Items 1 (List) | Pillar Allied Health

Our Policies

Pillar Allied Health is committed to providing the best service in a timely manner. We aim to accommodate your needs.

Unfortunately, when a client cancels without giving adequate notice, it prevents another client from being served. This cancellation policy is used as a way of respecting the time committed of all involved. It explains the process for requesting a cancellation and the fees applicable. This policy is used in fairness to both our business and the clients who would otherwise have wanted an appointment.

We have a straightforward cancellation policy to be upfront about all the costs you may face when engaging our services.

Cancellation Process

We understand situations can arise in which you must cancel your appointment. Due to limited appointment availability, we request that you cancel with adequate notice. This allows us to fill that appointment slot.

You may cancel by contacting us by:

Phone: 02 4031 5544 (Newcastle) or 07 3252 5804 (Brisbane)
Email admin@pillaralliedhealth.com or admin.bne@pillaralliedhealth.com
We require a minimum of 24 hours notice for cancellation. Please inform us 1 day prior to your scheduled appointment to notify us of any changes or cancellations.
If you provide less than 24 hours notice for a cancellation, Pillar Allied Health can charge the full fee for the appointment.
All reference to cancellation of appointments in this clause are also a reference to rescheduling of appointments.
All clients are asked to complete a Credit/Debit Card Authorisation information (except NDIS participants). Your details are stored securely, and you can be charged for your appointment via this method of payment for attendance and late cancellation. It is the client's responsibility to ensure that Pillar Allied Health is notified should personal card details be changed.

Questions

Our business firmly believes that a good client and business relationship is based upon mutual understanding. Questions about our cancellation policy should be directed to administration.

Agreement

We ask you to please sign that you have read, understood, and consented to this Cancellation Policy. By signing, you understand that you are holding a spot and you may be charged a cancellation fee if an appointment is cancelled without providing at least 24 hours notice or if the appointment is missed.

Our cancellation policy requires that you give us at least 24 hours notice if you want to change or cancel your appointment.

If you don't arrive for your appointment or request to cancel with less than 24 hours until your appointment starts, we'll charge your card the full appointment fee as a cancellation or no-show fee.

Privacy Policy

At Pillar Allied Health (ABN 24 663 446 606) we recognise the importance of privacy and respect your right to control how your personal information is collected and used. Under appropriate and relevant governing bodies and their guidelines, and in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles and the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), we are required to safeguard your privacy.

Client Information

Client files are held on a secure database, which is accessible only to authorised employees. The information on each file includes personal information such as name, address, contact information, date of birth, medical history, and other personal information as part of providing the psychological service. This is personal information obtained directly from individuals during consultations or through hard copy intake documents, as well as electronically when sent via forms or messaging. Information may also be obtained from other health practitioners, via referrals, correspondence and medical reports.

If the client does not wish for their personal information to be collected in a way anticipated by this Privacy Policy, their clinician may not be in a position to provide the psychological service to the client. Clients may request to be anonymous or to use a pseudonym, unless it is impractical for their clinician to deal with the client or if their clinician is required or authorised by law to deal with identified individuals. In most cases it will not be possible for the client to be anonymous or to use a pseudonym, however if their clinician agrees to the client being anonymous or using a pseudonym, the client must pay consultation fees at the time of the appointment.

A clients personal information is gathered and used for the purpose of providing psychological services, which includes, assessing, diagnosing and treating a client’s presenting issue. The personal information is retained in order to document what happens during sessions, and enables the clinician to provide a relevant and informed psychological service.

Pillar Allied Health do not sell information to other organisations in any instance.

Requests for Access

At any stage clients may request to see and correct the personal information about them kept on file. The clinician may discuss the contents with them and/or give them a copy, subject to the exceptions in the Privacy Act 1988. If satisfied that personal information is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that this information is corrected. All requests by clients for access to or correction of personal information held about them should be lodged, in writing, with their clinician. These requests will be responded to in writing within 14 days, and an appointment will be made, if necessary, for clarification purposes.

Data storage

We take reasonable steps to protect our personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access and modification or disclosure. We use commercially reasonable physical, technical and administrative measures to protect personal information that we hold, including appropriate password protection and encryption.

Despite taking appropriate measures to protect personal information used and collected by us, please be aware that no data security measures can guarantee100% security all of the time.

If we no longer require the use of your personal information, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify it. Under appropriate and relevant governing bodies and their guidelines, we are required to hold clients information for 7 years after they have ceased services, except for those under the age of 18, where we will hold information for 7 years after the client has turned 18.

If we have reason to suspect a data breach has occurred, we will undertake an assessment in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breach Scheme. If we determine there has been an eligible data breach, we will notify you as soon as practicable. If the breach relates to the My Health Records Act, we may disclose your personal information to the My Health Records System Operator under s73A of that Act.

Changes to this policy

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any updated versions of this Privacy Policy will be posted to our website. You should check our current Privacy Policy from time to time. Your continued use of any of our services constitutes your acceptance and understanding of the Privacy Policy as in effect at the time of your use. If we make changes to this Privacy Policy that materially affect our practices with regard to the personal information we have previously collected from you, we will endeavour to provide you with notice in advance of the change by highlighting the change on the website, or where practical, by emailing clients.

Complaints and Enquiries

If clients have a concern about the management of their personal information, they may inform their clinician. Upon request they can obtain a copy of the Australian Privacy Principles, which describe their rights and how their personal information should be handled. If clients wish to lodge a formal complaint about the use of, disclosure of, or access to, their personal information, they may do so by contacting:

Pillar Allied Health

2/25 Bolton Street

Newcastle NWS 2300.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you are entitled to contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by phone on 1300 363 992, online at www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/making-a-privacy-complaint or by post to: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5218, Sydney NSW 2001.