Privacy Policy

Name: Forward Mind Psychology
Address: Suite 41B, 190-200 Jells Road, Wheelers Hill, VIC, 3150, AU
Telephone: 0470 587 719
Price range: $$

Last updated: 2 November 2026

Forward Mind Psychology (“we”, “us”, “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal and health information with care. This policy explains how we collect, use, disclose and secure your information, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), and the Australian Psychological Society / Psychology Board of Australia professional standards and Code of Conduct.

1. Who we are

Forward Mind Psychology is a psychology practice located at Suite 41B, 190-200 Jells Road, Wheelers Hill VIC 3150. You can contact us at support@forwardmindpsychology.com.au or on 0470 587 719.

2. Information we collect

We may collect the following types of information:

Identity and contact details: name, date of birth, address, phone number and email address.
Health and sensitive information: presenting concerns, mental health history, assessment results, treatment notes, referrals, Mental Health Care Plans, and reports from other health professionals.
Billing and funding details: Medicare number, private health fund or NDIS details, and payment information.
Website enquiry details: the name, email, phone number, service of interest and message you submit through our contact form.
Website usage data: IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited and referring site, collected through cookies and analytics tools.

Health information is sensitive information under the Privacy Act. We only collect it with your consent, or where otherwise permitted or required by law, and only where reasonably necessary to provide our services. Please do not include detailed health information in the website contact form; we will collect what we need during your intake.

3. How we collect information

We collect information directly from you (in sessions, forms, phone calls and emails), from your referrer (e.g. GP, psychiatrist, school, NDIS planner), and, with your consent, from other treating practitioners. For children and young people, we may collect information from parents or guardians. We also collect website usage data automatically.

4. How we use your information

To provide psychological assessment, therapy and related services, and to maintain accurate clinical records.
To respond to enquiries and manage appointments, including sending confirmations and replies.
To process payments and claims (Medicare, private health funds, NDIS).
To communicate with your referrer and other health professionals involved in your care, with your consent.
To meet legal, professional, insurance and regulatory obligations, and for clinical supervision (with identifying details removed wherever possible).
To operate, secure and improve our website and understand how it is used.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use your health information for marketing.

5. When we disclose information

We only disclose your information:

with your consent (for example to your GP, psychiatrist, school or NDIS provider);
where required or authorised by law, such as a court order or mandatory reporting obligations;
where we reasonably believe it is necessary to prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of you or another person;
to Services Australia (Medicare), health funds or the NDIA to process claims; and
to service providers who help us run the practice, under confidentiality obligations, including those listed below.

6. Third-party services and overseas disclosure

Our website and practice use these providers, some of whom store data outside Australia:

Mailgun (Sinch): delivers contact-form emails and auto-replies. Servers may be located in the United States or European Union.
Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager: collect anonymised website usage data via cookies. You can opt out using the Google Analytics opt-out add-on or your browser settings.
Google Firebase Hosting / Google Cloud: hosts our website and may process server logs including IP addresses.
Telehealth platforms: where you choose telehealth, sessions are conducted over a secure video platform.

Where information is disclosed overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure the recipient handles it consistently with the APPs.

7. Cookies and analytics

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to measure traffic and improve our site. These do not identify you personally and we do not place health information in them. You can disable cookies in your browser, though some site features may be affected.

8. Security and storage

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, including access controls, secure systems and encrypted connections (HTTPS). Email is not a fully secure method of communication; if you have concerns, please contact us by phone or discuss alternatives with your psychologist.

9. Retention and disposal

Under Victorian law and professional standards, we retain clinical records for at least 7 years after your last service, or, for a person who was a child at the time of service, until they turn 25 (whichever is later). After that period, records are securely destroyed or de-identified. Website enquiries not leading to a client relationship are deleted within a reasonable period.

10. Accessing and correcting your information

You have the right to request access to the personal and health information we hold about you, and to ask us to correct anything that is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete. Please contact us in writing. We will respond within a reasonable time (generally within 30 days). In limited circumstances permitted by law, access may be refused, and we will explain why.

11. Anonymity

You may contact us with general enquiries without identifying yourself. However, to provide psychological services and meet funding and legal requirements, we generally need to know who you are.

12. Complaints

If you believe we have breached your privacy, please contact us at support@forwardmindpsychology.com.au and we will investigate and respond promptly. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): oaic.gov.au, 1300 363 992
Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria): hcc.vic.gov.au, 1300 582 113

13. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be available on this page, with the “last updated” date above.

The information provided on this website is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical or psychological advice. Outcomes are not guaranteed and vary by individual. If you require immediate assistance or are in crisis, please call 000 or present to your nearest hospital emergency department.