Blooms The Chemist Essendon – Skin Clinic & Website Privacy Policy

 

1. Introduction and Purpose

This Privacy Policy applies to the Blooms The Chemist Essendon pharmacy ("the Pharmacy", "we", "us", "our"), including the pharmacist-led Skin Clinic operated from that location and our associated website and online booking platform (together, the "Website").

It sits alongside, and should be read together with, the national Blooms The Chemist Privacy Policy issued by Blooms The Chemist Management Services Ltd (BTCMS Ltd), which governs the Blooms The Chemist trade mark and network generally.

Because the Skin Clinic provides health services — including consultations, skin assessments, progress photography, and referral to compounding and prescribing services — we collect and handle a higher proportion of sensitive health information than a general retail pharmacy service.

This Policy explains what we collect, why, how it is stored and protected, who we may share it with, and your rights, in a way that reflects both our obligations as a registered pharmacy business and as a private sector provider of a health service in Victoria.

This Policy is designed to comply with:

• The Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs);

• The Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and its Health Privacy Principles, which specifically govern health information held by private sector health service providers in Victoria;

• The Health Complaints Act 2016 (Vic), which establishes the Health Complaints Commissioner as the Victorian body handling complaints about health service providers; and

• Relevant provisions of the Australian Consumer Law (Schedule 2 of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth)) concerning fair, accurate and non-misleading representations about our services.

By engaging our Skin Clinic services, making a booking, or using our Website, you acknowledge that your personal and health information will be collected, held, used and disclosed in accordance with this Policy.

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2. Personal Information We Collect

Depending on how you interact with us — as a pharmacy customer, a Skin Clinic patient, or a Website visitor — we may collect:

Identity and Contact Details

• Name

• Date of birth

• Gender

• Address

• Email address

• Phone number

Payment and Transaction Information

• Payment details for in-store or online purchases

• Order and purchase history

Booking and Appointment Information

• Appointment times

• Service selected

• Consultation notes

• Any information you provide through our online booking form

Skin Clinic Consultation Records

• Skin assessment notes taken by our pharmacist

• Skin concerns discussed, for example:

  • Acne

  • Rosacea

  • Hyperpigmentation

  • Melasma

  • Dullness/brightness

  • Hair loss

• Recommended routines

• Product and treatment history

Progress Photographs

Photographs of your skin taken to track treatment progress over time. These are health information and are treated as Sensitive Information under this Policy (see Section 3).

Compounding and Prescription Information

Details needed to prepare bespoke compounded creams or treatments, including:

• Active ingredients prescribed or recommended, such as glycolic acid, ascorbic acid, or prescription actives such as tretinoin;

• Relevant doctor correspondence; and

• Prescription details where a doctor is involved in your care.

Health and Medical Information

Where relevant to a Skin Clinic consultation or compounding order:

• Allergies

• Existing conditions

• Medications you are taking

• Your doctor's contact details

Website and Account Information

• Details you provide when creating an account

• Information provided when subscribing to updates

• Information provided when contacting us online

• Information collected automatically, such as browsing behaviour and device/cookie data (see Section 6)

Feedback and Communications

• Enquiries

• Feedback

• Complaints

• Other communications between you and us

We only collect the personal information reasonably necessary to provide our services.

If you choose not to provide certain information, we may not be able to offer you a Skin Clinic consultation, prepare a compounded product, or process an online booking or order.

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3. Health Information (Sensitive Information)

Much of what we collect through the Skin Clinic is health information, which is treated as Sensitive Information under both the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).

This includes:

• Consultation notes

• Skin condition history

• Progress photographs

• Allergy and medication information

• Records relating to compounded or prescribed treatments

We only collect health information where it is necessary for one or more of the following purposes:

• To provide you with a Skin Clinic consultation, treatment recommendation, or compounded product;

• To track your treatment progress over time, including through photographs;

• To liaise with a doctor who may prescribe based on our clinic's recommendations; or

• To comply with our legal obligations as a registered pharmacy business, including record-keeping obligations under pharmacy and poisons/therapeutic goods legislation.

Consent

We will seek your specific consent before taking progress photographs or initiating doctor liaison on your behalf, and we will explain how those photographs and records will be stored and used at the time.

You may withdraw consent to future photography or doctor liaison at any time by telling your consulting pharmacist or contacting us using the details in Section 12. This will not affect information already collected.

Higher Standard of Protection

Consistent with the Health Privacy Principles under the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), we apply additional safeguards to health information, including restricting internal access to staff directly involved in your care.

We will not use or disclose your health information for a purpose unrelated to your treatment without your consent, unless required or authorised by law.

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4. How We Collect Your Information

We collect personal and health information:

• Directly from you, in person at the Pharmacy or Skin Clinic, for example during a consultation or when purchasing a product;

• When you make a booking or purchase through our Website;

• When you contact us by phone, email, or through our online chat or contact forms;

• Through progress photographs taken during Skin Clinic consultations;

• From your doctor or other treating health practitioners, where you have consented to us liaising with them about your treatment; and

• Automatically through your use of our Website, via cookies and similar technologies (see Section 6).

Wherever practicable, we collect information directly from you.

If we collect health information about you from a third party, such as your doctor, we will only do so with your consent or as otherwise permitted by law.

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5. Why We Collect, Hold, Use and Disclose Your Information

We use your personal and health information to:

• Provide Skin Clinic consultations, treatment recommendations, and compounded or prescribed products;

• Process bookings, orders and payments made in-store or via the Website;

• Track your treatment progress, including through photographs, and tailor ongoing recommendations;

• Liaise with your doctor about prescribing, where you have consented;

• Send you appointment reminders and information relevant to your treatment;

• With your consent, send you marketing communications about products, services or promotions that may be of interest, from which you may unsubscribe at any time;

• Manage and improve our Website and online booking platform; and

• Meet our legal, regulatory and professional obligations, including those under pharmacy, poisons, therapeutic goods, and health records legislation.

Secondary Purposes

Where we use information for a purpose other than the one for which it was originally collected, we will only do so where:

• The secondary purpose is directly related to the original purpose and you would reasonably expect it;

• You have consented; or

• The use is required or authorised by law.

For health information, any secondary use must be directly related to the purpose for which it was collected.

If you choose not to provide requested information, we may be unable to provide you with a Skin Clinic consultation, compounded product, or online booking or order.

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6. Website, Online Bookings and Cookies

Our Website allows you to browse Skin Clinic services and products, make bookings, and place orders.

Online Bookings

Booking information you submit is used to schedule and prepare for your consultation and may be shared with the pharmacist or Skin Clinic staff member conducting it.

If our booking platform is provided by a third-party operator, your information will also be handled in accordance with that operator's own privacy policy, a link to which will be provided at the point of booking.

Cookies and Similar Technology

We use cookies to:

• Remember your preferences;

• Understand how visitors use the Website; and

• Improve our services.

You can disable cookies through your browser settings, though this may affect how well the Website functions.

Online Chat

If we offer online chat support, it may be provided by a third party using cookies to enable the service.

Information collected through chat may be used to:

• Provide support;

• Connect your query to your account or orders; and

• Improve our online services.

Anonymous Analytics

Where practicable, browsing information is collected and used on an anonymous or de-identified basis to help us understand how the Website is used.

Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect information transmitted through the Website. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

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7. Storage and Security

We take active steps to keep your personal and health information accurate, secure, and accessible only to those who need it.

Digital Records

Digital records, including consultation notes, progress photographs, and compounding records, are stored on servers located within Australia and protected by:

• Access controls

• Password protection

• Network firewalls

• Encryption

Physical Records

Physical records are kept in secure storage at the Pharmacy and are securely destroyed once no longer required, in line with our record-keeping obligations.

Progress Photographs

Progress photographs are stored securely and linked to your consultation record. Access is limited to staff directly involved in your Skin Clinic care.

Compounding Records

Compounding records, including formulation details for bespoke creams, are retained in accordance with applicable pharmacy, poisons and therapeutic goods record-keeping requirements.

Staff Obligations

All Pharmacy and Skin Clinic staff and any consultants are required to keep your personal and health information confidential. Access is limited on a need-to-know basis.

Retention

We retain personal and health information only for as long as necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, or as required by law.

Health records in Victoria, for example, are generally required to be retained for at least seven years from the last consultation, or longer for a minor.

Data Breaches

If we experience a data breach that is likely to result in serious harm to you, we will comply with our notification obligations under the Notifiable Data Breaches scheme in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

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8. Disclosure to Third Parties

We do not sell your personal or health information.

We may disclose it to:

Your Treating Doctor

Where you have consented to us liaising with them about prescribing based on our Skin Clinic's recommendations.

Other Blooms The Chemist Businesses

Where necessary to deliver a product or service you have requested, for example, transferring a script or order between locations.

Service Providers

Such as:

• Our online booking platform operator;

• Payment processors;

• IT and website hosting providers; and

• Compounding suppliers.

These providers are engaged to help us deliver our services and are required to keep your information confidential.

Government and Regulatory Authorities

Where required or authorised by law, for example, under pharmacy, poisons or therapeutic goods legislation, or in response to a lawful request.

Professional Advisers

Such as our lawyers or insurers, where reasonably necessary.

We will not disclose your Sensitive Information, including health information, to any other party unless permitted or required by law, or with your consent.

Wherever practicable, information used for internal reporting or analysis is de-identified so that it no longer identifies you.

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9. Sending Information Overseas

We store health and personal information on servers located in Australia.

We may disclose information to an overseas recipient only where:

• We reasonably believe the recipient is subject to privacy protections similar to the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth);

• You have consented to the transfer; or

• The transfer is otherwise necessary for the performance of a contract for your benefit, and we have taken reasonable steps to ensure the recipient will handle your information consistently with Australian privacy law.

Some of our service providers, such as cloud hosting or IT support providers, may store or access data from overseas as part of providing their services to us.

Where this occurs, we take reasonable steps to ensure appropriate contractual protections are in place.

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10. Access, Correction and Complaints

Access and Correction

You may request access to, or correction of, the personal or health information we hold about you, including your consultation notes and progress photographs, by contacting us using the details in Section 12.

We may ask you to verify your identity and to put your request in writing.

We will respond within a reasonable time and, for health information, no later than 45 days as required under Victorian law. We may charge a reasonable fee for providing access.

There are limited circumstances in which we may decline a request, in which case we will explain why.

Complaints

If you have a concern about how we have handled your personal or health information, please contact our Privacy Officer first, using the details in Section 12, so we can try to resolve it directly.

We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days and aim to resolve it promptly.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may also complain to:

• Health Complaints Commissioner (Victoria) — for complaints about the handling of your health information or the standard of a health service, at hcc.vic.gov.au; or

• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) — for complaints about personal information generally, at oaic.gov.au or enquiries@oaic.gov.au.

Because each Blooms The Chemist pharmacy is individually owned and operated, complaints about how your information was handled at another Blooms The Chemist location should be directed to that pharmacy directly.

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11. Legislative Compliance

This Policy is intended to operate consistently with the following legislation:

Law	Relevance to the Skin Clinic and Website
Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Australian Privacy Principles	Baseline national standard for handling personal information, including Sensitive Information
Health Records Act 2001 (Vic)	Additional Victorian standard specifically for health information held by private health service providers, including consultation notes and photographs
Health Complaints Act 2016 (Vic)	Establishes the Health Complaints Commissioner as the Victorian complaints body for health service concerns
Health Practitioner Regulation National Law	Governs registration and professional conduct standards for the pharmacist(s) providing Skin Clinic consultations
Poisons and therapeutic goods legislation (Cth and Vic)	Governs record-keeping, labelling and supply requirements for compounded and prescription products
Australian Consumer Law (Cth)	Requires representations about our services and products, including on the Website, to be accurate and not misleading

This table is a plain-English map and is not legal advice. We recommend solicitor review of the final Policy for the exact Essendon entity structure, particularly the compounding and doctor-liaison arrangements.

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12. Contact Us

For any questions, requests, or complaints about this Policy or how your personal or health information is handled at Blooms The Chemist Essendon or through our Website, please contact:

Privacy Officer
Blooms The Chemist Essendon
1049 Mt Alexander Rd
Essendon VIC 3040
Phone: (03) 9379 2158
Email: andrew.leslie@blooms.net.au

You can also contact the Blooms The Chemist national Privacy Officer at privacy@blooms.net.au for matters relating to the Blooms The Chemist trade mark or network generally.

Last Updated: 17 September 2026