Who this applies to
This policy applies to the psychological services provided by Dr Mel Irons (ABN 67 136 051 862). As a registered psychologist, I’m bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles, and the ethical and professional standards set by the Psychology Board of Australia and AHPRA.
Regulatory compliance
Because this is a health service, additional rules apply to how I collect, store and use health information beyond what applies to general businesses. Health information is treated as sensitive information under the Privacy Act, and is handled with a higher standard of care than general personal information.
What I collect
I collect information relevant to providing you with psychological care, including your contact and administrative details, information you share in session, clinical notes I take during and after sessions, assessment and outcome measure results (including the ORS and SRS, where used), any relevant medical or referral information from your GP or other treating practitioners, and information submitted through my website contact form.
How I use it
Your information is used to provide you with psychological treatment, to communicate with any other treating practitioners involved in your care (only with your knowledge or consent, except where required by law), and to meet my professional record-keeping obligations under the Health Records and Information Privacy framework and AHPRA’s guidelines.
How long records are kept
Clinical records are retained in line with the Psychology Board of Australia’s guidelines, generally a minimum of seven years from the last date of service for adult clients, and until a client turns 25 for records created while they were a minor.
Limits of confidentiality
What you share in session is confidential, with some legally and ethically required exceptions. These include a serious and imminent risk of harm to yourself or someone else, mandatory reporting obligations regarding the safety of a child, and a court order or subpoena requiring disclosure of records. Where possible, I’ll talk with you about this before anything is disclosed.
Other treating practitioners
I may need to correspond with your GP, psychiatrist or other treating professionals as part of your care, particularly under a Mental Health Treatment Plan. This only happens with your consent, except in the limited circumstances described above.
Use of AI tools
I sometimes use AI-based tools for administrative tasks such as drafting correspondence or organising notes. These tools may process data on servers located overseas. I don’t input identifying clinical content into these tools, and any information used is de-identified or generalised first.
Website and analytics
This website may use cookies or analytics software to understand how it’s used. This data is anonymised and isn’t linked to any clinical record.
Access to your information
You’re entitled to request access to your own health records at any time. Requests can be made by contacting me directly. If you have a concern about how your information has been handled that we can’t resolve directly, you can escalate a complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC).
Contact
Dr Mel Irons
office@melanieirons.com
ABN 67 136 051 862