Privacy Statement & Policy
Summary
As part of our commitment to providing a high level of care for our clients, we ensure that we maintain very secure record keeping practices for all your personal information that we keep on file. We view your privacy as an important and integral part of our duty of care and seek to comply with all elements of the Australian Privacy Principles.
This privacy policy explains how we handle your personal information, including the collection, storage, use and disclosure of your personal information, as well as how you can access and change your information, provide us with feedback or make a complaint. Your personal information is readily available should you require to make any amendments.
Client Consent
You are required to sign a Client Consent form prior to your first counselling or massage session. The Client Consent form includes notices about your privacy and requests your consent. This consent form along with the information provided, Knowing Your Rights as a Client, specifies how any information about you may be stored, used and disclosed.
By completing the consent form, you are consenting to this clinic collecting, maintaining, using, and disclosing personal information about you and provided by you, or by another person in accordance with the privacy statements in the form and this privacy policy, as amended from time to time.
We take seriously the trust you place in us and we will make every effort to ensure that your personal information is secure, protected from interference, misuse, loss and unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.
We value your comments and opinions. If you have questions or require further information about our privacy policy, please do not hesitate to ask or contact us via:
- to contact us please use contact page – or
- Call / text – 0447 321 349
Collection of Your Personal Information
Personal and sensitive information (general definition)
Personal Information refers to information or an opinion, whether true or not, and whether recorded in a material form or not, about an individual whose identity is apparent or can reasonably be ascertained from the information or opinion.
Sensitive Information is a subset of personal information and includes your health information as well as information pertaining to racial or ethnic origin, political opinions or membership of a political organisation, religious belief or affiliations, membership of a professional or trade association, sexual preferences or a criminal record. Sensitive information attracts additional privacy protections compared with other types of personal information.
Consent forms and consultation records
Prior to your first session, as part of signing your Client Consent, you will be asked to provide certain personal information including:
- Your name, address, phone number and email address;
- Your date of birth and marital status;
- Emergency contact details;
- Doctor’s details;
- Medical history and any current medications (prescribed or unprescribed).
You will also be asked to consent to specific treatments and whether you are agreeable to your personal information being shared with other practitioners or medical professionals where this may enhance your treatment.
At the end of your treatment, your Practitioner will make notes about any symptoms you may have exhibited and the treatment given. If you return to this clinic for further sessions, these notes will be used by your Practitioner for review and support of your condition.
Children and other persons who are not able to give informed consent may come for a session with the consent of both parents or guardian. In such cases, personal information will be collected and used as described above.
Other people
If you have provided us with information about another person, then you will need to tell that person that you have done so, that they have a right to access their information and that they can refer to this policy for information on how we will handle their personal information.
We will attempt to collect personal information directly from you. However, there may be instances where we will need to collect some information from other persons or entities. Whenever possible, we will request this other person to have your signed consent or email giving your permission for them to provide us with your personal information. Exceptions may be if you suddenly become ill and are therefore incapable of providing us with certain information which may be important for your treatment, such as if you have had a recent operation, illness or an implant, e.g., pacemaker, and what medication you are taking.
Storage of Your Personal Information
We will take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal information is stored securely and is protected from misuse and loss from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.
We will keep your personal information for as long as it is required to provide you with the services you requested and to comply with legal requirements.
Should we no longer require your personal information for any purpose, including legal requirements, we will take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify your personal information.
It is your responsibility to advise us should either your health situation or your personal details change so that your records are kept current.
Use of Your Personal Information
Personal information is used to:
- Contact you about your appointment or any other matter in relation to the service provided to you;
- Make contact with your doctor or emergency contact should there be an emergency;
- Better understand your health history and thus ensure your treatment is of the highest quality;
- Discuss your case with other practitioners and/or medical professionals if you have consented to this;
- Allow you to purchase products and services;
- Answer your enquiries and resolve
Credit card information is used only for payment processing. It is never used for other purposes nor is it retained by us.
Sharing Your Personal Information
We take seriously the trust you place in us. We will not share your personal information with any third party without your written permission unless required by law enforcement action or subpoena. For example, we may be required to provide your personal information to the appointed case managers of insurance companies managing your worker’s compensation case or third-party case in the treatment of your injury or illness.
Personal information may be disclosed to anyone to whom you have written and signed consent to have access to the information, such as your solicitor, accountant, or a person who has authority to act as your attorney. This may also include referees, any financial institution nominated by you (for example in a direct debit) or anyone else you request.
Accessing Your Personal Information
If you have completed and signed a consent form at this clinic, you can request access to your personal information at any time. By law it is necessary to make the request in writing and send it by email or post to:
Attention: Michelle Borg
Email: via contact form
Address: 1/15 Peel Street, Mackay Q 4740
Upon receiving your request, we will discuss your access options. A copy will be supplied to you within five working days depending upon the nature of the request. We will endeavour to make your file available earlier if possible.
If you believe that any information is incorrect or outdated, it is your responsibility to advise us as soon as possible so that your records can be updated. There is no fee applied to accessing your personal information or any corrections made. In a very few cases we may be unable to give you access to certain information. For example:
- When we no longer hold or use the information;
- If providing access would pose a serious threat to the physical or mental health and wellbeing of any person;
- Where providing access would have an unreasonable impact upon the privacy of others;
- The request is vexatious;
- When providing access would be unlawful;
- If the information relates to existing or anticipated legal proceedings;
- Where providing access would prejudice or be likely to prejudice the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of unlawful activity;
- The disclosure would pose a threat to the safety or health of any
If your request is refused, we will communicate to you the reason for the refusal. If we are not required to provide you with access to the information requested, we will consider, if reasonable, whether the use of a mutually agreed intermediary would allow sufficient access to meet our mutual needs.
Correcting Your Personal Information
We will endeavour to keep your personal information accurate, however it is your responsibility to notify us here at the clinic if you believe our recorded information about you is inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated. You may, at any time, ask for a copy of your information to view, and following your authorisation, we will update your file records.
To protect your privacy and security, you may be asked to verify your identity prior to being granted access to your data. In some cases, you may be asked to put your request in writing.
Making a Complaint
You are welcome to contact us at any time should you have any queries or concerns about this policy or how your personal information is being handled.
We value your comments and opinions and will endeavour to answer any questions, correct any errors, or resolve any complaints that you may have regarding how your information is handled.
Once you have contacted us in relation to your concerns, if you are not happy with our response, or if you do not feel your complaint has been resolved, you are able to seek advice from the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by calling 1300 363 992.
Further information about making complaints regarding healthcare services or providers for each state and territory in Australia is available at the following websites (current 31/08/2024).
QLD: https://www.oho.qld.gov.au/make-a-complaint
NSW: https://ecomplaints.hccc.nsw.gov.au/
ACT: https://www.hrc.act.gov.au/health
VIC: https://hcc.vic.gov.au/make-complaint
TAS: https://www.healthcomplaints.tas.gov.au/complaints
SA: https://www.hcscc.sa.gov.au/making-a-complaint/raise-a-complaint-with-hcscc/