At Merkaba Healing Services, we are committed to protecting your privacy and to ensure that your personal information is collected and used properly, lawfully and transparently in compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act.
This Notice explains how we obtain, use and disclose your personal information and aims to inform you of your rights and how to exercise them.
Who we are
In this notice, “we,” “us,” “The Company”, “Merkaba Healing Services”, or “MHS” is a direct reference to Merkaba Healing Services (Pty) Ltd, a privately-owned South African company.
THE INFORMATION WE COLLECT
We collect and process your personal information mainly to provide you with access to our services. In order for us to do this, you must provide us with the information that we request, failing which we cannot enter into a relationship with you.
The type of information we collect will depend on the purpose for which it is collected and used. We will only collect information that we need for that purpose.
We collect information directly from you where you provide us with your personal details, for example when making a booking for a service that MHS offers, consultations, treatments and when you submit enquiries to us or contact us.
We have a duty to take all reasonably practicable steps to ensure your personal information is complete, accurate, not misleading and updated on a regular basis. To enable this, we will always try to obtain personal information from you directly, and we shall appreciate it if you would keep your personal information up to date and accurate.
PURPOSES FOR WHICH WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We will use your personal information only for the following purposes:
- consent to entering a therapeutic relationship
- For appointment reminders
- analysis of your health profile
- the rendering of medical treatment and provision of recommendations
- processing of medical aid claims with medical aid providers
- referrals to other registered medical professionals as well as for record-keeping and audit purposes as is required by the relevant laws and regulations.
Failing to do so, we will be unable to enter into a therapeutic relationship with you. We will only use your information for these intended purposes. Your personal information will only ever be collected from you directly via consultation, print or web forms, email or telephonically.
DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION
We may only disclose your details where we are legally obligated to do so.
INFORMATION SECURITY
We are legally obliged to provide adequate protection for the personal information we hold and to stop unauthorised access and use of personal information. We will, on an ongoing basis, continue to review our security controls and related processes to ensure that your personal information is secure. Our security policies and procedures cover:
- Physical security
- Access to personal information
- Retention and disposal of information
- Acceptable usage of personal information
- Monitoring access and usage of personal information
- Investigating and reacting to security incidents
- Governance and regulatory issues
When we contract with third parties, we impose appropriate security, privacy and confidentiality obligations on them to ensure that personal information that we remain responsible for, is kept secure. MHS makes no representations or warranties about the privacy practices of any third party and does not accept any responsibility for the privacy practices of, or content displayed on third party websites. Third-party website providers are responsible for informing users about their own privacy.
YOUR RIGHTS
We will take all reasonable steps to confirm your identity when you exercise your rights.
Access to information
You have the right to request a copy of the personal information we hold about you. You may do so by contacting us at admin@merkabahealingservices.co.za
Objection to processing
In certain cases, you have the right to object to the processing of your personal information. If you want to object, please contact us at admin@merkabahealingservices.co.za
Correction of your information
You have the right to ask us to update or correct your personal information. You may do this by contacting us at admin@merkabahealingservices.co.za
Deletion of your information
You agree that we may keep your personal information until we destroy your information based on MHS’s destruction standards. You have the right to ask for deletion or destruction of your personal information – we will do that unless the law requires us to keep it or if we need it for legitimate business purposes.
CHANGES TO THIS NOTICE
Please note that we may amend this Notice from time to time. Please check this website periodically to inform yourself of any changes.
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you have questions about this Notice or believe we have not adhered to it, or need further information about our privacy practices, please contact us at admin@merkabahealingservices.co.za
INFORMATION REGULATOR
You have the right to complain to the Information Regulator, whose contact details are:
General enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
Complaints: POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za