Data Retention Policy
Last updated: July 2026
1. Purpose
This policy describes how long we keep personal, clinical, and financial records, and how records are securely disposed of once they’re no longer required.
2. Guiding principle
We keep information only as long as needed to deliver care, meet clinical record-keeping obligations, meet tax and financial reporting requirements, or defend a legal claim — consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles’ data minimisation expectations.
3. Typical retention periods
- Adult clinical/session records: a minimum of 7 years from the last date of service.
- Minors’ clinical records: until the client turns 25, or 7 years from last contact, whichever is longer.
- Compliance documents (registrations, insurance): retained for the period a therapist is active, plus 7 years.
- Payment and billing records: at least 7 years, per Australian tax record-keeping requirements.
- Account and audit logs: retained for a defined period for security purposes.
4. Secure disposal
When a retention period expires and no legal, clinical, or contractual reason to keep the record remains, it is securely deleted or irreversibly de-identified.
5. Your rights
You can request access to, correction of, or a copy of your records at any time, subject to the retention periods above and the rights described in our Privacy Policy.