Website Privacy Policy
Last updated 1 September 2026
1. Introduction
This Website is operated by Silver Birch Psychology and provides general information about our services. The following Website privacy policy (Privacy Policy) outlines how your personal information is handled.
Silver Birch Psychology is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal and health information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), as well as the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Health Privacy Principles (HPPs).
2. Website Scope
This Website provides information on the services offered by Silver Birch Psychology. It does not require user accounts or logins and does not collect or store personal or health information directly through the Website.
This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected via this Website and via initial contact email. Information collected for the delivery of psychological services is set out in a separate Privacy Policy provided on engagement with our practice.
3. Information Collection
We do not collect personal information through this Website itself.
If you choose to contact us via email using the email address provided, we may collect personal information you voluntarily provide, including:
- Name
- Contact details
- Information about your enquiry
- Potentially sensitive information (including health information)
Health information is considered ‘sensitive information’ under the Privacy Act and ‘health information’ under the Health Records Act and is afforded the highest level of legal protection. We do not ask you to provide health information through this Website interface directly. However, if you choose to contact us via email, you may voluntarily provide health information or other sensitive details in your enquiry.
Any health information you provide via email will be:
- Collected only where reasonably necessary to respond to your enquiry or assess suitability for services
- Used solely for the primary purpose for which it was provided
- Handled with a high level of confidentiality and care
Where appropriate, we may request that sensitive or detailed health information be provided through more secure or formal channels once contact is established. Please note:
- Email is not a secure form of communication
- We recommend limiting the amount of sensitive personal or health information included in initial email enquiries
If you proceed to engage in psychological services, a separate Privacy Policy will be provided, which outlines how your health information is collected, used, stored, and disclosed in the course of providing care.
4. Automatic Website Data
Our Website is hosted by a third-party hosting provider. As part of standard web hosting, this provider may process limited technical data on our behalf for the purpose of maintaining Website functionality, security, and performance. This may include your:
- IP address
- Browser type
- Pages accessed
- Date and time of access
This information may be used for system administration, security, and Website performance. It is not used to identify you personally.
5. Use and Disclosure of Personal Information
We use personal information you provide via email only for the primary purpose of:
- Responding to your enquiry
- Assessing suitability for services
- Communicating with you about your enquiry
We do not disclose personal information collected via this Website or email, except:
- Where required or authorised by law
- To lessen or prevent a serious threat to life, health, or safety
- With your consent
We do not sell or share personal information with third parties for advertising purposes.
We do not routinely disclose personal information overseas. However, some third-party service providers (such as Website hosting or email providers) may store or process data on servers located outside Australia. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any such providers handle personal information in accordance with Australian privacy laws.
6. Data Security
While Silver Birch Psychology takes reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure, no internet transmission can be guaranteed as completely secure. You acknowledge the inherent security risks associated with transmitting information to Silver Birch Psychology via email.
7. Notifiable Data Breaches
In the unlikely event of an eligible data breach that is likely to result in serious harm to any individual whose personal information we hold, Silver Birch Psychology will comply with the Notifiable Data Breaches Scheme under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth). We will promptly notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) of the breach and advise you of the steps you should take in response.
8. Cookies and Tracking
This Website does not use:
- Advertising cookies
- Third-party tracking tools
- Analytics services
If this changes, this Policy will be updated accordingly.
9. Access to and Correction of Personal Information
You have the right to request access to personal information we hold about you and to request its correction, subject to exceptions permitted under law. Please contact us at hello@silverbirchpsychology.com.au if you wish to access your personal information.
In order to protect your personal information, we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.
We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your personal information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.
10. Further Information and Complaints
If you have a concern or complaint about how Silver Birch Psychology has handled your personal information, please contact us at hello@silverbirchpsychology.com.au.
If you are unsatisfied with the outcome of our internal investigation, you may escalate your privacy concerns to the relevant regulatory authorities:
- For general personal information privacy concerns: The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) using the form available at www.oaic.gov.au
- For concerns specifically regarding the handling of your health information in Victoria: The Health Complaints Commissioner (HCC) using the form available at www.hcc.vic.gov.au