Irma McDonald privacy policy and disclaimer

Current as of: 9 August 2023

Introduction

This privacy policy is to provide information to you, our client, on how your personal information (which includes your health information) is collected and used within our practice, and the circumstances in which we may share it with third parties.

Why and when your consent is necessary

When you register as a client of our practice, you provide consent for our practice staff to access and use your personal information so they can provide you with the best possible healthcare. Only staff who need to see your personal information will have access to it. If we need to use your information for anything else, we will seek additional consent from you to do this.

Why do we collect, use, hold and share your personal information?

Our practice will need to collect your personal information to provide healthcare services to you. Our main purpose for collecting, using, holding and sharing your personal information is to manage your health. We also use it for directly related business activities, such as financial claims and payments, practice audits and accreditation, and business processes (eg staff training).

What personal information do we collect?

The information we will collect about you may include:

• names, date of birth, addresses, contact details

• sensitive health information including medical history, medications, allergies, adverse events, social history, family history and risk factors

• Medicare number (where available) for identification and claiming purposes (if referred from GP)

• health fund details (if claiming under a private health fund)

Dealing with us anonymously

You have the right to deal with us anonymously or under a pseudonym unless it is impracticable for us to do so or unless we are required or authorised by law to only deal with identified individuals.

How do we collect your personal information?

Our practice may collect your personal information in several different ways.

1. When you make your first appointment our practice staff will collect your personal and demographic information via your registration.

2. During the course of providing health services, we may collect further personal information.

3. We may also collect your personal information when you visit our website, send us an email or SMS, telephone us, make an online appointment or communicate with us using social media.

4. In some circumstances personal information may also be collected from other sources. Often this is because it is not practical or reasonable to collect it from you directly. This may include information from:

• your guardian or responsible person

• other involved healthcare providers, such as general practitioners, specialists, allied health professionals, hospitals, community health services and pathology and diagnostic imaging services

• your health fund, Medicare, or the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (as necessary).

When, why and with whom do we share your personal information?

We sometimes share your personal information:

• with third parties who work with our practice for business purposes, such as accreditation agencies or information technology providers – these third parties are required to comply with APPs and this policy

• with other healthcare providers

• when it is required or authorised by law (eg court subpoenas)

• when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a client’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the client’s consent

• to assist in locating a missing person

• to establish, exercise or defend an equitable claim

• for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution process

• when there is a statutory requirement to share certain personal information (eg some diseases require mandatory notification)

• during the course of providing health services
   

Only people who need to access your information will be able to do so. Other than in the course of providing health services or as otherwise described in this policy, our practice will not share personal information with any third party without your consent.

We will not share your personal information with anyone outside Australia (unless under exceptional circumstances that are permitted by law) without your consent.

Our practice will not use your personal information for marketing any of our goods or services directly to you without your express consent. If you do consent, you may opt out of direct marketing at any time by notifying our practice in writing.

Our practice may use your personal information to improve the quality of the services we offer to our clients through research and analysis of our client data.

How do we store and protect your personal information?

Your personal information may be stored at our practice in various forms. As electronic records, paper records, visual records and audio recordings where necessary.

Our practice stores all personal information securely.

Electronic information is stored in a secure online platform which is password protected. Unless otherwise specified, all data is encrypted and stored via Halaxy in a securely protected data centre in Australia. The data is hosted on servers with state of the art security.

Any hard copies of information is stored in a secure locked cabinet. Audio files are stored on a password protected USB or laptop.

Information provided through the website is stored on a cloud system only accessible by people and services who need access. Designs are encrypted using AES256.

Our emails are sent via Proton Mail which uses end-to-end encryption and zero-access encryption. However, unless your email system has this function any information you send via email may not be secure. Servers used in connection with the Proton Mail service are wholly owned and operated by Proton or their subsidiaries. Access to the infrastructure and servers used by Proton Mail is tightly controlled: only employees of Proton have physical or other access to the servers. Data is always stored in encrypted format on their servers, which are exclusively located in Switzerland or Germany, under the protection of some of the world's strongest privacy laws. Offline backups, which may be stored periodically, are also encrypted. They cannot decrypt any user encrypted content on either the production servers or in the backups.

Any staff or contractors who handle your information will first sign a confidentiality agreement.

How can you access and correct your personal information at our practice?

You have the right to request access to, and correction of, your personal information.

Our practice acknowledges clients may request access to their health records. We require you to put this request in writing by secure post and our practice will respond within a reasonable time of 30 days.

Our practice will take reasonable steps to correct your personal information where the information is not accurate or up to date. From time to time, we will ask you to verify that your personal information held by our practice is correct and current. You may also request that we correct or update your information, and you should make such requests in writing to

Irma McDonald (0427979546), eating.intuitive@proton.me or by mail to PO Box 317, Murwillumbah NSW 2484.

How can you lodge a privacy-related complaint, and how will the complaint be handled at our practice?

We take complaints and concerns regarding privacy seriously. You should express any privacy concerns you may have in writing. We will then attempt to resolve it in accordance with our resolution procedure. Please make any requests to eating.intuitive@proton.me or PO Box 317, Murwillumbah NSW 2484.

You may also contact the OAIC. Generally, the OAIC will require you to give them time to respond before they will investigate. For further information visit www.oaic.gov.au or call the OAIC on 1300 363 992.

Privacy and our website

The collection of personal information that occurs though our website or social media will be kept private and secure. We use an encrypted email address.

Third-party tools and cookies

This Website (referred to in these “terms of use” as the website) is owned and operated by Irma McDonald, who is referred to in this Cookie Policy as “we”, “us”, “our” and similar grammatical forms.

Our Cookie Policy explains what cookies are, how we use cookies, how third-party partners may use cookies on our Websites and your choices regarding cookies.

General information about visits to our Websites is collected by our computer servers, with small files “cookies” that our Websites transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow the delivery of “cookies”). The “cookies” are used to follow the pattern of movements of users by letting us know which pages on our Websites are visited, in what order and how often and the previous website visited and also to process the items you select if you are making purchases from our Websites. The anonymous non-personal information that we collect and analyse is not personal information as described in the Privacy Act.

Why do we use “cookies” and other web use tracking technologies?

1. When you access our Website, small files containing a unique identification (ID) number may be downloaded by your web browser and stored in the cache of your computer. The purpose of sending these files with a unique ID number is so that our Website can recognise your computer when you next visit our Website. The “cookies” that are shared with your computer can’t be used to discover any personal information such as your name, address or email address they merely identify your computer to our Websites when you visit us.

2. We can also log the internet protocol address (IP address) of visitors to our Website so that we can work out the countries in which the computers are located.

3. We collect information using “cookies” and other tracking technologies for the following reasons:

   • to help us monitor the performance of our Website so that we can improve the operation of the Website and the services we offer;

   • to provide personalised services to each user of our Website to make their navigation through our Website easier and more rewarding to the user;

   • to sell advertising on the Website in order to meet some of the costs of operating the Website and improve the content on the Website; and

   • when we have permission from the user, to market the services we provide by sending emails that are personalised to what we understand are the interests of the user.

4. Even if you have given us permission to send you emails, you can, at any time, decide not to receive further emails and will be able to “unsubscribe” from that service.

5. In addition to our own cookies, we may also use various third-parties cookies to report usage statistics of the Website, deliver advertisements on and through the Website, and so on.

6. What are your choices regarding cookies?

If you are unhappy about having a cookie sent to you, you can set your browser to refuse cookies or choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent. However, if you turn your cookies off, some of our services may not function properly.

Links

 Our User Services may from time to time have links to other sites not owned or controlled by us. Links to third party sites do not constitute sponsorship or endorsement or approval of these sites. Irma McDonald is not responsible for the privacy practices of other such sites.

Policy review statement

This Privacy Policy will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure it is in accordance with any changes that may occur. When this occurs the revised date listed on our website page within the privacy policy.

​​Disclaimer

Please read this Disclaimer carefully before using this website. 

This website is owned by Irma McDonald (Trading as Irma McDonald).

By viewing this website or anything made available on or through this website, including but not limited to blog posts and Youtube videos, Facebook and Instagram posts and links, you are agreeing to accept all parts of this Disclaimer. If you do not agree to the Disclaimer below, do not access or use this Website.

For Educational and Informational Purposes Only

The information provided in or through this website is for educational and informational purposes only. Use of the health-related information contained on this website does not constitute a clinician-client relationship. Information contained on this site is intended as a self-help tool for your own use. The views on this website do not reflect the values, thoughts or opinions of the Dietitians Australia or other professional health organisations.

Not Health Advice

• All content and media on the this Website (irmamcdonald.com.au) is created and published online for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice and should not be relied on as health or personal advice.

• Always seek the guidance of your doctor or other qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. Never disregard the advice of a medical professional, or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.

• If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the nearest hospital emergency department, or call the emergency services immediately. If you choose to rely on any information provided by this website, you do so solely at your own risk.

• Irma McDonald is not responsible for any errors or omissions, and we accept no liability whatsoever for any loss or damage you may incur. Always seek medical advice for your specific circumstances as needed for any and all questions and concerns you now have or may have in the future.

Testimonials

From time to time, we may publish success stories, experiences, testimonials and insights about others’ experiences with my website, courses or my services. These examples of success are of actual clients and results they personally experiences. They are not intended to guarantee or represent that these same results will happen in each and every current or future client. These testimonials represent what is possible for the diverse people who use this website and content.

No Guarantees

Our role is to support and assist you in reaching your own goals, but your success depends primarily on your own effort, motivation, commitment and follow-through. We cannot predict, and we do not guarantee that you will attain a particular result, and you accept and understand that results differ for each individual. Each individual’s results depend on their personal commitment, past experiences, motivation, ability to apply information and many other factors. You agree that there are no guarantees as to the specific outcome or results you can expect from using the counselling or information you receive on or through this website.

Assumption of Risk

You understand that any mention of any suggestion or recommendation on or through our website is to be taken at your own risk, with no liability on my part, recognising that there is a rare chance that illness, injury or even death could result, and you agree to assume all risks.

Limitation of Liability

We do not assume any liability for your use of this website. You agree that we will not be liable to you, or to any other individual, company or entity, for any type of damages, including direct or indirect for use of my website.

Errors and Omissions

Every effort has been made to present you with the most accurate information, but because the nature of nutrition and health research is constantly evolving, Irma McDonald or any contracted employee or intern, cannot be held responsible or accountable for the accuracy of the content. We make no warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance or completeness of the information on this website. We assume no liability for errors or omissions on the website.

No Endorsement

• Any link included on this site does not imply my endorsement, sponsorship, or approval of that website or its owner. We do not endorse, and we are not responsible for the opinions, statements, errors or omissions provided by these links referenced in my website or its content. We have no control over the contents of those websites and we do not accept responsibility for any loss or otherwise that may arise from your use of them. Conversely, if our website link appears in any other website, program, product or services, it does not constitute my formal endorsement of them, their business or their website.

• By using our website you are agreeing to the entirety of the above Disclaimer. If you have any questions about this Disclaimer, please contact us at eating.intuitive@proton.me

Terms and Conditions

These terms and conditions outline the rules and regulations for the use of Irma McDonald’s Website.  

I McDonald T/as Irma McDonald is located in Australia.

• By accessing this website we assume you accept these terms and conditions in full.

• Do not continue to use Irma McDonald’s website if you do not accept all of the terms and conditions stated on this page.

• The following terminology applies to these Terms and Conditions, Privacy Statement and Disclaimer Notice and any or all Agreements: "Client", "You" and "Your" refers to you, the person accessing this website and accepting the Company's terms and conditions. "The Company", "Ourselves", "We", "Our" and "Us", refers to our Company. "Party", "Parties", or "Us", refers to both the Client and ourselves, or either the Clientor ourselves.

• All terms refer to the offer, acceptance and consideration of payment necessary to undertake the process of our assistance to the Client in the most appropriate manner, whether by formal meetings of a fixed duration, or any other means, for the express purpose of meeting the Client's needs in respect of provision of the Company's stated services/products, in accordance with and subject to, prevailing law of Australia. Any use of the above terminology or other words in the singular, plural, capitalisation and/or he/she or they, are taken as interchangeable and therefore as referring to same.

License

Unless otherwise stated, Irma McDonald owns the intellectual property rights for all material on Irma McDonald’s website. All intellectual property rights are reserved. You may view and/or print pages from irmamcdonald.com.au for your own personal use subject to restrictions set in these terms and conditions. You must not:

• Republish material from irmamcdonald.com.au

• Sell, rent or sub-license material from irmamcdonald.com.au

• Reproduce, duplicate or copy material from irmamcdonald.com.au

• Redistribute content from Irma McDonald (unless content is specifically made for redistribution).

• No use of Irma McDonald’s logo or other artwork will be allowed.

• By using our website you are agreeing to the entirety of the above Terms and Conditions. If you have any questions about these Terms and Conditions, please contact us at irma.dietitian@pm.me.