Terms & Conditions

These Terms and Conditions regulate the relationship between, you, a user of our services and Grace National Pty Ltd (ACN: 679 038 790) trading as the Lightner Centre (ABN: 33 679 038 790). These Terms and Conditions also apply to the access and use of our websites at www.lightnercenre.com.au and www.gracenational.com.au.

Note: “Lightner Centre,” “we,” or “our” are references to Grace National Pty Ltd, trading as the Lightner Centre, and references to “psychologist” and “psychology practice” and references to the independent psychologists and psychology services provided at the Lightner Centre.

Emergency Crisis and Support

The Lightner Centre is not an emergency or crisis support service and your psychologist will not be contactable outside their regular work hours. If you require emergency mental health treatment, please contact 000 or the Acute Care Team on 1300 64 22 55. Alternatively you can present to your nearest hospital emergency department or your general practitioner. Crisis support can also be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).

Attending our Premises

In attending the Lightner Centre for psychological services you understand that you are assuming the risk of exposure to the coronavirus and other public health risks. To assist us in keeping your, our psychologists, our staff, and others safe from communicable diseases, we request that our visitors assist us in the following ways:

Do not attend the premises if you are unwell. Telehealth and videoconferencing facilities are available to you at home if you have symptoms;
Arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time to minimise time spent in the waiting room;
Minimise physical contact with others on the premises;
Use non-cash payment methods; and
Follow all health and safety instructions by our team.

The safety and welfare of our clients and team is essential. We will not tolerate verbal abuse, harassment, or aggression under any circumstances. Any persons attending our premises who threaten the welfare of any other person will be removed immediately and may be refused further services.

For their own safety, children under 6 years of age cannot be left unsupervised in our waiting room. Please make arrangement for their care and supervision prior, during, and after consultations.

Appointments

Appointments can be made, rescheduled, or cancelled by contacting us via phone, sms, email, or via our online booking service. Appointment reminders will be sent via sms, however you are ultimately responsible for remembering and attending your appointment. Your session cannot be extended if you are late and full fees will still apply. Late cancellations and missed appointments are also subject to cancellations fees.

Cancellations

When you make an appointment at the Lightner Centre, our Clinical Psychologists prepare a therapeutic or assessment plan and then allocate this appointment time for your treatment. A late cancellation not only impacts our team, but also prevents us from offering the available appointment time to someone else. At the Lightner Centre we aim to partner with you to ensure that all our clients can access treatment and therefore request a minimum of 48 hours’ notice of a cancellation. You will receive a reminder and request to confirm your appointment prior to your scheduled appointment. Any sessions not confirmed within 24 hours of the appointment will be cancelled and offered to the next client on our waitlist. Cancellations with less than 48 hours’ notice will incur a cancellation fee of $150. The full consultation fee will be charged for missed appointments and cancellations with less than 24 hours’ notice. Please note that rebates are not applicable to any cancellation fees.

Consultation Fees

Consultation fees vary due to the nature and duration of the agreed service and any additional costs agreed by you (for example assessment materials, reports). Your out-of-pocket costs will vary depending on factors including your eligibility for rebates, as well as the individual Psychologist fees. Your standard out of pocket cost will be advised prior to your first session. Consultation fees are payable in full at the time of service. Our consultation fees may be subject to change and will be published on our website for transparency.

Rebates and Benefits

There are various government and private health insurance schemes that are available to support access to psychological treatments. Rebates are processed at the time of payment and the amount of rebate provided will be based on your eligibility and the service itself. You are only able to claim rebates through one scheme per consultation (for example Medicare or private health insurance). To receive your Medicare rebate, you must provide an eligible Medicare referral form from your medical professional prior to your consultation.

Telehealth Consultations

The Lightner Centre uses PowerDiary for their secure telehealth services. The security and privacy of your data is our top priority. We manage all patient data, including telehealth services through PowerDiary, an ISO 27001-certified practice management system. This ensures that your personal data is protected by software that meets the highest global standards for information security management and complies with all applicable privacy regulations. Information about their Privacy Policy and data management can be obtained from their website (PowerDiary). Our Psychologists use private rooms and are not observed by anyone else during their engagement in telehealth consultations.

Confidentiality

All Psychologists at the Lightner Centre adhere to the Australian Psychological Society code of ethical practice. Psychologists safeguard the confidentiality of information obtained during your consultation and all information will remain confidential and secure except where:

Your approval has been obtained to release information to another person;
It is subpoenaed by a court;
Failure to disclose the information would place yourself or another person at imminent and serious risk; or
During the course of professional supervision. Clinical Psychologists and Clinical Psychology Registrars are required to obtain supervision to discuss and review their professional practice. It is possible that some aspects of your treatment will be discussed during these sessions, however this information

At the Lightner Centre we are committed to protecting your privacy and confidentiality and we maintain robust procedural, physical, and electronic safeguards to protect your privacy, confidentiality, and personal information. Further information on our Privacy Policy can be found on our website.

Social Media Policy

We are bound by the Australian Health Practitioner Registration Agencies Social Media Policy and our professional Code of Ethics. Our Psychologists and team will not accept friend or contact requests from current or former clients on any social media site. Messages sent to our social media pages (or those of our Psychologists) will not be responded to. If you need to contact your Psychologist, please contact the Lightner Centre via phone, email, or via our website, or email them directly at their practice address.

Intellectual Property

The materials and content (including software, logos, website design, and information) available and displayed on our websites and social media pages, are the sole property of Grace National Pty Ltd and are protected by intellectual property laws. Content from our website cannot be reproduced, used, sold, or shared without prior written consent. You agree to indemnify Grace National Pty Ltd from and against any and all liability, damages, claims and costs brought by third parties concerning any alleged infringement of intellectual property rights by you.

Consent

By engaging in our services and accessing our websites, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These Terms and Conditions may be subject to change and it is recommended that you periodically review them for any changes. The current Terms and Conditions can be found on our website.

Complaints

If you have concerns about the service the Lightner Centre or your Psychologist is providing to you, please discuss this with your Psychologist in the first instance. Alternatively, please contact our Principal Clinical Psychologist/Director, Dr Sharelle Smith via phone or email at sharelle@lightnercentre.com.au. If you have concerns about the professional conduct of your Psychologist you may contact the Psychology Board of Australia on 1300 419 495.