Privacy policy and website disclaimer

1. Who we are

This website is operated for Willow Health & Wellness Centre (the “practice”), which is the responsible party for personal information collected through it under the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA). Questions about privacy can be sent to our Information Officer at privacy@willowhealth.example (sample).

2. What we collect through this website

Only when you send an appointment request: your first name and surname, contact number, email address, whether you are a new or existing patient, the practitioner you would like to see, your preferred date and time of day, and your confirmation that you understand a request is not a confirmed appointment.

3. What we do not collect

• We do not ask for medical history, symptoms, test results or identity numbers through this website. Please do not send them.
• We do not use advertising or analytics cookies, and we do not sell or rent personal information.

4. Why we use it

To contact you, agree a suitable appointment time and manage the practice’s administration. We process this information because you have asked us to, and with your consent. We do not use it for marketing unless you separately agree.

5. Who it is shared with

Reception staff who arrange appointments, and the practitioner you asked to see. Our website platform provider, Wix, processes appointment requests on our behalf as an operator, and may store information outside South Africa. We choose providers that protect personal information appropriately.

6. Third-party services and browser storage

• Pages load typefaces from Google Fonts, which means your IP address is shared with Google when a page opens.
• The map on the contact page loads from Google Maps only when you choose to show it.
• The appointment form stores a small technical token in your browser so that it can work. It is not used to track you.

7. How long we keep it

Appointment requests are kept for as long as needed to arrange your appointment and for the short administrative period after it, then deleted or archived securely. (sample period; the real period is set by the practice)

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational steps to protect your information. No online service is completely secure, so please keep clinical details for the consulting room.

9. Your rights

Under POPIA you may ask to see the personal information we hold about you, ask us to correct or delete it, object to its use, and withdraw your consent. Contact our Information Officer to do so. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you may complain to the Information Regulator (South Africa) at inforegulator.org.za.

10. Children

If a request is for a child, it should be made by a parent or legal guardian.

11. Changes to this policy

We will update this page when our practices change, and show the date of the latest update at the top.

Website and clinical disclaimer

• Information on this website is general and is not medical advice. It does not replace a consultation with a registered healthcare professional.
• Using this website, WhatsApp or email does not create a practitioner–patient relationship. That begins when you are seen.
• Willow does not provide an emergency service. In an emergency call 10177 (ambulance) or 112 from a cell phone, or go to your nearest emergency unit. If you are in emotional crisis call the SADAG Suicide Crisis Helpline on 0800 567 567 (24 hours).
• No outcome of any treatment is guaranteed, and results differ between people.
• Links to other websites are provided for convenience. We are not responsible for their content.
• Demonstration notice: this website was created by THYM Studio as a portfolio example. The practice, practitioners, registration numbers, fees, policies, contact details and images are fictional or placeholders, and should not be relied on.