Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Ear Here is an independent audiology clinic operated by [legal entity name], ABN [number]. We are located inside One Health Medical Clinics, Shop 24, 159-161 Pease Street, Manoora QLD 4870, and provide some services online and in patients’ homes.

As a health service provider, we are bound by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs). This policy explains what personal information we collect, why, and how we protect it.

2. What we collect

We only collect what we need to care for you and run the clinic. This may include:

Your name, date of birth, address, phone number and email.
Health information, including your case history, ear examination findings, hearing and auditory processing results, symptoms, medications relevant to your ears, and details of any hearing aids you use.
Referral letters and reports from, or to, your GP or other health professionals.
Concession, pension, DVA or student card details, where you claim a discount.
Private health fund details, where you ask us to help you claim.
Emergency contact or next of kin details.
Payment and billing records. [We do not store full card numbers. Payments are processed by (payment provider).]
Messages you send us by phone, SMS, email or our website.
Basic website usage data, as described in section 11.

Health information is sensitive information under the Privacy Act. We only collect it with your consent, or where the law allows.

3. How we collect it

We collect information directly from you whenever we reasonably can. This happens when you:

Book online through our booking system, Cliniko.
Call, text or email us, or submit a form on our website.
Attend an appointment in clinic, at home, or online.

With your consent, we may also receive information from your GP, another audiologist, a hearing aid provider or other health professionals involved in your care.

You can make a general enquiry without giving your name. For clinical services, we need to identify you to provide safe care and keep accurate records.

4. Why we collect it

We use your information to:

Assess your ears and hearing and provide our services.
Book, confirm and remind you about appointments, including by SMS and email.
Issue invoices and receipts, including for private health fund claims.
Communicate with your GP or other health professionals, with your consent.
Meet our legal, professional and insurance obligations.
Improve our services and website.

We will only send you marketing or newsletters if you agree. You can opt out at any time using the unsubscribe link or by contacting us.

5. Who we share it with

We do not sell your personal information. We only share it where needed to provide your care, where you consent, or where the law requires or permits it.

This may include:

Your GP, specialists or other health professionals involved in your care, with your consent.
Service providers that help us run the clinic, such as Cliniko (practice management and booking), Wix (website hosting), [telehealth platform] (online APD assessments), [payment provider], and our IT and accounting providers. They may only use your information to provide their service to us.
Your private health fund, if you ask us to help with a claim.
Our insurers, legal advisers or professional bodies, if needed to manage a complaint or claim.
Government agencies or courts, where required by law, or where needed to lessen a serious threat to someone’s life, health or safety.

Ear Here operates independently of One Health Medical Clinics. [One Health does not have access to your Ear Here records.] We only share information with One Health practitioners if you ask us to or consent.

6. Overseas disclosure

[We understand Cliniko stores our patient records in Australia.] Some of our other service providers, such as Wix, Google and [others], may store or process information overseas, including in the United States. We take reasonable steps to ensure these providers protect your information in line with the APPs.

7. How we protect it

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, loss, and unauthorised access or disclosure. These include [secure, encrypted cloud-based records, password protection and two-factor authentication, restricted access to authorised staff, and locked storage for any paper records]. No system is completely secure, but we review our practices regularly.

8. How long we keep it

We keep health records for at least [7 years after your last appointment]. For patients seen before age 18, we keep records until [they turn 25]. After that, we securely destroy or de-identify them.

9. Accessing and correcting your information

You can ask to see the personal information we hold about you, or ask us to correct it. Contact us using the details in section 13.

We will respond within 30 days. We may need to confirm your identity first. There is no charge to make a request, though we may charge a reasonable fee to cover the cost of providing access. If we refuse a request, we will explain why in writing and tell you how to complain.

10. Data breaches

If a data breach is likely to cause you serious harm, we will notify you and the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) as required under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme.

11. Our website and cookies

Our website is hosted by Wix. Like most websites, it uses cookies and similar tools to make the site work and to understand how visitors use it. [We use Wix analytics and Google Analytics.] [If installed: We use the Meta Pixel to measure our advertising. We do not send your health information to advertising platforms.]

You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Some parts of the site may not work properly if you do.

Our booking system is provided by Cliniko and is governed by Cliniko’s own privacy policy as well as this one.

12. Complaints

If you have a concern about how we have handled your personal information, please contact us first. We will acknowledge your complaint promptly and aim to resolve it within 30 days.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992 or at oaic.gov.au.

13. Contact us

Privacy Officer: [N’Gadie Roberts]
Email: admin@earhere.com.au
Phone or SMS: 0450 917 703
Post: Ear Here, Shop 24, 159-161 Pease Street, Manoora QLD 4870

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The current version will always be available on this page, with the date it was last updated.