This practice respects your privacy and keeps your personal and health information confidential. This notice explains how we handle information collected through this website and in the course of your care. It follows the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA), the National Health Act 61 of 2003 and the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) guidelines on patient confidentiality.

1. What we collect

Through this website: your name, contact details and any message you send us through our contact or booking forms, plus basic technical data such as your IP address, browser type and pages visited.

As part of your treatment: identity and contact details, medical scheme details, medical and dental history, clinical records, photographs, X-rays and scans, and account information.

Health information is special personal information under POPIA. We process it only as POPIA allows for healthcare providers, and only for your care and the administration of your treatment.

2. Children

We process a child's personal information only with the consent of a parent or legal guardian, or where the law otherwise allows it. The parent or guardian acts on the child's behalf for everything in this notice.

3. Why we use your information

• To provide, plan and manage your treatment

• To communicate with you about appointments, treatment and accounts

• To submit claims to your medical scheme and manage billing

• To refer you to, or consult with, other healthcare practitioners involved in your care

• To meet our legal, regulatory and professional obligations

We will not use your information for marketing without your consent, and you can opt out at any time.

4. Who we share it with

We share information only when it's needed for your care or required by law. This includes medical schemes, other treating practitioners, laboratories, radiology providers, and our IT, practice management and billing service providers. Each of them is bound by confidentiality and data protection obligations. We do not sell your information.

If any information is stored or processed outside South Africa, we make sure it gets protection at least equal to POPIA's, as section 72 of the Act requires.

5. Please don't send clinical information through this website

Our website forms and ordinary email are not secure channels. Please don't send medical details, X-rays or other sensitive information this way. Contact the practice directly and we'll arrange a secure way to receive it.

6. How we protect your information

We use appropriate technical and organisational safeguards to protect your information from loss, misuse and unauthorised access. These include access controls, secure systems and staff confidentiality undertakings. If we suspect a data breach, we will notify you and the Information Regulator as POPIA requires.

7. How long we keep records

We keep clinical records for as long as HPCSA guidelines and the law require. After that, records are securely destroyed.

8. Your rights

Under POPIA, you have the right to:

• Ask whether we hold your information and request a copy of it

• Ask us to correct or delete inaccurate or outdated information

• Object to certain processing, including direct marketing

• Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

• Lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator

To make a request, contact the practice's Information Officer. Access requests are handled under the practice's PAIA Manual, which is available on request.

9. Cookies

This website may use cookies to function properly and to understand how visitors use it. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, although some features may not work as a result.

10. No medical advice

Content on this website is general information only and is not a substitute for a consultation. Treatment decisions should be made with your practitioner after a clinical assessment.

11. Changes to this notice

We may update this notice from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page.