Privacy & Collection Statement
Your privacy is important to us. Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion respects the privacy of your personal Information. We will go through the privacy statement and confidentiality with you when we meet with you.
The following services are available to La Trobe University students:
- Accessibility and Inclusion
- Counselling Services
- Financial Counselling
- Indigenous Health and Wellbeing Service
- LGBTIQ+ Health and Wellbeing Service
- Men’s Health and Wellbeing Service
- Multifaith and Spiritual Wellbeing Service
- Student Wellbeing Connect
- Wellbeing Mentors
Collection of information
The Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division will collect personal Information about you so we can keep up-to-date details about you and your needs and to ensure we care for you in the best possible way.
Privacy Legislation protects personal information collected and held by health agencies.
Access, collection and storage of your personal Information by the University is in accordance with the Health Records Act 2001 and the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 and applied to all teams across the Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division.
Our staff and their commitment
Our staff are required to be registered with, or members of, the following professional bodies:
- Psychologists, Mental Health Nurses and Occupational Therapists: Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency
- Social Workers: Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)
- Financial Counsellors: Financial Counselling Victoria (FCVic) (and abide by the Australian Financial Counselling Code of Ethical Practice)
- Wellbeing Mentors: these aspiring professionals must follow the University’s Code of Conduct and the ethical codes and guidelines of their relevant professions
How we share your information
When you see one of our team, we are required to maintain notes of sessions, treatment and/or intervention plans. We also collect information about individuals and clients who make inquiries via email and telephone, including inquiries made by third parties.
The boundaries of confidentiality remain within the Division, not with the individual you may see. The Division works collaboratively as one service which means that we may share relevant Information across the different teams and if required to other areas of the University, in order to provide you with the best service and support.
Disclosure/release of information
We treat the information that we receive from you with confidentiality and respect and will only disclose information to third parties outside of the Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion Division under certain circumstances including:
- With your permission/consent:
You can ask/direct or give permission to Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion staff to disclose Information to a third party or parties on your behalf. This direction is usually in the form of a written statement signed by you.
- Legal requirement to provide personal Information
Sometimes an overriding legal requirement will lead to a carefully considered release of Information. These circumstances would normally involve statutory obligations, investigating illegal or criminal activities or the prevention of harm to others, including children.
For example: when a Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion staff member and/or their Senior Manager believes the student’s behaviour to be a danger to themselves or others, a considered action based on a professional duty of care will be taken with the purpose of protection of those that are considered to be ‘at risk’. This may include contacting your emergency contact to inform them of perceived risk and engaging them in the your care.
- Child/Children at Risk
All Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion staff are required to notify the relevant authorities if they are made aware of any child or children at risk of harm.
What if you don’t want to provide information:
If you do not provide Information as requested, our ability to provide services to you may be limited. Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion reserve the right to withdraw or not provide services if we believe our capacity to provide services may be compromised by a lack of Information or that we are unable to meet our legal obligations.
How long do we store your Information for:
Any information provided during sessions with the Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion staff is securely stored for a period of 7-10 years from the date of last contact with the service. After this time the Information is securely disposed as per the University’s Records Management Policy.
More information:
View the La Trobe University Privacy Policy.
Accessing information:
You also have the right to access certain information held about you in accordance with the University's privacy policies and under the Freedom of Information Act (Vic). Please refer our Freedom of Information page.
Privacy Complaints
You have the right to complain to our Privacy Officer if you believe there has been an act or practice of the University that has interfered with your privacy.