Privacy Policy
Last updated 24 September 2026
1 Who this policy applies to
This Privacy Policy explains how Helen Billows, sole trader, trading as Billows Psychology, ABN 14 155 100 303, collects, holds, uses and discloses personal information in connection with the Website, enquiries, psychological therapy, telehealth, administration, billing, professional supervision and consultation.
Billows Psychology is a private health service provider and handles personal information consistently with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles, applicable health and professional obligations, and other applicable Australian law.
This policy applies before, during and after a professional service relationship. Additional information about confidentiality, records and consent appears in the applicable therapy consent or professional service agreement.
2 Privacy contact
Privacy contact: Helen Billows
Business: Billows Psychology
ABN: 14 155 100 303
Email: admin@billowspsychology.com
Location: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
3 Information collected
Depending on the person's relationship with Billows Psychology, the information collected or held may include:
name, date of birth, pronouns, contact details, address, emergency contact and identity details;
enquiries, referral information, appointment history, communications and administrative notes;
health information, symptoms, diagnoses, history, treatment goals, risk and safety information, medications, assessments, clinical formulations, progress notes and treatment records;
information from or about GPs, psychiatrists, other treating practitioners, referrers, authorised representatives and support people;
Medicare, referral, Mental Health Treatment Plan, private health, insurer, billing, payment, invoice and rebate information;
telehealth participation and technical information required to deliver an online service;
for supervision or consultation, professional contact details, qualifications, registration or membership details, accreditation status, goals, attendance, reflective material, competency information, reports and case material presented for discussion;
complaints, feedback, access or correction requests, legal correspondence and incident information; and
Website information such as IP address, device and browser information, approximate location, referral source, pages viewed, timestamps, cookie identifiers and analytics events.
Information collected while providing a health service may be health information even when it would otherwise appear administrative.
4 How information is collected
Information may be collected directly from the individual through the Website, email, forms, telephone or video communication, appointments, assessments, correspondence, payment processes and signed agreements.
Information may also be collected from a GP, psychiatrist, referrer, Medicare, an insurer, another treating practitioner, an authorised representative, an emergency contact, a supervisee or consultee, a professional or accreditation body, or another person where the individual has consented or collection is otherwise permitted or required by law.
If unsolicited information is received, Billows Psychology will determine whether it could lawfully have been collected. Information that cannot lawfully or reasonably be retained will be destroyed or de-identified where lawful and practicable.
5 Why information is collected and used
Personal and health information may be collected, held, used and disclosed for purposes including:
responding to enquiries and assessing service suitability;
providing, reviewing and coordinating psychological therapy, telehealth, supervision or consultation;
maintaining clinical and professional records;
managing appointments, reminders, communication, payments, invoices, rebates and debt recovery;
communicating with referrers, other treating practitioners, authorised representatives, Medicare, insurers and relevant professional bodies where authorised or otherwise lawful;
managing safety, emergencies, complaints, incidents, quality assurance, insurance and legal obligations;
meeting professional, ethical, registration, accreditation, audit and record-keeping requirements;
securing and administering the Website and information systems; and
producing de-identified operational information where individuals are not reasonably identifiable.
Billows Psychology will not use clinical information for marketing merely because a person made an enquiry or received a service.
6 Health and other sensitive information
Health information is sensitive information. Billows Psychology generally collects health and other sensitive information with consent where it is reasonably necessary to provide a health or professional service. Collection, use or disclosure may also occur without consent where an Australian law or court order requires or authorises it, or another exception under applicable privacy law applies.
Confidentiality is not absolute. The applicable consent or service agreement explains circumstances that may permit or require disclosure, including serious safety concerns, legal compulsion, mandatory reporting and professional or regulatory obligations.
7 Anonymity and pseudonyms
A person may browse general Website information without identifying themselves. Anonymity or use of a pseudonym may not be practicable for clinical care, appointment management, Medicare or insurance claims, payment, professional supervision, consultation, accreditation reporting, emergencies or legal compliance.
8 If information is not provided
A person is not required to provide requested information. If information reasonably necessary for safety, suitability, clinical care, professional consultation, billing, identity verification or legal compliance is not provided, Billows Psychology may be unable to respond fully, accept an enquiry, provide a service, process a claim or continue the professional relationship safely.
9 Disclosure to other people and organisations
Information may be disclosed where reasonably necessary and lawful to:
administration personnel and contractors who require access for their duties and are subject to confidentiality obligations;
GPs, psychiatrists, referrers, other treating practitioners, authorised representatives and support people with consent or other lawful authority;
Medicare, private health insurers, funding bodies, payment providers, accountants and bookkeepers for claims, payment and administration;
professional supervisors, consultants, insurers, legal advisers, auditors, accreditation bodies and regulators where relevant and lawful;
technology providers supporting practice management, records, forms, email, fax, telehealth, document signing, storage, backup, security, accounting, Website hosting and analytics;
emergency services or other appropriate people where necessary and lawful to address a serious safety concern; and
courts, tribunals, law-enforcement bodies, regulators or other recipients where disclosure is required or authorised by law.
Billows Psychology does not sell clinical or personal information.
10 Supervision consultation and third-party client information
Practitioners receiving supervision or consultation must de-identify client material unless identifiable disclosure is necessary, lawful and appropriately authorised. Case information should be limited to what is reasonably necessary for the professional purpose.
Information about a practitioner's client may be recorded in supervision or consultation notes where reasonably necessary. The practitioner presenting the case remains responsible for complying with privacy, confidentiality, consent, record-keeping and professional obligations owed to that client.
11 Technology providers and overseas processing
Billows Psychology uses or may use third-party providers for Website hosting, analytics, practice administration, health records, forms, email, telehealth, payments, accounting, fax, document signing, storage, backup and security. Publicly used services include Squarespace, Google Analytics and Zoom. Other providers may be used for clinical records and practice administration.
Some providers may store or process information outside Australia, including in the United States, or allow support personnel in other countries to access information. Provider locations and sub-processors can change. Where APP 8 applies, Billows Psychology takes reasonable steps required by law before disclosing personal information to an overseas recipient.
A person may contact Billows Psychology for current information about providers and likely overseas locations relevant to that person's information.
12 Website cookies analytics and tracking
The Website uses essential cookies required for operation and may use non-essential analytics, including Google Analytics, to understand Website performance. Non-essential analytics should be controlled through the Website's cookie settings and configured to minimise the information collected.
Billows Psychology does not use health information submitted through clinical enquiry or service forms for targeted advertising. Clinical form contents, typed health information and identifying details should not be transmitted to advertising platforms through pixels or similar tools.
A visitor may adjust cookie preferences through the Website banner or browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect Website functions. The Website should not deploy advertising or remarketing pixels on clinical pages unless their privacy impact has been assessed and any required express consent has been obtained.
13 Newsletter and the Helen Billows website
Billows Psychology and helenbillows.com are both operated by Helen Billows as a sole trader under ABN 14 155 100 303, but they serve different functions. Billows Psychology provides clinical psychology services, professional supervision and consultation. The helenbillows.com website provides separate educational content, digital products, free resources and newsletters and does not provide psychological therapy or other clinical services. Using one website or service does not automatically enrol a person in, or establish a relationship with, the other.
Billows Psychology may link to educational resources or a newsletter provided through helenbillows.com. Clinical enquiries, therapy clients, supervisees and consultees are not subscribed merely because they contact or receive services from Billows Psychology.
A person who separately chooses to subscribe or request a free resource through helenbillows.com is subject to the Helen Billows Privacy Policy and the consent wording displayed at that signup point. Clinical information is not transferred to the newsletter list for marketing without separate valid consent.
14 Storage security and communication risks
Billows Psychology takes reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect information against misuse, interference, loss and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. Measures may include access controls, passwords, multi-factor authentication where available, secure practice systems, backups, staff confidentiality, device security and provider review.
No method of electronic transmission or storage is completely secure. Email, fax and telehealth carry risks including misdirection, interception, device access, outages and provider incidents. Individuals should avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information through ordinary email and should notify Billows Psychology promptly if contact details or security concerns change.
15 Retention and destruction
Information is retained for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and for any period required by applicable law, professional standards, Medicare or funding requirements, insurance arrangements and legitimate record-keeping needs.
When information is no longer required and no law or professional obligation requires retention, Billows Psychology will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify it. Backup copies may remain for a limited period until securely overwritten in the ordinary backup cycle.
16 Access and correction
A person may request access to or correction of personal information by contacting admin@billowspsychology.com. Identity may need to be verified before information is released or changed.
Billows Psychology will respond within a reasonable period, ordinarily within 30 days. Access may be refused or limited where permitted or required by law, including where access would create a serious threat, unreasonably affect another person's privacy, relate to legal proceedings, reveal evaluative information generated for a commercially sensitive decision, or otherwise fall within an applicable exception. Written reasons and available complaint options will be provided where required.
No fee is charged for making a request. A reasonable charge may apply to providing access where permitted by law, after advance notice.
17 Privacy complaints
A privacy concern or complaint should be sent to admin@billowspsychology.com and marked Privacy Complaint. The complaint should describe the issue and the outcome sought. Billows Psychology will acknowledge the complaint and investigate it within a reasonable period, ordinarily providing a substantive response within 30 days.
If the response is unsatisfactory, a complaint may be made to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. Depending on the subject, a person may also contact the South Australian Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner or raise a concern with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.
18 Data breaches
Billows Psychology maintains processes for responding to suspected privacy and security incidents. Where an eligible data breach is likely to result in serious harm and the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme applies, affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner will be notified as required by law.
19 Changes to this policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated when information practices, providers, professional obligations or law change. The current version will be published on the Website with its update date. If a change materially affects how already collected information is used or disclosed, Billows Psychology will take any additional steps required by law.