Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Management of Personal Information

Last Updated 12th June 2023

www.medicalnutrition.com.au (the “Site”) is owned and operated by Katherine Healy.

Medical Nutrition Supplies Pty Ltd (ACN 657 055 162) (Medical Nutrition, us/we/our/dietitian), treats the privacy and security of your personal information very seriously.

This document describes the privacy policy of Medical Nutrition for the management of clients’ personal information. The dietetics service provided is bound by the legal requirements of the Australian Privacy Principles set out in the Privacy Act 1988 (Commonwealth) and the applicable Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act when handling personal information, together with the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) (“Health Records Act”) and the applicable Health Privacy Principles in the Health Records Act when handling personal information which is health information (“Health Information”).

Client information

Client files are held in a secure electronic document management system which is accessible only to authorised employees. The information on each file includes personal information such as name, address, date of birth, Medicare details, billing information, credit card information, contact phone numbers, medical history, and other personal information collected as part of providing the dietetic service.

How clients’ personal information is collected

A client’s personal information is collected in a number of ways during consultation with Medical Nutrition, including when the client provides information directly to Medical Nutrition using hardcopy forms, correspondence via email, when the client interacts directly with the dietitian or Medical Nutrition employee, and when other health practitioners provide personal information to Medical Nutrition via referrals, correspondence and medical reports. We collect personal information for the purposes of arranging appointments and delivering dietetics services as well as communicating with the client. We may collect information through our client consent forms, via the Medical Nutrition website located at www.medicalnutrition.com.au (“Website”), or in the course of our consultation and management of clients.

We collect personal information:

from clients– when they register an enquiry, book an appointment, attend their appointment ], access our Website, subscribe to our newsletter, and/or at any other time in the course of providing services;
from third party service providers – when they are engaged to supply services to us (such as but not limited to dietitians), provide information to us or invoice us for the provision of services;
when we receive enquiries through the Website and when the Website is otherwise accessed or used;
when we receive enquiries via email or telephone.

Our dietitian(s) may also collect personal information in the manner and for the purposes contemplated above.

Some personal information we collect may include Health Information. We collect Health Information from clients when they attend our sessions for the purposes of arranging appointments and obtaining dietetics services. Our dietitian(s) collect Health Information in order to provide the services. How Health Information is dealt with is outlined in greater detail below.

The Health Information we collect enables us to arrange for the provision of dietetics services and for the safe, appropriate and accurate provision of dietary advice by our dietitian(s), to assess the needs of clients and for us to generally assist in optimising the quality of our service.

Consequence of not providing personal information

If the client does not wish for their personal information to be collected in a way anticipated by this Privacy Policy, Medical Nutrition may not be in a position to provide the dietetic service to the client.

Consent

By engaging us or registering details on our Website or by email or telephone, and/or using the Website or completing a client consent form or otherwise engaging our dietetics services, consent is given for collecting, using and disclosing personal information (including Health Information) for the purposes specified in this Privacy Policy.

Use

We may use any personal information collected (excluding Health Information) to provide our dietetics services, operate the Website, sign the person up to our newsletter, respond to feedback and complaints, communicate with third party service providers or if needed to enforce our Client agreement (Client Consent Form).

Purpose of holding personal information

A client’s personal information is gathered and used for the purpose of providing psychological services, which includes assessing, diagnosing and treating a client’s presenting issue. The personal information is retained in order to document what happens during sessions and enables the dietitian to provide a relevant and informed dietetics service.

Disclosure of personal information

Clients’ personal information will not be disclosed except when:

It is subpoenaed by a court; or
Failure to disclose the information would in the reasonable belief of the dietitian place a client or another person at serious risk to life, health or safety; or
The client’s prior approval has been obtained to:
a) provide a written report to another professional or agency, e.g., a GP or a lawyer; or
b) discuss the material with another person, e.g. a parent, employer or health provider; or
c) disclose the information in another way; or
you would reasonably expect your personal information to be disclosed to another professional or agency (e.g. your GP) and disclosure of your personal information to that third party is for a purpose which is directly related to the primary purpose for which your personal information was collected; or
disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law.

A client’s personal information is not disclosed to overseas recipients, unless the client consents or such disclosure is otherwise required by law. Clients’ personal information will not be used, sold, rented or disclosed for any other purpose.

Data security and quality

We will take reasonable steps to protect the personal information we collect and hold from misuse, loss and interference and from unauthorised access and modification, and to make sure it is accurate, complete and up-to-date when we collect, use or disclose it. To assist us, please ensure correct details are provided to us, and let us know if the information we have is inaccurate, incomplete, out of date or misleading (and we will take reasonable steps to correct the information). We may take steps to destroy or permanently de-identify information when it is no longer needed for any purpose for which it may be used or disclosed. We may retain and use de-identified information.

The Website: www.medicalnutrition.com.au

Cookies: Our Website may use “cookies”; technology to store data on a computer using the functionality of a browser. Many websites do this because cookies allow the website publisher to do useful things like find out whether the computer has visited the site before.

A browser can be modified to prevent cookie use – but if this is done our service (and our Website) may not work properly. The information stored in the cookie is used to identify visitors. This enables us to operate an efficient service and to track the patterns of behaviour of visitors to the Website. In the course of serving advertisements to the Website (if any), third-party advertisers or ad servers may place or recognise a unique cookie on a browser. The use of cookies by such third party advertisers or ad servers is not subject to this Privacy Policy, but is subject to their own respective privacy policies.

Requests for access and correction to client information

Clients can request, and we will provide them with access to, any personal information we hold about them (including any Health Information) (subject to any applicable legal exceptions). Requests should be submitted by email to info@medicalnutrition.com.au . Where our records are found to be inaccurate, we will promptly rectify any inaccuracies on the basis of the further information provided.

Concerns

If clients have a concern about the management of their personal information, they may inform Katherine Healy (Director). Upon request they can obtain a copy of the Australian Privacy Principles, which describe their rights and how their personal information should be handled. Ultimately, if clients wish to lodge a formal complaint about the use of, disclosure of, or access to, their personal information, they may do so with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner by phone on 1300 363 992, online at http://www.oaic.gov.au/privacy/making-a-privacy-complaint or by post to: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, GPO Box 5218, Sydney, NSW 2001