Informed consent
Informed consent is a human right, and a fundamentally important principle of health systems and medical treatment. Transparency and accountability are important to me. While consent to treat is often implied, I have explicitly set out terms here for clients to refer to as needed.
The purpose of this website is to make information about services I offer available to people and medical professionals. This enables individuals to make informed decisions about options regarding their own medical care, alongside their regular medical attendants. I do not advertise or advocate a specific medicine or treatment modality. I have no financial interests in drug companies or testing/procedure providers.
When I receive a referral from your primary care team I may decline to see you if I think you would be better seen by a specific organ specialist, or I am unlikely to be able to provide what you are looking for. This does not mean I do not want to help you.
When I accept your referral I will contact you so we can discuss my services. This includes a discussion about cost and ongoing care arrangements after your initial appointment. I will inform you of alternative options available. You have no obligation to see me, and you are able to withdraw consent to treatment at any stage.
I use Telemedicine, either phone calls or Zoom, as part of follow up. I will not offer Telemedicine if I think it is likely I will not be able to make an accurate or useful assessment of your situation. During a Telemedicine consult if I believe I need to see you in person or conduct a physical examination I will inform you, and you will have the option of an in-person appointment with me or your GP.
Privacy statement
Your data and privacy are important to me. I am compliant with the Health Privacy Code 2020 and the Health Information Privacy Act.
I collect health information required to provide my service to you, document our interactions and communicate with you and your primary care team. I do not collect any information which is not practically required to provide you with medical care, and do not share information with third parties unless required to by law. Due to the often complex nature of conditions I treat I am agreeable to communicating with individuals whom you consent to having your health information shared with (eg Enduring Power of Attorney, spouse or children etc). As with all health services you can submit a written request for copies of the data I hold about you.
I use data storage software (Proton) which is secure and compliant with the Health Privacy Code, as well as the HIPAA (USA health privacy legislation).
For our electronic correspondence containing your sensitive health information I suggest using end-to-end encryption for emails, which I can provide (and explain, you just need a password to open the email). Encryption (ie password protection) is optional on your end, and if you consent we are able to interact by email without it. My webmail hosting is secure, however your webmail provider (ie Google, Microsoft) may have access to your data if it is not password protected on your end.
When you pay for any service third party transaction processors and accounting services collect your data (such as your name, account details and the service being purchased) in order to deliver the service you require, and maintain financial records for their Anti-Money Laundering obligations. While I use your identity data to transact your payment, I do not share your medical information with these agencies and my invoicing/billing will not contain any specifics around the nature of any of my services you use. If you wish to use health insurance relevant health data is required by your insurer to approve your claim, I will only provide data that is specifically requested for claims approval.
My business and I do not engage in social media due to the problematic ethical and privacy issues inherent in the business models of these corporations.
My website hosting is through Squarespace, the Squarespace cookie policy can be found here. I offer the option to disable non-essential cookies.
Updated April 2025