Privacy Policy
Last updated: August 2026
Debra Fidler is committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of personal and health information.
Personal information is managed in accordance with applicable Australian privacy legislation, including the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), together with relevant professional and legal obligations applying to the provision of psychological services.
Personal Information We Collect
In providing psychological and related services, I may collect personal and sensitive information that is reasonably necessary to understand your circumstances and provide an appropriate service.
This may include:
- Your name, date of birth and contact details
- Emergency contact information
- Referral information
- Relevant medical, psychological and health information
- Personal, developmental, family, educational, relationship and employment history where relevant
- Information discussed during psychological consultations
- Psychological assessment information and results
- Correspondence and reports from other health professionals
- Medicare or other funding information where relevant
- Appointment, billing and payment information
How Information Is Collected
Information will usually be collected directly from you through consultations, forms, telephone or electronic communication and psychological assessment.
Where appropriate and with your consent, relevant information may also be obtained from other people or organisations, such as a referring practitioner, another health professional, parent or guardian, school, workplace or other relevant third party.
There may also be circumstances in which information is collected or disclosed without consent where this is permitted or required by law. (OAIC)
Why Your Information is Collected
Personal and health information may be collected, held and used for purposes including:
- Providing psychological assessment and therapy
- Understanding your needs and planning appropriate psychological care
- Maintaining clinical records
- Communicating with you about appointments and services
- Preparing psychological reports where appropriate
- Communicating with referring practitioners or other professionals where authorised or otherwise permitted by law
- Billing and administrative purposes
- Meeting professional, ethical, legal and regulatory obligations.
Only information reasonably necessary for these purposes will be collected.
Confidentiality and Disclosure
Information discussed during psychological services is treated as confidential.
Your information will not ordinarily be disclosed to another person or organisation without your consent.
There are, however, circumstances in which disclosure may be required or permitted, including where:
- You have provided consent for information to be shared
- Disclosure is required or authorised by law
- There is a serious threat to life, health or safety and disclosure is permitted by law
- Information is required in response to a valid legal process
- Disclosure is otherwise permitted under applicable privacy or health legislation.
Where you have been referred by another professional or organisation, the nature of information that may be communicated to the referrer will be discussed with you as appropriate.
Storage and Security
Reasonable steps are taken to protect personal and health information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
Information may be stored in electronic and/or paper-based clinical records and may be held using secure practice-management, communication, assessment or data-storage systems.
Electronic services inevitably carry some privacy and security risks. Appropriate safeguards will be used when handling sensitive information electronically.
The OAIC specifically requires health providers to take reasonable steps to secure the personal information they hold. (OAIC)
Contact Me
This website Privacy Policy provides general information about how personal information is handled. Clients commencing psychological services will receive more detailed information about privacy, confidentiality, record keeping, consent and the limits of confidentiality as part of the informed consent process.
For more information about our privacy practices, if you have questions, or if you would like to make a complaint, please contact us by e-mail connect@debrafidler.com.au