Practice Policies
The following policies help ensure services at Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy are provided in a respectful, professional, and well-organised manner.
By booking an appointment, attending therapy, or registering for a workshop, you acknowledge and agree to the policies outlined below.
Appointments and Deposits
Appointments are available by prior booking and are reserved specifically for each client.
For an initial private or Medicare appointment, a $100 booking deposit is required to secure the appointment. The appointment is not secured until the deposit has been received.
If the appointment proceeds, the deposit will be applied towards the appointment fee. The remaining balance is payable after the appointment.
If the initial appointment is cancelled, rescheduled or missed, the deposit will be managed in accordance with Vista’s Cancellation, Rescheduling & Non-Attendance Policy below.
If a session finishes earlier than scheduled, the full appointment fee remains payable because the appointment time was reserved specifically for the client.
If Vista or the treating clinician cancels an appointment, any amount paid may be transferred to another appointment or refunded in full.
Cancellation, Rescheduling & Non Attendance Policy
We understand that circumstances can change. If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, please provide as much notice as possible. Appointment times are reserved specifically for you, and adequate notice allows us to offer the time to another person.
More than 2 business days’ notice
Appointments may be cancelled or rescheduled without a fee when more than 2 business days’ notice is provided.
If a deposit or prepayment has been made, it may be transferred to the rescheduled appointment. If the appointment is cancelled without rescheduling, the amount paid will be refunded or, at the client’s request, held as credit towards a future appointment.
1–2 business days’ notice
Cancellation or rescheduling with 1 or 2 business days’ notice will incur a fee equal to 50% of the scheduled appointment fee.
Any deposit or prepayment will be applied towards this fee. If the amount paid exceeds the cancellation fee, the remaining amount will be refunded or, at the client’s request, held as credit.
Less than 1 business day’s notice or non-attendance
Cancellation or rescheduling with less than 1 business day’s notice, or failure to attend without notice, will incur the full scheduled appointment fee.
Any deposit or prepayment will be applied towards this fee, and any remaining balance will be payable by the client.
Future appointments following late changes or non-attendance
Following a late cancellation, late rescheduling or non-attendance, Vista may require future appointments to be paid in full at the time of booking.
This requirement may also be applied where a client has repeatedly cancelled or rescheduled appointments with 2 business days’ notice or less.
If full prepayment is required, the client will be informed before another appointment is booked. The appointment will not be secured until payment has been received in full.
Any outstanding cancellation or non-attendance fees must be paid before another appointment can be secured.
Prepaid appointments remain subject to this cancellation policy. Where sufficient notice is provided, the payment will be transferred or refunded. Where insufficient notice is provided, the applicable cancellation fee will be deducted and any remaining balance refunded or held as credit at the client’s request.
Payment method
Vista may require a valid payment method to be securely held on file for private and Medicare appointments.
Where the client has provided authorisation, cancellation, non-attendance or other outstanding appointment fees payable under this policy may be processed using that payment method.
Late attendance
If a client arrives or joins an appointment late, the appointment will still finish at the originally scheduled time.
The full appointment fee will apply.
Telehealth appointments
If a telehealth appointment cannot proceed because of client equipment, internet, software or privacy issues, the standard cancellation policy may apply because the appointment time has been reserved.
Business days
For the purposes of this policy, business days are Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays and days when the practice is closed.
Medicare rebates
Medicare rebates cannot be claimed for cancellation, late-rescheduling or non-attendance fees.
Fees & Payment
Current fees are displayed on the Vista website and at the Vista practice.
For an initial private or Medicare appointment, a $100 booking deposit is required at the time of booking. The deposit is applied towards the appointment fee, with the remaining balance payable after the appointment.
Payment for subsequent appointments is generally due after the appointment. However, following a late cancellation, late rescheduling, non-attendance or repeated appointment changes, Vista may require future appointments to be paid in full at the time of booking.
Where eligible, a Medicare rebate may be available following an attended appointment with a valid referral under a Mental Health Treatment Plan.
Other funded arrangements, including NDIS and WorkCover, are managed according to the relevant funding, service agreement and approval requirements.
Nothing in these policies excludes or limits any rights available under the Australian Consumer Law.
Online Therapy
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy offers secure video consultations for clients where online therapy is appropriate and available.
You will need a reliable internet connection and a device with a camera and microphone, such as a computer, laptop, or tablet. Smartphones are generally not recommended due to the limited screen size.
A secure appointment link will be sent to you by email before your session. No software installation is usually required.
For the best experience, we recommend using headphones to improve sound quality and privacy, and attending from a quiet, private location where you will not be overheard.
Clients are responsible for ensuring they have suitable equipment, internet access and a private space before the appointment. Vista is unable to provide or loan equipment.
If an appointment cannot proceed due to client equipment, software, internet or privacy issues, the standard cancellation policy may apply because the appointment time has been reserved specifically for you.
Confidentiality & Privacy
Information shared during therapy is treated as confidential and handled in accordance with Australian privacy legislation and the professional and ethical standards that apply to your therapist.
Your personal and health information will not ordinarily be shared outside Vista without your consent. There are, however, limited circumstances where information may be used or disclosed without consent where this is required or permitted by law.
These circumstances may include:
-
where there is a serious threat to the life, health or safety of you or another person
-
where disclosure is required or authorised by law, including applicable mandatory reporting obligations
-
where information is required under a valid court or tribunal order, such as a subpoena
-
where another legal exception permits or requires the use or disclosure of information.
Where you provide consent, Vista may also communicate with other professionals involved in your care, such as your GP, psychiatrist, specialist or other treating practitioner.
Mandatory Reporting
Health practitioners may be required by law to report concerns about a child or young person where the relevant legal threshold for reporting is met.
These obligations are intended to help protect the safety and wellbeing of children and young people.
Clinical Supervision & Professional Consultation
Vista therapists may participate in clinical supervision and professional consultation as part of maintaining professional standards, reflective practice, clinical safety and high-quality care.
Where your therapy is discussed for supervision or professional consultation, only information relevant to the clinical purpose will be shared. Information will be de-identified wherever reasonably practicable, and any use or disclosure of identifiable information will be limited to what is reasonably necessary and handled in accordance with applicable privacy, professional and legal requirements.
Multidisciplinary Care & Clinical Consultation
Vista is a multidisciplinary practice. A multidisciplinary practice brings together therapists from different professional backgrounds who may consult with one another, where appropriate, to share relevant expertise, support clinical decision-making and help ensure coordinated, high-quality care.
Where clinically appropriate, Vista clinicians may consult with other Vista clinicians to support safe care, continuity of treatment, clinical decision-making and professional standards.
Where more than one Vista clinician is involved in your care, relevant information may also be shared between those clinicians where reasonably necessary to support your treatment and continuity of care.
Information shared within the Vista team will be limited to what is reasonably necessary for the clinical purpose and will be handled in accordance with applicable privacy, professional and legal requirements.
Where consent is required, it will be obtained.
Further information about how Vista collects, uses, stores and protects personal information is available in our Privacy Policy.
Clinical Records, Privacy & Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Clinical Records
Vista maintains confidential clinical records to support safe, effective and continuous care.
Clinical records may include information about your presenting concerns, goals, assessment, formulation, treatment planning, interventions, progress, risk considerations, communication with other professionals and summaries of appointments.
Clinical records are intended to provide an accurate and clinically relevant account of your care and are not ordinarily verbatim transcripts of therapy sessions.
Use of Digital and AI-Assisted Tools
Vista may use secure digital and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted tools to support clinical and administrative work.
Depending on the purpose, these tools may assist with:
-
clinical scribing or transcription
-
preparing or summarising session notes
-
preparing treatment plans, formulations and progress summaries
-
drafting reports, referral letters and professional correspondence
-
reviewing, organising or summarising information contained in clinical records
-
reviewing documents or information provided to Vista
-
identifying relevant information across records or documents
-
preparing administrative and practice-related documentation
-
other similar documentation or information-management tasks connected with your care.
AI-assisted tools are used to support, not replace, professional judgement. Your clinician remains responsible for reviewing and correcting AI-assisted content, deciding what is included in your clinical record, and making all clinical decisions relating to your care.
Consent, Privacy and AI
Where identifiable or confidential information is to be provided to an AI-assisted system, Vista will explain the relevant use of AI and obtain your informed consent before that information is used.
Consent will generally be obtained as part of Vista's consent process. Where appropriate, your clinician may also confirm your consent verbally, particularly where an AI-assisted tool is used to transcribe or clinically scribe an appointment.
You may ask questions about the use of AI in your care at any time. If you do not consent to a particular use of AI, this can be discussed with your clinician and alternative documentation arrangements considered where reasonably practicable.
Vista will take reasonable steps to ensure that AI and digital systems used with identifiable health information have appropriate privacy, confidentiality and security protections.
Where reasonably practicable, information provided to an AI-assisted system will be de-identified or limited to the information reasonably necessary for the relevant task.
Vista does not intentionally enter identifiable client health information into publicly available AI systems where appropriate privacy and security safeguards have not been established.
AI systems can produce inaccurate or incomplete information. AI-assisted content is therefore reviewed by the responsible clinician before being incorporated into a clinical record, report, correspondence or clinical decision.
Storage and Security of Clinical Records
Clinical records are stored securely and protected against unauthorised access, use, modification, loss or disclosure in accordance with applicable Australian privacy legislation and professional requirements.
Records are retained for the period required by applicable legislation and professional standards. Retention requirements may vary depending on factors including the client's age, the profession of the treating clinician and other applicable legal or regulatory requirements.
Access to Clinical Records
You may request access to personal information and clinical records held about you.
Requests will be managed in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), applicable privacy requirements and the professional obligations relevant to your clinician.
Access will be provided in an appropriate form as required or permitted by law. Where helpful, your clinician may offer to discuss clinical information with you so that terminology, formulation or other clinical information can be understood in the appropriate context.
Communication Between Appointments
Communication between appointments is generally limited to administrative matters, such as scheduling, payment, forms or appointment changes. Routine administrative communication does not attract an additional clinical fee.
Clinical advice, therapeutic support and substantive clinical discussion are generally provided during scheduled consultations. Vista does not provide crisis, emergency or ongoing therapeutic support between appointments.
Where a therapist is required to undertake clinical or professional work outside a scheduled appointment at a client’s request or in connection with their care — for example, substantive telephone or email communication, reviewing information, clinical liaison or other treatment-related work — this time may be charged at the therapist’s applicable hourly rate, calculated pro rata in 15-minute increments and rounded up to the next 15-minute interval.
Where services are funded by a third party, any charge for work undertaken outside an appointment will remain subject to the applicable funding, approval and claiming requirements.
Reports, Documentation and Other Professional Work
Clients may request reports, letters, clinical summaries or other documentation for purposes such as legal, insurance, workplace, compensation, funding or other third-party matters.
Preparation of reports and documentation may require clinical review, file review, liaison, correspondence and professional time outside scheduled appointments. Where this occurs, the work may be charged at the clinician’s applicable hourly rate on a pro-rata basis in 15-minute increments, rounded up to the next 15-minute interval.
Where practicable, Vista may provide an estimate of the likely professional time or cost involved before substantial work is undertaken. The final fee may vary depending on the complexity of the request and the time reasonably required to complete the work.
Requests for medico-legal, forensic or expert reports are considered on a case-by-case basis and may be declined where the request falls outside the clinician’s role, scope of practice, available information, professional obligations or the therapeutic purpose of treatment.
Other professional work requested outside a scheduled appointment — such as substantive clinical telephone or email communication, file review, liaison with other professionals, preparation of documentation, or review of material supplied by a client or third party — may also be charged at the clinician’s applicable hourly rate on the same pro-rata basis.
Routine administrative tasks, such as appointment scheduling or standard practice correspondence, do not attract a clinical professional fee.
Fees for access to existing clinical records are dealt with separately under Vista’s Privacy Policy and are subject to applicable privacy legislation and access requirements.
Workshops & Training Events
Registrations for Vista workshops and training events are subject to the terms applicable to the individual event.
Participants should arrive at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time, where practicable, to allow for registration and to minimise disruption once the event has commenced.
Where tickets are issued, participants may be asked to present their ticket or registration confirmation, either digitally or in printed form, upon arrival.
Any event-specific conditions, including fees, cancellation or refund arrangements, transfers or substitutions, attendance requirements and other relevant information, will be provided as part of the registration process and will apply to that event.
Safety & Respect Policy
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy is committed to maintaining a safe, respectful and professional environment for clients, clinicians, employees, contractors and visitors.
Everyone engaging with Vista is expected to communicate and behave respectfully toward members of the Vista team and other people within the practice. This expectation applies in person, by telephone, during online appointments, and through email, text message, social media or any other form of communication.
Behaviour that is threatening, intimidating, aggressive, abusive, harassing or otherwise unsafe is not acceptable.
This includes, but is not limited to:
-
verbal abuse, threats, intimidation or aggressive conduct
-
yelling, swearing at, insulting or deliberately degrading another person
-
harassment, bullying or discriminatory conduct
-
sexual harassment, sexually inappropriate comments or behaviour
-
attempts to pressure, threaten, manipulate, intimidate or coerce clinicians, employees or contractors
-
stalking, unwanted surveillance or persistent unwanted contact
-
repeated or excessive attempts to contact clinicians or staff outside appropriate professional communication channels
-
threatening, abusive or harassing communication by telephone, email, text message, social media or other digital channels
-
deliberate damage to property or interference with practice equipment
-
physical aggression, attempted physical aggression or conduct that creates a reasonable concern for the safety of another person
-
possession or use of a weapon or other item in a manner that creates a safety concern
-
unauthorised photography, filming, audio recording, screen recording or other recording within the practice or during an online consultation
-
behaviour that unreasonably disrupts the practice, another client’s care, or the ability of Vista clinicians, employees or contractors to perform their work safely.
Where Vista reasonably considers behaviour to be threatening, abusive, harassing, seriously disruptive or unsafe, Vista may take action necessary to protect clients, clinicians, employees, contractors and others.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include:
-
setting or reinforcing appropriate communication or behavioural boundaries
-
restricting communication to specified channels or nominated members of the Vista team
-
ending a telephone call, online consultation or in-person appointment
-
asking an individual to leave the premises
-
cancelling, suspending or declining future appointments
-
declining to provide further services
-
restricting or refusing access to Vista premises
-
documenting and responding to the incident in accordance with practice procedures
-
contacting building security, emergency services or police where reasonably necessary.
Where ongoing therapy is no longer considered safe or appropriate, Vista may discontinue services. Where clinically and professionally appropriate, reasonable consideration will be given to continuity of care and alternative service options, having regard to the circumstances and the safety of Vista personnel and other clients.
Where an appointment is ended because of behaviour that Vista reasonably considers threatening, abusive, aggressive or unsafe, the full scheduled appointment fee may apply, as the appointment time was reserved and professional services were made available. Any applicable funding or third-party payment requirements will continue to apply.
Intoxication or Impairment
Clients should attend appointments in a condition that allows the consultation to proceed safely and meaningfully.
An appointment may be delayed, cancelled or ended if a client attends while intoxicated or significantly impaired by alcohol, drugs or another substance, or where this is reasonably suspected and the clinician considers that proceeding would be unsafe or clinically inappropriate.
Where appropriate, the clinician may consider immediate safety needs and whether another person, health service or emergency service needs to be contacted.
The standard cancellation and payment policy may apply because the appointment time has been reserved.
Recording, Photography & Use of Devices
To protect privacy, confidentiality and the integrity of therapy, clients and visitors must not photograph, film, audio-record, screen-record or otherwise record a consultation, clinician, employee, contractor, another client or areas of the practice without prior agreement.
This includes recording using mobile phones, computers, tablets, wearable devices, artificial intelligence transcription or recording tools, videoconferencing functions or other technology.
If recording a consultation is considered appropriate, this must be discussed and agreed with the clinician in advance, including the purpose of the recording and how it will be used, stored or shared.
The presence of another person in an online or in-person consultation should also be disclosed to the clinician.
Vista may require recording or photography to stop immediately where it has not been authorised and may end the appointment if this request is not followed.
Compliments, Complaints & Feedback
Vista welcomes feedback about our services.
If you have a concern or complaint, we encourage you to contact the practice so that we can understand the issue and respond appropriately. Raising a concern or making a complaint will not adversely affect your access to appropriate care.
Concerns or complaints should be directed to Karl Jacks, Director. If the concern or complaint relates to Karl, it should instead be directed to Claire Jacks, Director.
Complaints can be submitted in writing by email or discussed by telephone or in person with the appropriate Director.
Clients may also have the right to raise concerns with an external professional, regulatory or complaints body relevant to their clinician or the service provided.
Other Practice Information
Clinician Allocation & Internal Transfer
Vista is a multidisciplinary practice. Clients may be matched with a clinician based on factors including clinical needs, client preferences, funding eligibility, clinician availability and suitability of the service.
Where appropriate, Vista may discuss an internal transfer, secondary consultation or involvement of another Vista clinician where this may better support the client’s care, goals or funding pathway.
Funding, Rebates & Third-Party Payments
Eligibility for Medicare rebates, NDIS, WorkCover, private health insurance or other third-party funding depends on the individual clinician, service provided, referral or approval requirements and the rules of the relevant payer.
Attendance at Vista does not in itself guarantee eligibility for a rebate or third-party payment. Where relevant, eligibility should be confirmed before relying on a rebate or funded arrangement.
Attendance & Ongoing Treatment
Consistent attendance can support continuity and effectiveness of therapy.
Repeated cancellations, missed appointments or irregular attendance may lead Vista and the treating clinician to review appointment arrangements, treatment continuity or whether the current service remains appropriate.
Support Persons & Other People Attending
If you would like another person to attend or participate in an appointment, please discuss this with your clinician in advance where practicable.
Your clinician may consider whether their involvement is clinically appropriate and may clarify their role, confidentiality expectations and any implications for the therapeutic process.
For online appointments, the presence of another person should be disclosed to the clinician.
Agreement to These Policies
By booking or confirming an appointment with Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy, you acknowledge that you have had an opportunity to read these policies and agree to them.
If you book on behalf of another person, you confirm that you are authorised to accept these policies on their behalf.
If anything is unclear, please contact Vista before confirming the appointment.
Changes to Practice Policies
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy may update these practice policies from time to time to reflect changes in practice procedures, services, legal or regulatory requirements, professional standards, or clinical and administrative processes.
The current version of these policies will be available on the Vista website and will apply from the date of publication, unless otherwise stated.
Where a change is significant and directly affects an existing client’s care, fees or service arrangements, Vista may provide additional notice where appropriate.
Questions About These Policies
If you have any questions about these policies or administrative matters, please contact Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy.
Crisis Support & Emergency Services
Vista Advanced Psychological Therapy provides scheduled therapy consultations and is not a crisis or emergency service.
While we aim to respond to administrative enquiries as soon as possible during business hours, Vista may not be available outside scheduled appointments and cannot provide immediate or emergency support.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, are concerned about your safety or the safety of another person, or require urgent support, the following services may assist.
Queensland Mental Health Crisis Support
1300 MH CALL – 1300 642 255
Queensland Health’s confidential mental health telephone triage service, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It provides assessment, advice and referral and can connect callers with their nearest Queensland public mental health service.
Lifeline
13 11 14
Crisis support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Website: lifeline.org.au
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Free professional telephone and online counselling for people affected by suicidal thoughts or suicide-related concerns, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Website: suicidecallbackservice.org.au
13YARN
13 92 76
Free, confidential and culturally safe crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, provided by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporters. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Website: 13yarn.org.au
Domestic, Family & Sexual Violence Support
DVConnect Womensline – 1800 811 811
Queensland support for people experiencing domestic and family violence. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
DVConnect Mensline – 1800 600 636
Support for men who are experiencing abuse or using abusive behaviours in intimate partner, former partner or family relationships. Available 9am to midnight, 7 days a week.
1800RESPECT – 1800 737 732
National domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Telephone, text, online chat and video support are available.
Website: 1800respect.org.au
Emergency Situations
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, or urgent medical or emergency assistance is required, call Triple Zero (000) or attend your nearest hospital emergency department. Queensland Health also directs people requiring emergency assistance to 000 or an emergency department.