A.4. Privacy
Psychologists avoid undue invasion of privacy in the collection of information. This includes, but is not limited to:
(a) collecting only information relevant to the service being provided; and
(b) not requiring supervisees or trainees to disclose their personal information, unless self-disclosure is a normal expectation of a given training procedure and informed consent has been obtained from participants prior to training.
A.5. Confidentiality
A.5.1. Psychologists safeguard the confidentiality of information obtained during their provision of psychological services. Considering their legal and organisational requirements, psychologists:
(a) make provisions for maintaining confidentiality in the collection, recording, accessing, storage, dissemination, and disposal of information; and
(b) take reasonable steps to protect the confidentiality of information after they leave a specific work setting, or cease to provide psychological services.
A.5.2. Psychologists disclose confidential information obtained in the course of their provision of psychological services only under any one or more of the following circumstances:
(a) with the consent of the relevant client or a person with legal authority to act on behalf of the client;
(b) where there is a legal obligation to do so; © The Australian Psychological Society Limited Code of Ethics 15 General Principle A
(c) if there is an immediate and specified risk of harm to an identifiable person or persons that can be averted only by disclosing information; or
*Please note: for psychologists whose work falls under the jurisdiction of the Privacy Act (1988) (Cth), Section 16A, Item 1 of the Privacy Act states that a Permitted General Situation provides an exception to the Australian Privacy Principles, and allows disclosure of client information if: the entity (psychologist) reasonably believes that the collection, use or disclosure is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to the life, health or safety of any individual, or to public health or safety. The threat does not have to be immediate or specified for information to be disclosed. Situations which meet the criteria for allowable disclosures are listed in Sections 16A and 16B of the Privacy Act. (d) when consulting colleagues, or in the course of supervision or professional training, provided the psychologist: (i) conceals the identity of clients and associated parties involved; or (ii) obtains the client’s consent, and gives prior notice to the recipients of the information that they are required to preserve the client’s privacy, and obtains an undertaking from the recipients of the information that they will preserve the client’s privacy.
A.5.3. Psychologists inform clients at the outset of the professional relationship, and as regularly thereafter as is reasonably necessary, of the:
(a) limits to confidentiality; and
(b) foreseeable uses of the information generated in the course of the relationship.
A.5.4. When a standard of this Code allows psychologists to disclose information obtained in the course of the provision of psychological services, they disclose only that information which is necessary to achieve the purpose of the disclosure, and then only to people required to have that information. 16 Code of Ethics www.psychology.org.au General Principle A
A.5.5. Psychologists use information collected about a client for a purpose other than the primary purpose of collection only:
(a) with the consent of that client;
(b) if the information is de-identified and used in the course of duly approved research; or
(c) when the use is required or authorised by or under law.
This information can be found in the Australian Psychological Societies Code of Ethics
Recent Comments