Your information, our responsibility.

Last updated: 7 May 2026

Who we are

Pottsville Acupuncture is a clinical practice operated by Dr Mal McKay, AHPRA-registered (Chinese Medicine Board of Australia), located at 87–89 Tweed Coast Road, Hastings Point NSW 2489. ABN: TBC.

What information we collect

• Personal details — your name, date of birth, address, phone, email — collected when you book or attend an appointment.
• Health information — your medical history, current symptoms, treatment notes, GP/specialist details — collected during clinical consultations and stored in your patient file.
• Payment details — your health fund details and payment information — collected to process HICAPS claims and payments.
• Communication records — phone calls, emails, SMS, and WhatsApp messages with our clinic team — kept as part of your patient record.
• Website usage data — basic analytics (pages viewed, anonymous usage patterns) collected via standard web analytics tools.

How we use your information

We use your information solely to: provide clinical care; communicate with you about appointments and treatment; process payments and health fund claims; comply with our professional and legal obligations as an AHPRA-registered practitioner; and improve our practice operations.

Who we share with

We do not sell or rent your information. We share it only when required for your care or by law:

• Your GP or specialists — only with your explicit consent, and only to coordinate your care.
• Your health fund — for processing HICAPS claims you authorise.
• NDIS / WorkCover / Motor Vehicle Insurance — for processing claims under those schemes, where applicable to your care.
• Regulatory authorities — AHPRA, the Chinese Medicine Board, and any lawful authority where we are required to disclose information.
• Service providers — practice management software (Halaxy), payment processing, IT support — under confidentiality obligations.

How we store and protect your information

Patient records are stored in encrypted clinical practice management software (Halaxy) and physical files secured on the clinic premises. We follow Australian privacy and clinical record-keeping standards. Records are retained for a minimum of seven years from the date of last consultation, in line with AHPRA requirements.

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Request corrections to information that is inaccurate or out of date
• Request a copy of your patient record
• Withdraw consent for specific uses of your information (subject to clinical and legal obligations)
• Make a complaint about how we have handled your information

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at health@pottsvilleacupuncture.com.au or 0420 437 156.

Cookies and website analytics

This website uses cookies and standard web analytics to understand how visitors use the site. No personally identifying information is collected unless you submit it via a form. You can disable cookies in your browser settings if you prefer.

Updates to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.

Complaints

If you have a privacy complaint, please contact us first at health@pottsvilleacupuncture.com.au. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may escalate to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (oaic.gov.au) or AHPRA (ahpra.gov.au).