Privacy policy for Manor Lakes Chiropractic Centre

About this policy

Manor Lakes Chiropractic Centre (ABN 54 235 243 388) is bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles. As a Victorian health service provider, we also follow the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and its Health Privacy Principles.

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version is always on this page.

What we collect

We collect the information we need to care for you safely:

• Your name, date of birth, address, phone number and email
• An emergency contact, and a parent or guardian's details for children
• Your health information: history, symptoms, assessment findings, treatment notes and any reports or scans you share
• Medicare and private health insurance details, where you choose to use them
• Records of your appointments, payments and communication with us

You can ask to deal with us using a pseudonym for general enquiries. For care, we need your real details to keep accurate health records.

How we collect it

• Directly from you, through forms, appointments, phone calls and emails
• Through our online booking system, Cliniko
• From other health professionals, such as your GP, with your consent
• From a parent or guardian for children

How we use it

We use your information to:

• Assess you, plan and provide your care, and keep accurate health records
• Manage appointments, reminders, billing and payments
• Communicate with other health professionals involved in your care, with your consent
• Meet our legal and professional obligations

We never use your health information for marketing. We only send you news or offers if you have asked to receive them, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

When we share it

We only share your information:

• With your consent, for example with your GP, dentist, lactation consultant (IBCLC) or another practitioner involved in your care
• When the law requires or allows it, including to lessen a serious threat to someone's life, health or safety
• With service providers who help us run the clinic, such as our practice software and IT providers, who must keep it confidential

We never sell your information. Our practice software, Cliniko, works with service providers in Australia and the United States for things like web hosting, data backup and payments, so some of your information may be stored or processed in the United States.

How we store it

Your records are kept in secure practice software with restricted access, and any paper records are stored securely. We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss and unauthorised access.

We keep health records for at least seven years after your last visit, or for records made while you were under 18, until you turn 25, as the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) requires.

If a data breach is likely to cause serious harm, we will tell you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, as the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme requires.

Seeing and correcting it

You can ask to see the information we hold about you, or ask us to correct it, by contacting us. We will respond within the time the law requires. In some limited circumstances the law allows us to refuse access, and if so we will explain why in writing.

We may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of providing copies, and we will tell you the cost before we go ahead.

Our website

Our website does not ask for health information. If you book online, your details go to our booking system, Cliniko, which has its own privacy policy. We do not use analytics or advertising cookies on our website. The booking form comes from our booking system, which may use its own cookies.

Our website links to other websites, such as health information sites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices.

Questions and complaints

If you have a question or concern about your privacy, please contact us first so we can put it right:

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992, or Victoria's Health Complaints Commissioner on 1300 582 113.