Privacy Policy and Service Agreement

This page explains how I handle your information and how I work, both for adults and for children and teenagers. You complete and acknowledge this agreement securely as part of intake, before our first session. If anything here is unclear, please ask me before we begin.

Last updated June 2026.

Confidentiality

Everything you share with me is confidential, and I will not release it without your written authorisation, except where the law requires it. I manage all personal data in line with the Personal Data Privacy Ordinance, Cap. 486, of Hong Kong. I collect it only for purposes such as arranging appointments, communicating with you, and collecting fees.

Session notes and transcription

I may use transcription software that meets HIPAA standards, operated in line with the Personal Data Privacy Ordinance, Cap. 486, of Hong Kong, to transcribe and summarise session notes securely. The recordings are not stored. The summarised notes may be kept as part of your confidential record, and I review all of them myself to check accuracy and reduce any bias from the technology. This also supports clearer clinical insight and better care. Where anonymised data is used to improve these systems, your confidentiality remains the priority.

Exceptions to confidentiality

Imminent danger. If there is a risk of imminent harm to you or another person, I am legally and ethically required to take steps to prevent it, which may include contacting the authorities without your consent.
Suspected abuse or neglect. If there is reasonable suspicion of abuse, neglect, or the risk of it, I must report this to the proper authorities, regardless of consent.
Legal obligations. Sharing your personal information with another professional, such as a physician or lawyer, requires your written permission, unless a court orders otherwise.
Transfer of files. If you choose to share information with another professional, this may involve transferring files electronically or physically, which carries some confidentiality risk.

Payment

Insurance. I do not accept insurance as payment. I will help with any paperwork, but sessions may not qualify for insurance reimbursement.
Paperwork and document preparation. Preparing letters, reports, forms, and other paperwork is billed at my standard session rate, in 30 minute increments.
Payment terms. You can pay by bank transfer, cash, or credit card, either in advance or within 24 hours of the session. I send invoices and receipts by email. Time is billed equally across the work, whether it is spent in session, answering emails, preparing documents, or on phone consultations.
Unpaid sessions. If a session is unpaid, I pause further work until the outstanding fees are settled, so the support stays consistent and effective.
Debt collection. If fees are not paid, I reserve the right to take appropriate legal action to recover them. Any debt collection follows Hong Kong law and does not compromise your confidentiality.

Cancellations

In line with helping you and other clients, I need at least 24 hours' notice to cancel or reschedule. With that much notice there is no charge. A session cancelled with less than 24 hours' notice is billed at the full rate. I make exceptions for genuinely unavoidable circumstances, such as an injury, a fever, and so on, as long as you let me know as soon as you can.

Typhoon and severe weather. If a typhoon signal 8 or higher is in force at the time of your session, it is never charged. I reschedule it at no fee, or we hold it online if you would rather keep the slot.

Why I charge for late cancellations. I would rather not charge for a missed session, but a clear and consistent policy is part of what makes the work dependable and possible for everyone.

Disclaimer

Our work together is collaborative. A consultation on its own is not therapy. I am committed to providing excellent care while protecting the privacy of everyone who shares personal information with me, including information collected through this website.

This website

If you send a message through the contact form, it comes directly to me and is used only to reply to you. The self assessment tools on this site record responses under an anonymous reference code rather than your name. This website may use standard analytics and advertising measurement tools, including ones provided by Google, to understand how it is found and used. I do not sell your personal data.

Access to your records

Under the Personal Data Privacy Ordinance you have the right to ask for a copy of the personal data I hold about you, including your clinical records, and to ask me to correct anything you believe is inaccurate. This right sits in section 18 and Data Protection Principle 6 of the Ordinance. I respond within the period the law allows, which is 40 days, and I may charge a reasonable fee that is directly related to providing the copy.

In almost all cases you will receive your records. The Ordinance lets me hold information back only in limited situations. The main one in clinical work is section 59, which applies where releasing health information would be likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health of you or another person. I may also need to remove details that identify someone else, unless that person has agreed to their release, under section 20. A few other narrow exemptions can apply, such as information covered by legal professional privilege under section 60, or where release is governed by legal proceedings or a court order under section 60B. If I ever rely on one of these, I will tell you and explain it as far as I am able.

Your data, and how to reach me

If you would like to access or correct the personal data I hold about you, please contact me at Hello@Rick-Smith.com. You complete and acknowledge this agreement securely as part of intake, before our first session, and you are welcome to ask me about any part of it.