Website Terms and Conditions
These Website Terms and Conditions apply to your use of the website operated by Hamish Shilton ("I", "me", "my" or "the website operator").
By accessing or using this website, you agree to be bound by these Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with these terms, you should not use the website.
1. Purpose of this Website
This website provides general information about my medical practice and the surgical services I provide, including information about upper gastrointestinal surgery, bariatric surgery and related conditions and procedures.
The website also provides general educational resources, including patient information sheets and downloadable documents.
The information on this website is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment for any particular person.
Medical conditions, treatment options, risks, benefits and outcomes vary between individuals. The information provided on this website cannot take account of your individual medical history, examination findings, investigations, medications, circumstances or preferences.
You should obtain individual medical advice from an appropriately qualified medical practitioner before making decisions about your health or treatment.
2. No Doctor–Patient Relationship
Your use of this website, including reading information, downloading resources or submitting an enquiry through the website, does not by itself establish a doctor–patient relationship between you and me.
A doctor–patient relationship is established only through an appropriate clinical consultation and acceptance of you as a patient of my practice.
Information obtained from this website should not be relied upon as a substitute for a consultation with your treating medical practitioner.
3. Medical Emergencies
This website and its enquiry form are not an emergency or urgent medical service.
You should not use the website, its contact form or email to seek urgent medical advice.
If you believe that you or another person requires urgent medical attention, you should contact an appropriate emergency medical service or attend an emergency department.
4. Accuracy and Currency of Information
I endeavour to ensure that the information published on this website is accurate and reasonably current. However, medical knowledge, clinical practice, treatment recommendations, fees and other information may change over time.
I do not warrant that all information on the website is complete, accurate, current or suitable for your particular circumstances.
Information about medical procedures, including information about risks, complications, recovery, benefits and expected outcomes, is provided in general terms. It should not be interpreted as a prediction or guarantee of the outcome that any particular patient will experience.
Where information is provided in a downloadable patient information document, that document should be considered in conjunction with advice provided by your treating medical practitioner.
5. Information Submitted Through the Website
The website contains a contact and enquiry form operated through Squarespace.
The website enquiry form is intended for general enquiries and administrative communication. You should not use the website form to provide detailed medical histories, medical records, photographs, investigation results, or other sensitive or confidential health information.
Information submitted through the website form is transmitted to and processed using Squarespace and may be stored or otherwise processed by Squarespace and its service providers in accordance with their applicable privacy policies and data handling arrangements. Accordingly, information submitted through the website form should not be assumed to be subject to the same privacy and confidentiality arrangements as information provided directly to the medical practice.
The website form is therefore not the preferred method for providing personal, sensitive or clinical information to the practice.
If you need to provide personal, sensitive or clinical information, please contact the practice directly at admin@shilton.net.au. Information sent directly to the practice email is managed in accordance with the practice's Privacy Policy and the privacy and confidentiality obligations applicable to the medical practice.
Please refer to the Privacy Policy for further information about how personal information provided directly to the practice is collected, used, stored and managed.
6. Patient Resources and Downloadable Information
The patient information sheets and other resources available on this website are provided to assist patients and members of the public to understand medical conditions, procedures and treatment pathways.
These resources are not intended to replace an individual consultation or personalised medical advice.
You may download, print and use patient information resources for your own personal and non-commercial purposes.
The content of these resources should not be altered, reproduced for commercial purposes or represented as being prepared or endorsed by another person or organisation without my prior written permission.
7. Information About Procedures, Risks and Outcomes
Information provided about surgical procedures, including bariatric surgery, upper gastrointestinal surgery and other procedures, is intended to provide a general overview of the procedure and may include information about:
potential benefits;
risks and complications;
recovery;
alternative treatment options;
expected outcomes; and
longer-term considerations.
The risks and outcomes described on this website are general in nature. Individual risks and outcomes may be higher or lower depending on a patient's health, anatomy, previous surgery, medications, medical conditions and other circumstances.
No information on this website constitutes a guarantee that a particular procedure will be appropriate for you or that a particular outcome will be achieved.
The final decision regarding the suitability of a procedure should be made following an appropriate clinical assessment and discussion with your treating surgeon and other relevant medical practitioners.
8. Fees and Pricing Information
Where specific surgeon fees are published on this website, the stated fee relates to the surgeon's professional fee only, unless expressly stated otherwise.
Some fees published on the website may be indicative rather than fixed. Indicative fees are provided to assist with general financial planning and should not be regarded as a formal quotation.
Fees may vary where a patient requires a combination of procedures, additional treatment, a different surgical approach or other services that cannot reasonably be determined before individual assessment.
In all cases, patients should obtain formal written quotations or estimates from the relevant providers before proceeding with treatment, including, where applicable:
the surgeon;
the anaesthetist;
the hospital or facility; and
the patient's private health insurer or health fund.
The total amount payable may therefore differ from information published on this website.
Medical fees and other treatment costs may also change during the course of treatment where recovery is prolonged, complications occur, additional procedures or investigations are required, or other circumstances affect the treatment required or the duration or complexity of treatment.
The publication of a fee on this website does not constitute a binding quotation or an agreement to provide treatment at that fee.
9. External Websites and Third-Party Information
This website may contain links to, or information derived from, external websites and third-party organisations, including hospitals, professional organisations, government bodies and other health information resources.
These links are provided for convenience and additional information. I do not control or necessarily endorse the content, accuracy, privacy practices or availability of external websites.
You should review the terms and privacy policies applicable to any external website that you visit.
10. Website Analytics, Cookies and Third-Party Services
This website is hosted and operated using third-party services, including Squarespace, and may use analytics, cookies or other technologies to understand website usage, improve website performance and maintain the website.
The operation of these services may involve the collection or processing of technical or usage information by third-party providers.
Further information about the handling of personal information is provided in my Privacy Policy.
11. Intellectual Property
Unless otherwise stated, the content of this website, including text, written materials, patient information resources, photographs, graphics, logos and other material, is owned by me or is used with appropriate permission.
You may access, download, print and use material from this website for personal, non-commercial and informational purposes.
You must not reproduce, modify, distribute, publish, commercially exploit or otherwise use substantial portions of the website or its content without my prior written permission, except where permitted by law.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions limits any rights you may have under applicable Australian copyright or other laws.
12. Appropriate Use of the Website
You must use this website only for lawful purposes.
You must not:
knowingly introduce malicious software or other harmful material;
attempt to gain unauthorised access to the website or its systems;
interfere with the operation or security of the website;
use the website to transmit unlawful, misleading or harmful material; or
use information obtained from the website for unlawful or commercial purposes without permission.
I reserve the right to restrict or terminate access to the website where reasonably necessary to protect the website, its users or my practice.
13. Website Availability
I endeavour to keep the website available and functioning properly but do not guarantee that it will always be available, uninterrupted, secure or free from errors.
The website may occasionally be unavailable because of maintenance, technical problems, updates or circumstances outside my reasonable control.
14. Limitation of Liability
To the extent permitted by law, I exclude liability for loss or damage arising from your use of, or reliance upon, information contained on this website.
This includes, without limitation, loss or damage arising from:
reliance on general medical information instead of obtaining individual medical advice;
inaccuracies or omissions in website content;
temporary or permanent unavailability of the website;
technical problems affecting the website;
information transmitted through third-party website platforms; or
content or services provided by external websites.
However, nothing in these Terms and Conditions is intended to exclude, restrict or modify any right, guarantee, warranty or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified under applicable law, including the Australian Consumer Law.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions limits any liability that cannot legally be limited.
15. Changes to the Website and These Terms
I may update, modify or remove website content from time to time, including information about procedures, resources, fees and services.
I may also amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time. The updated version will take effect when published on this website.
You should review the Terms and Conditions periodically if you continue to use the website.
16. Governing Law
These Terms and Conditions are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia.
Any dispute arising in connection with the use of this website or these Terms and Conditions will be subject to the applicable laws and courts of Victoria, Australia, subject to any mandatory rights or protections available to you under Australian law.
17. Contact
If you have questions about these Terms and Conditions or the website, you may contact my practice through the contact details provided on this website.
For personal, sensitive or clinical information, please use the practice email address: admin@shilton.net.au
Important: This website provides general medical information only. It does not replace individual medical advice. If you are considering surgery or other treatment, you should discuss your individual circumstances with an appropriately qualified medical practitioner.