Privacy Policy

We are committed to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly and only to the extent necessary for the services we provide.  This document describes our privacy policies in accordance with current privacy legislation.

What is Personal Information?

Personal information is information about an identifiable individual.  Personal information includes information that relates to: an individual's personal characteristics (e.g., gender, age, income, home address or phone number, ethnic background, family status); health (e.g., health history, health conditions, health services received by them); or, activities and views (e.g., religion, politics, opinions expressed by an individual, an opinion or evaluation of an individual).  Personal information is different from business information (e.g., an individual's business address and telephone number).  This is not protected by privacy legislation.

Who We Are

Clinical staff who work in collaboration with Dr. Gilpin are Dr. Jubilea Mansell, and Anne Newby (Anne Newby can be reached at 519-657-3517). We are often in contact with a number of consultants and agencies that may, in the course of our duties, have limited access to personal information we hold.  These may include schools, school boards, physicians or other allied health care providers (e.g. speech language pathologists, physiotherapists etc).  We restrict their access to any personal information we hold as much as is reasonably possible.  We also have their assurance that they follow appropriate privacy principles.

We Collect Personal Information:

Primary Purpose:

1. Assessment and Treatment
2. Provide notices of upcoming educational or treatment opportunities
3. Provide meaningful and relevant consultations to others

Secondary Purpose:

1. Financial invoicing and collection
2. Third Party Billing (e.g. extended health coverage)
3. Advertising special events and educational opportunities
4. Quality control and risk management
5. External regulation (College of Psychologists)

You can choose not to be part of some of these related or secondary purposes  (e.g., by declining special offers or promotions, by paying for your services in advance). We do not, however, have much choice about some of these related or secondary purposes (e.g., external regulation).

Protecting Personal Information

Personal information is protected in the following manner:

1. Paper information is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area.
2. Electronic hardware is either under supervision or secured in a locked or restricted area at all times. In addition, passwords are used on computers.  All of our cell phones are digital as these signals are more difficult to intercept. Discussion of confidential information is limited by cell phone.
3. Paper information is transmitted through sealed, addressed envelopes or boxes by reputable companies.
4. Electronic information is transmitted either through a direct line or has identifiers removed or is encrypted.

Retention and Destruction of Personal Information

In accordance with the College of Psychologists of Ontario, we keep our client files for at least 10 years past the client's 18th birthday  or for 10 years past the date of last contact for adults (anyone over the age of 18 yrs. 11 mos.) We destroy paper files containing personal information by shredding.  We destroy electronic information by deleting it and, when the hardware is discarded, we ensure that the hard drive is physically destroyed. 

You Can Look at Your Information

With only a few exceptions, you have the right to see what personal information we hold about you.  Often all you have to do is ask.   We can help you identify what records we might have about you.  We will also try to help you understand any information you do not understand (e.g., short forms, technical language, etc.).  We will need to confirm your identity, if we do not know you, before providing you with this access.  We reserve the right to charge a nominal fee for such requests.

If there is a problem, we may ask you to put your request in writing.  If we cannot give you access, we will tell you within 30 days if at all possible and tell you the reason, as best we can, as to why we cannot give you access.

If you believe there is a mistake in the information, you have the right to ask for it to be corrected.  This applies to factual information and not to any professional opinions we may have formed.  We may ask you to provide documentation that our files are wrong.  Where we agree that we made a mistake, we will make the correction and, where appropriate, notify anyone to whom we sent this information.  If we do not agree that we have made a mistake, we will agree to include in our file a brief statement from you on the point and, as appropriate, we will forward that statement to anyone else who received the earlier information.

Do You Have a Concern?

Dr. M. Gilpin has the primary responsibility for developing, implementing and monitoring all policies and procedures related to the protection of personal information. She can be reached at 519-319-4743 or by email (mgilpin@rogers.com) to address any questions or concerns you might have. If you wish to make a formal complaint about our privacy practices, you may make it in writing to Dr. Gilpin. She will acknowledge receipt of your complaint, ensure that it is investigated promptly and that you are provided with a formal written decision with reasons.

If you have a concern about the professionalism or competence of our services or the mental or physical capacity of any of our professional staff we would ask you to discuss those concerns with us.  If we cannot satisfy your concerns, you are entitled to complain to our regulatory body:

The College of Psychologists of Ontario
110 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario  M4R 1A3
Phone: (416) 961-8817 | (800) 489-8388 |  Fax (416) 961-2635
www.cpo.on.ca

For more general inquiries, the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Canada oversees the administration of the privacy legislation in the private sector.  The Commissioner also acts as a kind of ombudsman for privacy disputes.  The Information and Privacy Commissioner can be reached at:

112 Kent Street, Ottawa, Ontario  K1A 1H3
Phone: (613) 995-8210 | (800) 282-1376 | TTY (613) 922-9190 | Fax (613) 947-6850
privcom.gc.ca