Privacy policy

Last updated: April 2026 | Version 1.0

RJK Optometry is committed to protecting the privacy of our patients and the people we interact with. This policy explains how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information, including health information, in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

By providing your information to us — whether in person, through our website, or via our online new patient form — you agree to the collection and use of that information as described in this policy.

1. Who we are
RJK Optometry is an independent optometry practice located at 14 Arthur Street, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450. We have been providing eye care services to the Coffs Harbour community since 1980. Our principal optometrists are Michael Jones, Patrick Kelly, and Naomi McPherson, supported by Laura Winkler and our administration team.

For privacy enquiries, please contact us at:

Post: RJK Optometry, 14 Arthur Street, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
Email: admin@rjkoptometry.com.au
Phone: (02) 6652 2299
2. What information we collect
Personal information
We collect personal information that is necessary to provide you with optometry services. This includes:

Your name, date of birth, and contact details (address, phone, email)
Medicare card number and reference number
Private health insurance fund details
Occupation
How you heard about our practice
Health information
As a health practice, we collect health information that is necessary to provide clinical care. This includes:

Your reason for visiting
Your current eyewear and contact lens history
Your lifestyle, occupation, and screen use habits — which inform our clinical recommendations
Your personal medical history, including eye conditions, systemic conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and glaucoma, and any relevant surgical history
Your family history of eye and general health conditions
Clinical examination findings, test results, and prescriptions recorded during your appointments
Correspondence with your GP or other treating health professionals
Website and online information
When you visit our website (rjkoptometry.com.au) or submit our online new patient form, we may collect your IP address and form submission data. Our website uses standard analytics tools to understand how visitors use the site. No sensitive health information is collected through the website beyond what you voluntarily submit in the new patient form.

3. How we collect your information
We collect your information in the following ways:

Directly from you when you complete our new patient form (online or in practice)
During consultations and clinical examinations
From referral letters or correspondence from your GP or other health professionals
From your previous optometrist if you request a transfer of records
From Medicare or your private health fund in connection with billing and claims
4. Why we collect and use your information
We use your personal and health information to:

Provide, manage, and improve your optometry and eye health care
Communicate with you about your appointments, test results, and eye health
Process Medicare and private health insurance claims
Send you recalls and reminders when your next eye examination is due
Send you information about our services, products, and special offers (only if you have consented to receive these)
Comply with our legal and regulatory obligations as a registered health practice
Support the safe and effective operation of our practice
We will not use your health information for purposes unrelated to your care without your consent.

5. Disclosure of your information
Within your care team
Your information may be accessed by optometrists, dispensing opticians, and administration staff at RJK Optometry who are directly involved in your care or the administration of your appointment.

External health professionals
With your consent, we may share relevant clinical information with your GP, ophthalmologist, or other treating health professionals where this is necessary for your care. Referral letters will only include information relevant to the referral.

Third party service providers
We may share limited information with trusted third party providers who assist us in operating our practice. These include:

HotDoc — our online appointment booking platform
Optomate — our practice management system
Optical laboratories and frame suppliers — who require your prescription and order details to fulfil eyewear
Medicare and your private health fund — for billing and claims processing
Gravity Forms / WordPress — which processes your new patient form submission
These providers are required to handle your information in accordance with applicable privacy laws and are not permitted to use your information for any other purpose.

Legal requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, a court order, or a regulatory authority. We will notify you of any such disclosure where permitted to do so.

We will never
Sell your personal or health information to any third party
Use your information for advertising purposes without your explicit consent
Share your information outside Australia without your consent, except where required by law
6. Storage and security of your information
Your records are stored securely in our practice management system (Optomate) and our appointment system (HotDoc). Physical records, where held, are stored in locked filing at our practice premises.

We take reasonable steps to protect your information from misuse, interference, loss, and unauthorised access, modification, or disclosure. Our staff are trained in privacy obligations and are required to maintain patient confidentiality.

Our website is secured with HTTPS encryption. Online form submissions are transmitted securely and stored within our WordPress system, which is maintained by our web developer, Intervision Design.

We retain your clinical records for a minimum of seven years after your last consultation, or until age 25 if you were a minor at the time of your last visit — in accordance with the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 (NSW) and relevant professional standards.

7. Access to and correction of your information
You have the right to request access to the personal and health information we hold about you. You also have the right to request that we correct information that is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete, or misleading.

To make a request, please contact us in writing at admin@rjkoptometry.com.au or by post. We will respond within 30 days. In most cases we will provide access free of charge, though we may charge a reasonable fee for the costs of retrieving and copying records.

There are limited circumstances under the Privacy Act in which we may decline to provide access. If we do, we will give you written reasons for this decision.

8. Marketing communications
We may from time to time send you information about our services, eyewear promotions, eye health tips, and appointment reminders by email or SMS. We will only do this if you have given us your consent — either on your new patient form or separately.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us at admin@rjkoptometry.com.au, by replying STOP to any SMS, or by using the unsubscribe link in any email we send you. Withdrawing consent will not affect the care we provide you.

9. Complaints
If you believe we have handled your personal information in a way that does not comply with the Australian Privacy Principles, we encourage you to contact us first so we can attempt to resolve your concern:

Email: admin@rjkoptometry.com.au
Phone: (02) 6652 2299
Post: RJK Optometry, 14 Arthur Street, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
We will acknowledge your complaint within five business days and aim to resolve it within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you may lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

Website: www.oaic.gov.au
Phone: 1300 363 992
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. The current version will always be available on our website at rjkoptometry.com.au. The date at the top of this document shows when the policy was last revised.

We will notify you of material changes where we are able to do so.

11. Contact us
For any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this privacy policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact:

RJK Optometry
14 Arthur Street, Coffs Harbour NSW 2450
(02) 6652 2299
admin@rjkoptometry.com.au
rjkoptometry.com.au
We aim to respond to all enquiries within five business days.