Privacy Policy

Current as of 15 February 2024

This privacy policy outlines the procedures that World Wellness Group (“WWG”) has in place to protect your privacy regarding the collection and use of any personal information (i.e. information from which you can be identified) that you give to us, or that we collect when you use this website. We respect your privacy and take care in the storage and use of your personal information.

It sets out how your personal data is collected and used when you register for and use our service (“Services”).

We respect your privacy and so all personal data is collected and processed to the highest standard in compliance with current data protection legislation.

We have adopted the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) (the Privacy Act). The NPPs govern the way in which we collect, use, disclose, store, secure and dispose of your Personal Information.

A copy of the Australian Privacy Principles may be obtained from the website of The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at http://www.aoic.gov.au

What personal information do we collect?

In order to make enquiries about our services, refer to our services, book our services, donate to our causes or to subscribe to our mailing lists we will need to collect some data about you.

Examples of information that we collect may include: name, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, occupation, cultural background, preferred language, date of birth, age, interpreter requirements, referrer details, healthcare identifiers, medical information (which may include: medical history, allergies, medications, family history, immunisations, social history, risk factors, adverse events), Medicare number (for identification and claiming purposes), emergency contact details (next of kin), health fund details, any other information which may be required for claiming or billing purposes.

How do we collect this information

We may collect your information in several different ways such as:

Through our website (www.worldwellnessgroup.org.au)
When you send us an email
When you communicate with us on Social Media
When you contact us by telephone or other messaging services
When you visit our clinic or use any of our services
During the course of us providing services to you, we may collect further information
Through your referral provider
Your guardian or responsible person
Your health-fund or Medicare
My Health Record (when available)
Electronic Transfer of Prescription (when available)
When you book an appointment with us
From other health providers (including, but not limited to, other medical centres/hospitals, pathologists, diagnostic imaging providers, community services, other health or welfare agencies)

Dealing with us anonymously

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

Sensitive Information

Sensitive information is defined in the Privacy Act to include information or opinion about such things as an individual’s racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, membership of a political association, religious or philosophical beliefs, membership of a trade union or other professional body, criminal record or health information.

Sensitive information will be used by us only:

For the primary purpose for which it was obtained
For a secondary purpose that is directly related to the primary purpose
With your consent; or where required or authorised by law.

Retention of your data

We will retain your data until you tell us in writing that you no longer wish to use our services, or subscribe to us, for a period of seven years thereafter, as required by law. You may also unsubscribe from our mailing lists at any time either by clicking on the unsubscribe link at the footer of the email or by contacting us in writing.

How do we use this data

We need to process your personal data to provide the services or information you request in the form that you require.

Your data will be used in the following ways:

to provide you with information– which involves processing your data in order to respond to your enquiry and to communicate with you,
to receive your referral – which involves processing your data to respond to your need for one of our services and to communicate with you about that,
to receive your donation – which involves processing your data in order to receive your payment and issue you with a tax receipt and communicate with you to enable us and third parties on our behalf to carry out technical, logistical or other functions to support the above processes,
to enable us and third parties on our behalf to monitor website use and traffic patterns and carry out data analysis for our internal business purposes,
to enable us to conduct marketing activities if you have consented to these,
to provide you with our services

Disclosure of Personal Information

In order to provide the Services, we may need to pass on your data to other companies we have contracted who help us perform the Services such as:

other healthcare providers,
when it is necessary to lessen or prevent a serious threat to a patient’s life, health or safety or public health or safety, or it is impractical to obtain the patient’s consent,
to referral organisations (incoming and outgoing referrals),
payment providers,
document storage providers,
partner organisations that supply services,
marketing agencies (where your consent is obtained),
fraud prevention agencies to help prevent fraud and money laundering and to verify your identity,
with other healthcare providers,
to assist in locating a missing person,
when it is required or authorised by law,
for the purpose of confidential dispute resolution processes,
when there is a statutory requirement to share certain health information,
when there is a public health requirement,
with our Information Technology services (software and hardware providers),
when using external form providers,
law enforcement agencies when required to do so,
interpreter services.

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

Our servers and storage providers may be located outside of Australia and data will be shared only with these agencies outside of Australia, however no personal information will be shared with any other parties outside of Australia (unless required or authorised by law).

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 or where available, links to opt out of marketing.

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

We may provide de-identified data to other organisations to improve population health outcomes. The information is secure, patients cannot be identified and the information is stored within Australia. You can let our reception staff know if you do not want your information included.

Marketing Preferences

If you have specifically subscribed to us or opted in during any registration processes with us, your personal data will be used to send you emails and marketing communications depending upon the marketing preferences that you opted for.
You may opt out or change your marketing preferences at any time by contacting us or unsubscribing directly on the email communications.

Overseas Transfers of Data

WWG operates only in Australia. However, our third party contractors may operate globally, and therefore your data may be transferred to affiliates and third parties outside of Australia to countries that do not have as strong data protection laws as are in place within the Australian Privacy Act. This is in order that we can provide the services to you. In particular email communications that you receive may be provided via a US based supplier.
In any such cases we will ensure that strict contractual protection applies in order to ensure that adequate safeguards are in place.

If you would like more information on this then please contact us.

Cookie Policy

A cookie is a file that is automatically stored on your computer when you visit our website that allows us to recognise that your computer has visited our website previously.
We use cookies for a number of reasons to help provide the Services and to monitor the use of our website. Cookies do not identify you personally.

Other Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites which are outside our control and are not covered by this Privacy Policy. If you access other sites using the links provided, the operators of these sites may collect information from you which will be used by them in accordance with their privacy policy, which may differ from ours.

Storage and Security of Personal Information

Your Personal Information is stored in a manner that reasonably protects it from misuse and loss and from unauthorised access, modification or disclosure.

When your Personal Information is no longer needed for the purpose for which it was obtained, we will take reasonable steps to destroy or permanently de-identify your Personal Information. However, most of the Personal Information is or will be stored in client files which will be kept by us for a minimum of 7 years.

Access to you Personal Information

You may access the Personal Information we hold about you and to update and/or correct it, subject to certain exceptions. If you wish to access your Personal Information, please contact us in writing.

World Wellness Group will not charge any fee for your access request, but may charge an administrative fee for providing a copy of your Personal Information.

In order to protect your Personal Information we may require identification from you before releasing the requested information.

Maintaining the Quality of your Personal Information

It is an important to us that your Personal Information is up to date. We will take reasonable steps to make sure that your Personal Information is accurate, complete and up-to-date. If you find that the information we have is not up to date or is inaccurate, please advise us as soon as practicable so we can update our records and ensure we can continue to provide quality services to you.