Legal
How we collect, use, store and protect your personal and health information.
Last updated: [Date] · This policy applies to [Legal entity name, e.g. Akari Health Pty Ltd] (ABN [ABN]), trading as Akari Health ("we", "us", "our").
Akari Health is committed to protecting the privacy of your personal information. As a health service provider, we are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), including the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs), which govern how we collect, use, disclose and store your personal information — including your health information, which is classified as sensitive information under the Act.
We may also be subject to state or territory health records legislation applicable to where we practise [e.g. the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), or equivalent — retain the relevant Act for the clinic's state and delete the others].
This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, how we handle it, and your rights in relation to it.
Wherever possible, we collect your information directly from you — in person, over the phone, through our intake forms, or via our website. We may also collect information from:
We collect your personal and health information for purposes including:
We only collect health information with your consent, or where otherwise permitted or required by law. If you choose not to provide certain information, we may not be able to provide you with safe or complete care.
We use and disclose your personal information only for the purpose for which it was collected (providing your healthcare and directly related purposes), or where you would reasonably expect it, or with your consent. We may disclose your information to:
We may also disclose your information without consent where required or authorised by law — for example, in response to a court order, a mandatory reporting obligation, or where there is a serious threat to someone's life, health or safety.
We will never sell your personal information, and we do not use your health information for marketing purposes without your express consent.
We do not routinely disclose personal information to overseas recipients. Some of our service providers (such as email, appointment or cloud software providers) may store data on servers located outside Australia. Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure those providers handle your information in a manner consistent with the Australian Privacy Principles. [Adjust to reflect actual providers — e.g. "Our practice management system stores data in Australia" or list the relevant countries.]
We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification or disclosure. These steps include:
As a health service provider, we are required to retain clinical records for a minimum period — generally at least 7 years from the date of last entry, or, for patients under 18, until they turn 25 [confirm against the requirements in the clinic's state or territory]. After the required retention period, records are securely destroyed or de-identified.
We are subject to the Notifiable Data Breaches (NDB) scheme under the Privacy Act. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as required by law.
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies to help it function and to understand how visitors use it. This may include analytics services [e.g. Google Analytics — confirm what's actually installed] that collect de-identified data such as pages visited, time on site and general location. This data does not identify you personally. You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings, though some website features may not function fully without them.
Information you submit through our website forms is used only to respond to your enquiry or booking request. Please do not include detailed health information in website forms — save that for your consultation.
You have the right to request access to the personal and health information we hold about you, and to request correction of any information that is inaccurate, out of date or incomplete. To make a request, contact us using the details below. We will respond within a reasonable time (generally within 30 days).
In limited circumstances permitted by law, we may refuse access — for example, where access would pose a serious threat to someone's life, health or safety. If we refuse access, we will give you written reasons and information about how to complain. A reasonable fee may apply to cover the cost of providing copies of records, but we will not charge you for making the request itself.
You may deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym for general enquiries where it is lawful and practicable. However, as a health service provider we generally cannot provide clinical care anonymously, as accurate identification is essential for safe treatment and record-keeping.
If you believe we have breached your privacy or mishandled your personal information, please contact us first using the details below. We take complaints seriously and will investigate and respond, generally within 30 days.
If you are not satisfied with our response, you may complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):
[If applicable in your state, you may also complain to the relevant state health complaints or privacy body — e.g. Health Complaints Commissioner (Vic), IPC/HCCC (NSW), OHO (Qld). Retain the relevant body and delete the others.]
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The current version will always be available on our website, with the "last updated" date shown at the top of this page.
For privacy questions, access or correction requests, or complaints, contact our privacy officer:
Privacy Officer — Akari Health
[Street address placeholder], [Suburb, State, Postcode]
Phone: (00) 0000 0000
Email: hello@akarihealth.com.au