TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Our terms and conditions manage the relationship between our clients and Muse Psychology.

The terms and conditions and our privacy policy apply to you as a visitor to the Muse Psychology website. Any information submitted to Muse Psychology will be collected in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

BOOKINGS, CONFIRMATION AND CANCELLATIONS

1.1 A minimum of 24 hours notice is required to cancel an appointment with Muse Psychology. Our cancellation fees are as follows:

24+ hours notice - No Fee
0 to 24 hours notice - Full Fee
No Shows - Full Fee

This policy supports us in keeping appointments available for clients that need them. If within 24 hours of your scheduled appointment, you are unable to attend your session, Muse Psychology offers the following options:

1. Complete the appointment over the phone or via video consultation.

2. A parenting discussion/strategies session.

CONSULTATION BOOKING CONFIRMATION

2.1 Tentative Bookings cannot be made. Please choose your bookings carefully. This policy supports us in keeping appointments available for clients that need them. Upon making an initial booking, a link to an Intake form will be emailed to you, for completion prior to the initial appointment.

PAYMENT

3.1 Muse Psychology accepts MasterCard, Visa, Debit Cards, and American Express. By making a booking with Muse Psychology and providing your credit/debit card details, you authorise us to store and use your card to complete an online payment. Fees are automatically charged to the credit card during the scheduled appointment time.

3.2 All prices quoted are in Australian (AU) Dollar.

REFUND POLICY

4.1 Payment will not be debited from your credit/debit card provided a minimum of 24 hours notice is given to cancel scheduled appointments.

4.2 No refund will be payable if a minimum of 24 hours notice is not given.

4.3 Each transaction will be treated as an individual transaction and subject to these terms and condition at the time of the transaction.

CONSENT

5.1 By using the Muse Psychology Website or when you make an appointment with Muse Psychology you are agreeing to these terms and conditions.

5.2 Muse Psychology's terms and conditions are subject to change at any time. You should check these terms and conditions regularly to ensure that you are aware of any updates.

MUTUAL RESPECT

6.1 Muse Psychology employees are protected under this policy from unacceptable, aggressive, or abusive behaviour from clients accessing our services. Our clients can expect fair, open, accessible service and respectful treatment whilst accessing our services. Our employees will behave in accordance with Muse Psychology values.

Unacceptable behaviour is defined as unreasonable conduct that causes distress or discomfort to others.
Aggressive or abusive behaviour includes any communication that causes fear, threat, or abuse.

6.2 In the event of unacceptable, aggressive or abusive behaviour the client will be warned and asked to modify their behaviour.

6.3 If the behaviour continues, communication restrictions may be imposed, and if necessary, all treatment with the client may be terminated.

PRIVACY POLICY

Our Privacy Policy describes the management of any client personal information. The psychological service provided is bound by legal requirements of the Australian Privacy Principals outlined in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES

As part of providing psychological services to our clients, it may be necessary for Muse Psychology to collect and record personal information. The information collected is essential in our assessment, diagnosis and treatment. This information is essential for your psychologist to provide relevant and informed psychological services.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All personal information gathered and recorded by Muse Psychology during the provision of psychological services will remain confidential and secure except where:

It is subpoenaed by a court
Failure to disclose the information would place you or another person at serious and imminent risk.
Muse Psychology are mandated by law to report to the department of community services if they have concerns that a child or young person is at risk of harm.

There may be times where, as part of your assessment and therapy process, it may be helpful for your psychologist to liaise with other people, agencies or medical professionals that are relevant to your goals. Additional consent forms will be requested in these instances. Please note that if you intend to claim medicare rebates, then your psychologist must provide summary reports to your referring specialist regarding your treatment progress. Under the medicare scheme these reports will be sent to your GP/Paediatrician/Psychiatrist.

HOW WE COLLECT OUR CLIENT INFORMATION

Our clients information is collected in a number of ways, before during and after psychological consultation with Muse Psychology. Some of the ways in which Muse Psychology will collect information include, but is not limited to:

Hard copy and electronic forms
Email correspondence
When the client interacts directly with their psychologist and other Muse Psychology employees
Through the Muse Psychology website
When other healthcare professionals provide personal information of clients to Muse Psychology via referral, correspondence and medical reports

HOW WE STORE OUR CLIENT INFORMATION

All client files are held in a secure filing cabinet and electronically via an electronic document management system.

These files are accessible only to authorised and accredited employees of Muse Psychology.

DESTRUCTION OF CLIENT FILES

By law, Muse Psychology is required to maintain and store your personal information for the following periods of time:

If client is 18 years or older - we will maintain your records for a minimum of 7 years or
If a client is under the age of 18 - until the client turns the minimum age of 25

REQUESTS FOR ACCESS AND CORRECTION TO CLIENT INFORMATION

At any stage clients may request to see and correct the personal information about them that is kept on file. The psychologist may discuss the contents with the client and/or give them a copy, subject to the exceptions in the privacy act 1998 (Cth). If satisfied that the personal information is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete, reasonable steps will be taken in the circumstances to ensure that this information is corrected. All requests by clients for access to or correction to personal information held about them should be lodged with Muse Psychology in writing. These requests will be responded to the client with 14 business days and an appointment will be made if necessary for clarification purposes.

CLIENT CONCERNS ABOUT MANAGEMENT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

If our client has concerns about the management of their personal information, they may inform Muse Psychology. Upon request they can obtain a copy of the Australian Privacy Principles, which describe their rights and how their personal information should be handled. Ultimately, if clients wish to lodge a formal complaint about the use of, disclosure of, or access to, their personal information, they may do so with 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 Commissioner, GPO Box 5218, Sydney, NSW, 2001.