At Forestway Optometry Glenrose, we take your privacy as seriously as your eyesight. We know legal documents can be dry, so we’ve rewritten our privacy policy to be clear, transparent, and easy to read. This policy outlines how we handle the personal information of our patients, customers, contractors, suppliers, and team members in accordance with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
1. What We Collect and Why (Introduction & Scope)
To run our practice and provide you with the best possible care, we sometimes need to collect personal information. This policy applies to how we gather, store, use, and share your data here in Australia. (Note: This specific policy doesn’t cover our internal employee records regarding their direct employment with us).
2. What Is “Personal Information”? (Definitions)
“Personal Information” is simply any data or opinion that can be used to identify you—whether it’s recorded on paper, in our database, or elsewhere. “Sensitive Information” (like health data) is a special category under the Privacy Act, and we handle it with even tighter security.
3. How We Gather Your Data (Collection)
We promise to only collect your personal information in ways that are fair, lawful, and never unreasonably intrusive. Our team is trained to ensure that anytime we gather your details, we do so strictly by the book.
4. How We Use and Share It (Use & Disclosure)
We collect your information for a primary reason (like booking your eye exam). We will never use or share your data for a completely different reason unless:
– It’s closely related to why you gave it to us in the first place (and you would reasonably expect us to use it that way).
– You have explicitly given us your consent to do so.
– We are legally required or authorized to share it.
– It’s necessary to investigate or report suspected unlawful activity.
5. Keeping Things Accurate (Data Quality)
We do our best to ensure the personal information we hold about you is accurate, complete, and up-to-date. If you move or change your phone number, just let us know!
6. Keeping Your Data Safe (Data Security)
We use industry-standard technology and operational security to protect your information from loss, misuse, unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. Before we ever hand over personal data to someone, we strictly verify their identity first. When we no longer need your information (for example, an old job application), we will safely destroy or permanently de-identify it.
7. Transparency (Openness)
We have nothing to hide! This policy is available to anyone who asks. If you ever want to know what kind of personal information we hold, why we have it, and how we handle it, just ask us.
8. Accessing and Fixing Your Info (Access & Correction)
You have the right to access the personal information we have on file for you. If you spot something that isn’t accurate, complete, or up-to-date, let us know, and we will take reasonable steps to fix it. On the rare occasion we have to deny access or refuse a correction, we will always explain exactly why.