Last updated: 2 Oct 2026
 
At Warrnambool Concussion & Balance Clinic, we respect your privacy and understand the importance of protecting your personal and health information.
 
This policy explains how we collect, hold, use and share your information when you visit our website, contact us, book an appointment or receive care.
 
In this policy, “we”, “us” and “our” refer to [insert legal entity name], trading as Warrnambool Concussion & Balance Clinic. We handle personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth), the Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).
 
Information we collect

We collect information reasonably necessary to respond to your enquiries, provide care and manage our clinic. Depending on your interaction with us, this may include:

• Your name, date of birth, address and contact details.

• Parent, guardian or authorised representative details, where relevant.

• Health information, including symptoms, medical history, injuries, medications, referrals, assessment results and treatment records.

• Appointment, payment and billing information.

• Information you provide through correspondence, website forms or questionnaires.

• Technical information about your website visit, as described below.
   

How we collect information

We generally collect information directly from you when you contact us, complete a form, book an appointment or attend the clinic.

Where appropriate and with your consent, or as otherwise permitted by law, we may collect relevant information from your parent or guardian, authorised representative, referring practitioner or another healthcare provider.

We collect health information with your consent unless an exception under the law applies.

You may make a general enquiry anonymously or use a pseudonym where practical. However, we usually need to identify you to provide clinical care. If you choose not to provide information we reasonably need, this may limit our ability to provide a service.

How we use and share information

We use your information to:

• Respond to enquiries and manage appointments.

• Assess your needs, provide treatment and support your recovery.

• Communicate with you about your care.

• Coordinate care with relevant healthcare providers.

• Process payments and administer our clinic.

• Meet professional, recordkeeping and legal obligations.
   

We may share relevant information with practitioners involved in your care, service providers supporting our operations, and other parties where you authorise us to do so or the law permits or requires it.

Service providers may include website hosting, appointment booking, practice management, IT support and payment providers. We limit the information shared to what is reasonably necessary for the purpose.

We seek your consent before sharing information with a school, sporting club, employer or family member, unless disclosure is otherwise permitted or required by law.

Children and young people

When providing care to children and adolescents, we consider the young person’s capacity to understand and make decisions about their privacy.

We involve parents, guardians or authorised representatives where appropriate and lawful, while respecting the young person’s confidentiality and applicable access rights.

Website enquiries and online bookings

Our website contact form collects the details you submit so we can respond to your enquiry. Please provide only the health information needed for your initial enquiry. Contact the clinic if you need to discuss sensitive information or arrange to send clinical documents.

Our online booking links direct you to PracSuite. Information submitted when booking is handled to arrange and manage your appointment. External platforms may also have their own privacy policies.


Cookies and website information

You can manage cookies through your browser settings. Disabling some cookies may affect how the website works.

Links to external websites are provided for convenience. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies.

Storing and protecting information

We take reasonable steps to protect personal and health information from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification and disclosure.

We retain health records for the periods required by law. In Victoria, this generally means retaining them for more than seven years after the last service we provide. Information collected while a patient was under 18 must generally be retained until they turn 25 or for the seven-year period, whichever is later.

When information is no longer required and lawful disposal is permitted, we take reasonable steps to securely destroy or de-identify it.

Overseas handling of information

Where information is transferred outside Victoria or disclosed overseas, we take the steps required by applicable privacy laws to protect it.
Accessing and correcting your information.

You can request access to your personal or health information, or ask us to correct information you believe is inaccurate, incomplete or out of date, using the contact details below.

We may need to verify your identity or authority before acting on a request. We will respond within the applicable legal timeframe and explain any lawful access charges in advance. There is no fee to request a correction.

If we cannot provide access or make a requested correction, we will explain our reasons in writing, unless the law prevents us from doing so, and outline your complaint options.

Privacy questions and complaints

If you have a question or concern about how we handle your information, please contact our Privacy Contact:
Warrnambool Concussion & Balance Clinic
Attention: Privacy Contact
17 McKiernan Road
Warrnambool VIC 3280
Phone: (03) 5561 7912
Email: [insert privacy contact email]

We will acknowledge your complaint, investigate your concerns and aim to respond within 30 days. If more time is needed, we will explain why and keep you informed.

If you are dissatisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. For concerns about health information in Victoria, you can also contact the Health Complaints Commissioner.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes to our practices or legal obligations. The current version will be available on our website, with the update date shown above.

You can request a free copy by contacting the clinic.