Clinical Safety & Illness

Your health and safety are important to me, as is the wellbeing of the wider community.

• If I am unwell, treatments will not proceed and your appointment will be rescheduled or refunded
• If you are unwell, particularly with a contagious illness, please do not attend your appointment
• Illness-related cancellations are not subject to cancellation fees — just let me know as soon as possible

The clinic is maintained as a clean, calm and well-ventilated environment, and hand sanitiser is available. I ask that clients use common sense and consideration for others when attending.

Payment

Once a booking has been accepted, you are entering into an agreement to attend treatment under these Terms and Conditions.

• Payment is due in full either in advance or at the end of your session
• Payment options include online booking, online banking, or contactless payment (payWave) at the clinic

Cancellations, Late Changes & No-Shows

Standard Cancellation Policy

• Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice will incur the full treatment fee
• This fee is payable within 7 days or at your next appointment, whichever comes first

Illness-Related Cancellations

• If you are unwell or contagious, cancellation fees do not apply
• Please notify me as early as possible so the appointment can be offered to another client

Late Arrivals & No-Shows

• If you arrive late, I may not be able to extend the session beyond your booked time
• In some cases, it may not be possible to begin the appointment
• If no contact is received within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time, the appointment may be treated as a no-show, and the full fee will apply

Why This Matters

Bendy Buddha is a small, independent clinic. Late cancellations and no-shows directly affect my ability to offer care to others and keep the clinic running sustainably. Early notice genuinely helps and is always appreciated.

Medical Disclaimer

Treatments provided at Bendy Buddha aim to support your health and wellbeing but do not replace the care of a General Practitioner or other primary healthcare provider.

You are encouraged to inform your GP of any conditions for which you are seeking treatment so that shared care can occur where appropriate.

Consent for Acupuncture Treatment

I am a registered acupuncturist with the Chinese Medicine Council of New Zealand and an ACC treatment provider, and I practise in accordance with the Council’s professional standards.

You may stop treatment at any time.

Use of AI Medical Scribes

AI-assisted tools may be used to help summarise consultations and support accurate clinical notes. All notes are reviewed and approved by me.

• These tools comply with New Zealand privacy requirements
• Information is not shared or used outside your clinical record
• AI is not used to make clinical decisions
• If you would prefer this not to be used during your appointment, please let me know.

Protection of Your Personal Information

Personal and health information collected during your care is kept confidential, stored securely, and used only for treatment, administration, and legal obligations, in accordance with New Zealand privacy law.

Communications

You may occasionally receive appointment-related information or clinic updates. Your information is not shared with third parties, and you may opt out of non-essential communications at any time.

Changes to These Terms

These Terms and Conditions may be updated from time to time. The most current version will always be available on this website.