Tranquil Minds Counselling Services is committed to providing quality services and respecting your rights. Your right to privacy and confidentiality will be respected and protected in all aspects of your contact with us. This statement outlines our ongoing obligations to you in respect to how we manage your Personal Information.

Tranquil Minds Counselling Services complies with the requirements of the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) as well as Code of Conduct for Certain Health Care Workers (Community Services Complaints Regulations 2019).

What is Personal Information and why do we collect it?

Personal Information is information or an opinion that identifies an individual. Personal Information includes Health Information, which is information about the physical or mental health or disability of an individual. 

Examples of Personal Information we collect includes names, phone number, email address, residential addresses, date of birth, religious/faith affiliation, and emergency contact. 

We collect your Personal Information in many ways including intake forms, interviews, correspondence, by telephone, by email, via our website, from other publicly available sources and from third parties where applicable and with consent. Tranquil Minds Counselling Services will only request and retain Personal Information that is necessary to the service we are providing.

When we collect Personal Information, we will explain to you why we are collecting the information and how we plan to use it.

Third Parties

Where reasonable and practicable to do so, we will collect your Personal Information only from you. However, in some circumstances we may be provided with information by third parties (such as other health services). In such cases we will take reasonable steps to ensure that you are made aware of the information provided to us by the third party.

Privacy and our website

The security of your personal information is important to us, but no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. 

Cookies

To improve your experience on our site, we may use 'cookies'. A cookie is a small text file that our site may place on your computer as a tool to remember your preferences. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however, please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of our website.

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites, and these websites are not subject to our privacy policy. We are not responsible for the content of these websites or the privacy practices of these sites. If you navigate to other websites via our website, we advise you to read their privacy policy.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Your Personal Information will only be disclosed in the following circumstances:

· To prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of you or another person.

· To outside agencies with your or your representative’s permission.

· With written consent from a person with lawful authority; or

· When required by law, or to fulfil legislative obligations such as mandatory reporting and court subpoena. 

Security and Destruction of Personal Information

Your Personal and Health Information will be stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure.

When your Personal and Health Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify it. 

Access to your Personal Information

You may access the Personal or Health Information we hold about you, including to update or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal or Health Information, please speak to a staff member.

To protect your Personal or Health Information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.

You have the right to:

· Request access to personal information we hold about you.

· Access this information; and

· Make corrections if you consider the information is not accurate, complete, or up to date.

However, access may be denied in part or in total where:

· The request is frivolous or vexatious.

· Providing access would have an unreasonable impact on the privacy of other individuals.

· Providing access would be likely to prejudice an investigation of possible unlawful activity.

· Providing access would pose a serious and imminent threat to the life or health of any individual; and

· Denying access is required or authorised by or under law.

We aim to address all requests to access or correct information within 14 days. We will not charge any fee for your access request but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your information.

Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information

It is an important to us that your information is up to date. We will take all reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate and complete. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.