This policy explains how we handle your personal information and how we manage your privacy.
The core principles of this policy are:
Please note: “personal information” refers to any data we hold that can identify you.
A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles can be found on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website at:
https://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/australian-privacy-principles
A copy of AHPRA’s Code of Conduct for Psychologists can be viewed at:
https://psychology.org.au/about-us/what-we-do/ethics-and-practice-standards/aps-code-of-ethics
Your information is stored securely and accessed only by your therapist and the authorised staff and providers of Cova Psychology, as required, in accordance with the practice’s policies and procedures.
Personal information refers to any details that can be used to identify you. This includes contact information such as your name, address, and phone number, as well as information collected in the course of providing psychological services. This may include:
We collect personal information through a range of methods. This may include interactions you have with us online or in person, accessing our website or social media, completing registration forms, and during sessions with our clinicians.
Information from third parties may also be collected and protected as described in this policy. We may obtain information from:
Cova Psychology collects your personal information for two main purposes:
We may also collect other information including, but not limited to:
At times, unsolicited personal information may be provided to Cova Psychology by individuals or entities without request. We manage unsolicited information in accordance with Australian Privacy Principle 4 (APP 4).
Clinicians 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 psychological services to you.
Please discuss any concerns with your clinician.
By enquiring about our services, completing a client consent form, or engaging our services through our website, email, phone, or in person, you agree to our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information as outlined in this Privacy Policy.
Privacy protections apply to clients of all ages.
Clients under 18 years of age may make independent privacy decisions if they have the maturity and understanding to do so. Our clinicians will assess a minor’s decision-making ability based on their professional clinical judgment.
Personal information collected may be used to:
We may contact you via:
Personal information gathered by your clinician will remain confidential except in certain circumstances. In most cases, information will only be shared with your consent.
Cova Psychology will seek your consent to share information when:
As part of their professional registration requirements, psychologists are required to consult with and receive supervision from colleagues or mentors. If your information is shared in this context, every effort is made to de-identify it so that you remain anonymous.
There are circumstances in which your clinician may release your information without obtaining your consent, including where:
Personal information may be shared with third parties only to fulfil the original purpose for which it was collected, and usually with your consent.
In some situations, we may need to disclose your personal information to comply with a legal requirement, such as:
Your personal information may also be used to protect the copyright, trademarks, legal rights, property, or safety of Cova Psychology, its website, its clients, or third parties.
Occasionally, data may be stored, processed, or transferred outside Australia.
If our business undergoes a change in ownership, we may transfer user data, including personal and non-personal information, to new owners under confidentiality obligations and only where lawful.
By providing your personal information, you consent to this Privacy Policy and the disclosures described within it. Where we share your information with third parties, we will take reasonable steps to require them to manage it in line with this Policy.
Cova Psychology uses service providers who may need access to your personal data in order to perform their services. These may include providers involved in:
We take reasonable steps to ensure that our service providers handle information securely, only for the purposes outlined, and in a way that is consistent with our Privacy Policy.
Cova Psychology uses the following software programs:
Cova Psychology clinicians may use approved documentation tools, including tools with artificial intelligence (AI) functionality, to support clinical documentation and administration.
If a clinician wishes to record or transcribe a session using one of these tools, this will only occur after the client has been informed and has provided separate consent.
Clinicians may also use approved documentation tools after a session to assist with dictation or preparation of clinical notes. Where this occurs, clinicians are required to de-identify the information before entering it into the tool wherever possible.
Any notes or documents prepared with the assistance of these tools must be reviewed and approved by the clinician before being added to the client file or relied upon in clinical care. These tools do not replace the clinician’s professional judgement.
Cova Psychology does not permit clinicians to enter identifiable client information into publicly available AI tools or chatbots that have not been approved by Cova Psychology.
Cova Psychology is committed to keeping your information safe from unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. We do this by implementing robust physical, electronic, and management procedures to protect your personal information.
Please note that data exchange is at your own risk, as we cannot guarantee the security of information transmitted to or from us. While we take reasonable steps to prevent breaches or loss of information, we cannot fully guarantee that the personal information we collect will never be disclosed in a way that is inconsistent with this Privacy Policy.
If any unauthorised access, disclosure, or loss of your personal information occurs, Cova Psychology will activate its data breach response plan and use all reasonable endeavours to minimise the risk of serious harm.
Our website may collect technical data such as:
This information helps us analyse usage and improve our services.
Cookies may also be used on our website to remember your visits. These can be disabled through your browser settings.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. Cova Psychology is not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites.
We also maintain social media pages, including on:
Please note that the privacy policies of those platforms apply to your use of them.
You may request access to your personal information at any time.
To request your information, please speak with your clinician or contact us at:
contact@covapsychology.com
An administrative fee may apply for providing or viewing this information. All written requests for access will be responded to in writing within 30 days, in accordance with the Privacy Act.
It is important to us that your personal information remains accurate, complete, and up to date. We will take reasonable steps to ensure this. If you believe the information we hold is inaccurate or out of date, please contact us at contact@covapsychology.com as soon as practicable so we can update our records and continue to provide quality services to you.
We reserve the right to deny access to your personal information in certain legal circumstances.
If you have any privacy concerns, questions, or feedback about our privacy practices, please contact your clinician or Cova Psychology using the details below. We will review and consider all feedback.
We will respond promptly to all privacy complaints.
If you are dissatisfied with our response, you may contact:
This Privacy Policy may change from time to time. Updates are made at our discretion and take effect immediately upon being posted on our website. Please review this policy periodically.