OUR PRIVACY POLICY

Effective Date: 27 July 2026

Meadows Life Chiropractic Health & Wellness Centre (ABN: 11 108 143 719) (“we”, “us”, or “our”) respects your right to privacy and is committed to safeguarding the personal information of our patients, clients, and website visitors. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the 13 Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

By engaging our services, visiting our practice, or using our website (www.meadowslifechiro.com.au), you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in this Policy. We encourage you to read this Policy carefully and contact us if you have any questions.

Who We Are

Meadows Life Chiropractic Health & Wellness Centre is a registered chiropractic and wellness practice located at 31 Central Avenue, Altona Meadows VIC 3028. Our practice provides chiropractic care, remedial massage therapy, infrared sauna services, and associated health products.

For privacy enquiries, please contact our Practice Manager:

info@meadowslifechiro.com.au

+61 3 9315 8888

31 Central Avenue, Altona Meadows VIC 3028

What Personal Information We Collect

We collect personal information that is reasonably necessary for providing chiropractic and health services. This may include:

Full name, date of birth, gender, and contact details (address, phone, email)
Health information, including your medical history, current medications, injuries, conditions, and treatment notes
Health fund membership details and Medicare or pension card information
Emergency contact details
Payment and billing information
Information provided via our website contact forms, booking system, or online shop
Device and usage information collected automatically when you visit our website (e.g. IP address, browser type, pages visited)

We only collect sensitive information (such as health information) with your consent, or where permitted or required by law.

How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal information in several ways:

Directly from you – when you complete a new patient form, book an appointment, contact us by phone or email, or make a purchase through our website
From third parties – including referring practitioners, other health providers, or your health fund, with your consent
Automatically – when you visit our website, through cookies and similar technologies (see Section 10 below)

Where it is lawful and practicable to do so, you have the option of not identifying yourself or using a pseudonym when interacting with us. However, this may limit our ability to provide certain services to you.

Why We Collect and Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

Providing chiropractic, massage, sauna, and related health services
Processing bookings, appointments, and payments
Communicating with you about your care, appointment reminders, and health updates
Preparing and managing clinical records
Processing health fund claims (HICAPS) and Medicare Enhanced Primary Care (EPC) plans
Complying with our legal and professional obligations, including mandatory reporting requirements
Sending health-related information or practice updates, where you have consented
Improving our services, website, and patient experience
Processing online product purchases through our WooCommerce shop

We will not use your information for purposes unrelated to those listed above without first obtaining your consent, unless required or permitted by law.

Health Information and Sensitive Data

As a healthcare practice, we collect and handle health information which is classified as sensitive information under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic). This information is collected solely for the purpose of providing appropriate health services to you.

Your health information is kept strictly confidential and will only be used or disclosed in the following circumstances:

To provide and manage your healthcare
With your express consent
Where required or authorised by law (e.g. mandatory reporting, court orders, public health requirements)
In a medical emergency where it is not practical to obtain your consent
For payment purposes, including health fund or Medicare claims

We comply with obligations under the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Health Privacy Principles applicable to Victorian health service providers.

Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

With other treating practitioners – including specialists, GPs, or allied health providers involved in your care, with your consent
With your health fund – for the purpose of processing HICAPS claims and insurance rebates
With Medicare Australia – for the purpose of processing EPC plan claims
With our service providers – including our appointment booking system, website hosting provider, and payment processing platform, who are bound by confidentiality agreements and are required to handle your information in accordance with Australian privacy law
With regulators or law enforcement – where required by law or a court order
In medical emergencies – where disclosure is necessary to protect your health or safety or that of another person

Where we disclose your information to third-party service providers, we take reasonable steps to ensure they handle your personal information in accordance with the Australian Privacy Principles.

Storage and Security of Your Information

We take the security of your personal information seriously. Your information is stored securely in electronic and/or paper-based records management systems. We implement a range of security measures including:

Password-protected electronic records and systems
Secure, locked storage for any paper-based clinical records
Restricted staff access on a need-to-know basis
Secure encrypted connections (HTTPS/SSL) on our website

Clinical records are retained in accordance with the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) – generally for a minimum of 7 years from the date of last service (or until a child patient turns 25, whichever is longer).

Despite our best efforts, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you provide your information at your own risk. In the event of a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) in accordance with the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

Access to and Correction of Your Information

You have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you and to request corrections where that information is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date.

To make a request, please contact us in writing at the details provided in Section 1. We will respond to your request within 30 days. In some circumstances, we may be unable to provide access (for example, where doing so would pose a serious threat to the health or safety of another person, or where an exemption under the Privacy Act 1988 applies). We will advise you in writing if access is refused and the reasons for that refusal.

We do not charge a fee for making an access request, however we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of providing access (e.g. photocopying, postage). We will advise you of any applicable fee before processing your request.

Online Appointments and Bookings

Our website uses a third-party online booking system to allow patients to schedule appointments. When you use our booking system, you provide personal information that is handled by that third-party provider. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of our booking provider. We select booking providers who comply with applicable Australian privacy legislation.

Appointment reminders may be sent to you by SMS or email. You may opt out of reminder communications at any time by contacting our practice.

Website Cookies and Analytics

Our website (www.meadowslifechiro.com.au) uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve user experience and to analyse how our website is used. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.

We may use:

Essential cookies – necessary for the website to function (e.g. shopping cart, booking forms)
Analytics cookies – such as Google Analytics, to understand how visitors use our site. Data collected is aggregated and anonymous.
Marketing cookies – where you have consented, to deliver relevant advertising via platforms such as Meta (Facebook/Instagram)

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of parts of our website.

Online Shop (WooCommerce)

We operate an online shop via WooCommerce on our website. When you make a purchase, we collect your name, email address, delivery address, and payment details. Payment processing is handled by a secure third-party payment gateway. We do not store your full credit card or payment details on our systems.

Order history and account information for registered shop users is stored securely and is accessible to you by logging into your account.

Marketing and Communications

From time to time, we may send you health-related information, practice news, or promotional material by email or SMS. We will only do this where you have consented to receive such communications.

You may opt out of receiving marketing communications at any time by:

Clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ link in any email we send
Contacting us directly at +61 3 9315 8888 or info@meadowslifechiro.com.au

Opting out of marketing communications will not affect the delivery of appointment reminders or essential clinical communications.

Links to Third-Party Websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (for example, health information sites or our booking provider). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites and encourage you to review their privacy policies independently.

Complaints

If you believe we have handled your personal information in a manner that does not comply with the Australian Privacy Principles or applicable health privacy legislation, we encourage you to contact us first so we can attempt to resolve your concern.

Please submit your complaint in writing to:

Practice Manager, Meadows Life Chiropractic Health & Wellness Centre, 31 Central Avenue, Altona Meadows VIC 3028, info@meadowslifechiro.com.au

We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact:

Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): www.oaic.gov.au | 1300 363 992
Health Complaints Commissioner Victoria: www.hcc.vic.gov.au | 1300 582 113

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The current version will always be available on our website at www.meadowslifechiro.com.au/privacy-policy. The effective date at the top of this document will reflect when the Policy was last revised.

We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.