occurring involving a child or vulnerable person
- There is a serious threat to public health or safety
- Disclosure is required by an Australian court or tribunal
Disclosure may also occur when:
- You provide consent
- You would reasonably expect the disclosure (for example, requesting emergency medical assistance)
IOGHA Mental Health Services also works with external service providers who support business operations. These may include:
- Practice management software providers
- IT and data security services
- Website hosting providers
- Insurers
- Accountants, bookkeepers, and legal advisors
Personal information may be shared with these providers as necessary to support service delivery and business operations.
Personal information will not be sold, rented, or disclosed for marketing purposes.
Some information may be stored on systems that use data hosting facilities outside Australia where third-party providers are used.
Website Data Collection
The website www.ioghamentalhealth.com.au may use analytics tools such as Google Analytics to monitor website traffic and usage. This may involve data transmission to Google servers located outside Australia.
By using the IOGHA Mental Health Services website, you consent to the collection and processing of data in accordance with Google’s Privacy Policy.
The website may contain links to third-party websites. IOGHA Mental Health Services is not responsible for the content or privacy practices of these external sites. Users are encouraged to review the privacy policies of any websites they visit.
Cookies
The website may use cookies to collect information and improve website functionality. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that may include an anonymous unique identifier.
You may choose to disable cookies through your browser settings. However, doing so may limit some website functionality.
Comments
If visitors leave comments on the website, the information submitted through the comment form may be collected, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to assist with spam detection.
An anonymised string created from your email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to determine whether you use it. The Gravatar privacy policy can be found at: https://automattic.com/privacy/.
Once a comment is approved, your profile picture may be visible publicly alongside your comment.
Access and Correction of Personal Information
You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information if you believe it is inaccurate. Requests must be made in writing, and a response will be provided within 30 days.
You may be asked to verify your identity before access is granted.
Access may be declined in certain circumstances permitted by privacy law, for example if providing access would place another person at risk of harm. If access is refused, written reasons will be provided.
If personal information has been disclosed to another party and subsequently corrected, you may request that we notify those parties of the correction where appropriate.
IOGHA Mental Health Services takes reasonable steps to ensure personal information held is accurate, complete, and up to date.
Children’s Information and Privacy
IOGHA Mental Health Services does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 16 years of age.
If you believe a child has provided personal information to us without parental or guardian consent, please contact us so that the information can be removed.
Privacy Concerns and Complaints
For questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or how personal information is handled, please contact:
IOGHA Mental Health Services
Email: ioghamentalhealthservices@outlook.com
Phone: 0468 408 415
Complaints will be acknowledged, investigated, and responded to within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with the response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner via www.oaic.gov.au.
If there is a data breach likely to result in serious harm, an investigation will be undertaken and the Australian Information Commissioner will be notified in accordance with the Privacy Act.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, services, or data handling practices.
All personal information is governed by the current version of this Privacy Policy. You are encouraged to review it periodically for updates.