Privacy Policy | CMB Psychology

This document describes the privacy policy of CMB Psychology for the management of your personal information. CMB Psychology is operated by a registered Clinical Psychologist and bound by the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and complies with relevant South Australian health legislation and professional obligations.

Personal Information

Your information is stored securely and accessed only by your psychologist and the authorised staff or providers of the practice, as required, in accordance with the practice’s policies and procedures. 

Your information is stored using secure electronic practice management systems that comply with Australian Privacy requirements.

The information collected may include:

Personal details such as your name, address, date of birth, and contact information
Medicare or health fund details (where relevant)
Referral information
Clinical information relevant to assessment and treatment
Records of sessions and psychological assessments
Correspondence from other professionals (e.g., GP, lawyer, insurer)

Some digital service providers used by the practice may store information on secure servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, reasonable steps are taken to ensure compliance with Australian Privacy Principles.

How your Personal Information is Collected

Personal information may be collected in a number of ways, including when:

You provide information directly to your psychologist in your session and in writing such as letters, email or text messages
You interact directly with CMB Psychology employees such as our administration staff
Other health practitioners, such as your GP, provide personal information to CMB Psychology through referrals, correspondence or reports
We receive personal information from other sources, such as lawyers, employers or insurance companies through correspondence or reports
You submit information through the CMB Psychology website or client portal

While we take reasonable steps to protect information transmitted online, no method of transmission over the internet can be guaranteed as completely secure. Information transmitted electronically is done so at your own risk.

If you believe any recorded information is inaccurate or incomplete, please contact your psychologist or administration staff.

Website Cookies, Analytics & Online Tracking

Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to improve functionality, monitor website performance, and enhance user experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.

We may use analytics services (such as Google Analytics or similar tools) to collect de-identified information about website traffic, including pages visited, time spent on the site, and general geographic location. This information assists in improving website performance and user experience and does not personally identify you.

You may adjust your browser settings to refuse cookies; however, doing so may affect website functionality.

Purpose of Holding Personal Information

Your personal information is collected and used for the primary purpose of providing psychological assessment, treatment, and related services.

Information is retained in order to:

Document clinical care
Support continuity of treatment
Comply with professional, ethical, and legal obligations
Facilitate communication with other healthcare providers (with consent)

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.

Health records are retained in accordance with professional and legal standards, generally:

Adults: minimum 7 years from the date of last entry
Clients seen as minors: until at least age 25

Consequences of not Providing Personal Information

Psychologists are required to keep clear and accurate client records as part of their professional obligations.

If you do not wish for your personal information to be collected, we may not be able to provide the psychological service to you. Please discuss any concerns you have with your psychologist.

Confidentiality of Information

Personal information gathered by your psychologist will remain confidential except in specific circumstances. In most situations, information will only be shared with your consent, including when:

Communicating with a family member, guardian or carer
Liaising with your GP or other healthcare providers
Providing reports to third parties (e.g., employers, insurers, lawyers)
Disclosing information in any other manner not outlined in this document

Psychologists are required to undertake professional consultation and supervision. If your information is shared in this context, your information is de-identified where possible so that you remain anonymous.

Exceptions to Confidentiality

There are times when your psychologist may release your information without obtaining your consent such as:

When a court requires information by issuing a subpoena, or providing information is otherwise required or authorised by law
Where mandatory reporting obligations apply
When the psychologist believes you or someone else is at risk of serious harm

Use of Digital & AI-Assisted Documentation Tools

Where clinically appropriate, the practice may use secure digital systems, including AI-assisted documentation tools, to support clinical note-taking and administrative efficiency. These systems operate within secure, privacy-compliant environments and are used in accordance with applicable privacy laws and professional standards. No client information is used to train external artificial intelligence systems.

Data Breach Policy

In the event of unauthorised access, disclosure or loss of personal information CMB Psychology will activate its data breach response plan and take reasonable steps to minimise any risk of serious harm. Where required, affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) will be notified in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme.

Accessing and Correcting Your Personal Information

You may request access to, or correction of, your personal information at any time. Requests should be made in writing to your psychologist or administration staff. Written requests will be responded to within 30 days.

Access may be subject to limitations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) where:

Providing access would pose a serious threat to life, health, or safety
The request is frivolous or vexatious
Legal restrictions apply

If information is found to be inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date, reasonable steps will be taken to correct it.

A reasonable administrative fee may apply for access requests where permitted by law.

Concerns

If you have concerns regarding the management of your personal information, please raise these with your psychologist in the first instance.

You may also lodge a complaint with the:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC)
Phone: 1300 363 992
Website: https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/privacy-complaints/lodge-a-privacy-complaint-with-us
Post: GPO Box 5288, Sydney NSW 2001

Changes to This Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legislation, professional standards, or practice operations. The most current version will be available upon request or published on our website.

Last Updated 03/03/2026