Terms and Conditions

Psychology services are governed by many regulations and ethical guidelines under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA). This is important to protect the welfare of clients. It also means many policies! This document summarizes some of those policies and describes our Terms and Conditions of Service (T&Cs). It is important that you read and understand this information as it sets out our respective commitments to help us work together. By engaging in our services, you also agree to these T&Cs. We will notify you if these change at any time. You can also access this information anytime via the link in your appointment emails or from reception.

Service Provision

Mind and Matters is a private psychology practice providing a broad range of psychology services to meet the diverse needs of our patients who have MILD to MODERATE concerns. We provide our services at our location in Rockingham, via phone call and online video conference. We are NOT an emergency or on-call service. All services are provided by appointment only.

Appointments

You can book, reschedule, or cancel appointments by contacting us via phone or email; or by using our online booking service (access via our website 24/7) when it becomes available. We send appointment emails and SMS reminders as a courtesy, but clients are ultimately responsible for remembering appointments. Please reply asap to confirm your appointment and attend on time. Your session cannot be extended if you are late and full fees will still apply. Late cancellations and missed appointments are also subject to cancellation fees (see below), so it’s best to avoid these! The office phone is not answered while in session, however if you cannot get through, you can also leave a message or email, so giving notice is easy.

Consultations

The aim of your initial consultation is to understand the reason for your referral; to obtain relevant information; and to collaborate on a plan for your psychology service. The type of service and number of sessions you may require will depend on the nature of your referral, needs and goals. These decisions will be discussed at your first consultation and reviewed regularly. Please discuss any change in your service needs with your psychologist as soon as possible.

COVID-19

Despite our robust health and safety measures, we cannot guarantee that clients or visitors will not be unknowingly exposed to coronavirus whilst at, or travelling to and from, our practice. By attending in-person services at Mind and Matters Psychology, you accept such risk. 

Privacy and Confidentiality

We maintain the privacy of client information in accordance with the Privacy Act (1988) and the PsyBA’s Code of Ethics (2007). The information we gather for the purpose of providing your psychology service is stored in a secure cloud-based practice management system and a secure filing cabinet and is only accessible by authorized employees. Your client file and personal information will remain strictly confidential and will not be shared without your consent, unless: 1) your file is subpoenaed by a court of law; or, 2) we have formed the opinion that you or others are at risk of serious harm. In these instances, we will inform you of the information we are required to release in accordance with our legal and ethical obligations. Please see our Privacy Policy for more, including how we collect and dispose of your information.

Consent to share information

Information you provide to your psychologist may only be shared with a third party (e.g., GP, court, school or agency), with your informed consent or awareness. In some instances, your psychologist will be obligated to share information about your treatment with other professionals (e.g., Medicare or Workcover referral). If you request or consent to your psychologist providing a letter or report to another party, they will need to include personal information about you that is relevant to the reporting purpose. Please note that we cannot be responsible for preserving the confidentiality of any report or communication that has left Mind and Matters Psychology’s control. More information on when and how your personal information may be shared with others is available in our Privacy Policy.

Rebates and Benefits

Numerous government benefits and compensation schemes are available for both adult and child clients who meet eligibility criteria. Most private health funds also provide benefits for psychology services (please check your policy). The amount of rebate you receive will depend on the scheme or benefit you qualify for, the type of service you receive, and any Medicare safety net qualifications. By law, you can only claim rebates through one scheme per consultation (e.g. Medicare or private health). Please note that Mind and Matters Psychology is not responsible for any problems claiming your rebate due to the actions or inactions of your medical professional. Your medical professional will need to remedy any such problems or consequences to you in accordance with their own policies and T&Cs.

Fees and Payment Terms

Fees vary depending on the nature and duration of your agreed service and any additional costs agreed by you (e.g., assessment materials, reports, or travel). Treatment services are GST-free, however, other services such as Women’s Healing Circles may be subject to GST (per ATO laws). Fees are payable in full at the end of session for counselling, after which a rebate may be claimed. Fees are payable in full online at the time of booking for women’s healing circles. The rebate for therapy sessions will not cover the full amount of your session cost. There is likely to be a residual amount that you will be “out-of-pocket”. Out-of-pocket costs will vary depending on these various factors and your eligibility for any rebates. Your standard service fee and out-of-pocket costs will be stated on your Service Agreement. Please speak to reception if you are unclear on these before signing. Please speak to your psychologist if you have any concerns about managing your payments and they will discuss available options with you (e.g., modifying the number or frequency of sessions, alternative formats, or other service providers, etc.). Third-party payers such as Employee Assistance Program (EAP), National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), or Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA) are invoiced directly.

Cancellations

No one likes cancellation fees, so please contact reception as soon as possible if you need to cancel/reschedule an appointment. We understand that circumstances can change and that you may need to vary your appointments, but as private practitioners, we incur practice costs and time for each scheduled appointment, attended or missed. As a result, a cancellation fee of the full-service amount will be charged for appointments that are cancelled/rescheduled with less than 24 hours’ notice, or that are missed without notice. These fees are payable per our above payment terms. If we do not answer the phone, you can still give notice by leaving a voice message or sending an email.

Safety

The safety and welfare of our clients and staff is a key priority. We will not tolerate verbal abuse, harassment or aggression towards staff or clients under any circumstances.  Any persons, including visitors, who threaten the welfare of our staff or clients will be removed immediately and may be refused further services. Please inform reception or your psychologist if you feel unsafe at any time.

Social Media

We are bound by AHPRA’s Social Media Policy and our professional Code of Ethics. This means we cannot accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social networking site. We also cannot interact with clients via social media in any way that may compromise confidentiality, so we will usually be unable to respond to any messages on these forums. We are also prohibited from publishing or using client testimonials. Of course, you have the right to express yourself on any site you wish, though it is advisable that you not reveal (or at least limit) personal information about you or your psychology service in public forums and social media, to preserve your privacy. 

If you have any questions about our T&Cs, please contact us. Our T&Cs may change from time to time. When that occurs, the information provided here and on our website pages will be most current and will supersede any previous instances.