Privacy Policy

What information we collect

We collect personal information that is necessary to provide safe and appropriate naturopathic and nutrition care. This may include:

• Your name, date of birth, and contact details

• Health history, symptoms, diagnoses, medications, and supplements

• Nutrition, lifestyle, and wellbeing information

• Consultation notes and treatment plans

• Appointment and billing information

We only collect information that is relevant to your care and generally collect it directly from you.

How we use your information

Your information is used to:

• Provide naturopathic and nutrition consultations

• Develop and review treatment plans

• Communicate with you about appointments and care

• Maintain accurate clinical records

• Meet legal and professional obligations

We do not use your personal or health information for unrelated purposes without your consent, unless permitted by law.

Sharing your information

Your information is kept confidential. We may only share it:

• With your consent

• With other healthcare providers involved in your care (where appropriate)

• Where required or permitted by law (for example, to prevent serious harm or comply with a legal request)

We do not sell or trade personal information.

Storage and security

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from loss, unauthorised access, misuse, or disclosure.

Information is stored securely using password-protected systems, encryption where appropriate, and/or locked physical storage. Access is limited to authorised personnel only.

Health records are generally retained for at least 10 years from your last appointment, in line with health sector expectations, after which they are securely destroyed unless legally required to be kept longer.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal and health information we hold about you

• Request correction of any information that is inaccurate, incomplete, or out of date

Requests can be made by contacting us using the details below. We will respond within the timeframes required by law.

Use of third-party services and overseas storage

We may use trusted third-party systems (such as practice management or email services) to store or manage information. Where information is stored overseas, we take reasonable steps to ensure comparable privacy protections are in place or obtain your consent where required.

Marketing communications

If you choose to subscribe to newsletters or updates, you may unsubscribe at any time. We do not use personal health information for marketing purposes without explicit consent.

Privacy breaches

If a privacy breach occurs that is likely to cause serious harm, we will notify affected individuals and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner as required by law.

Changes to this policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. The most current version will always be available on our website.

Contact us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact:

Privacy Officer: Ranee Hearst
Business Name: Balsam Natural Health
Email: ranee@balsamnaturalhealth.co.nz
Phone: 0274394650

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at www.privacy.org.nz.