Centacare South Burnett - Privacy and Confidentiality

CENTACARE SOUTH BURNETT /
SOUTH BURNETT WOMEN'S SERVICE

CONFIDENTIALITY and PRIVACY

PERSONAL INFORMATION
When you come to Centacare South Burnett / South Burnett Women's Service for counselling, we ask you to provide some personal information. This information allows us to have a better understanding of our clients' expectations and needs. It also helps us to plan future improvements to our services. We have a range of security procedures protecting any personal information you give us.
Some information collected is forwarded using security procedures to the Government department that supplies some of our funding (Queensland Health).
No personal identifying details are supplied. Information is used for statistical purposes (eg. number of people using our services and general demographics.)
Individuals cannot be identified.

CASE NOTES
Case notes are also a record of personal information. Case notes are to assist the counsellor in their work with you. No personal identifying information is included in the case notes and all information (including video material) is protected by a number of legal statutes and a range of security procedures.

In accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 you are entitled to see, upon request, and by arrangement, any personal information that we hold about you. You may also request to see our Privacy Policy.

LIMITS ON CONFIDENTIALITY and PRIVACY
All Centacare South Burnett services are confidential. However, confidentiality can be limited in special circumstances:

Where there is ongoing threat of physical or emotional harm to any person;
In clinical supervision where the counsellor as part of their continuing professional development may discuss certain aspects of their work with his/her supervisor.

If during the course of counselling, the counsellor becomes aware that there is a risk to someone's life, health or well-being, the counsellor is required under agency policy together with standards established by both the State and Federal Governments to report the matter to management.

COMPLAINTS POLICY
If you want to make a complaint about any or our services or find out more about our policy and procedures for making complaints, please see our reception staff. They will be pleased to give you the information you require.

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