Privacy Policy
To safely and appropriately provide you with therapy, I need to collect personal data from you, and I require your written consent to do so.
Therapy is a confidential process, and I do not disclose your personal data or the content of your sessions to a third party without your express permission. The only exceptions to this rule would be if you were threatening your own life or the life of another, there was a safeguarding issue, or you were involved in a crime that falls outside the boundaries of counselling confidentiality. In these cases, I may decide to contact emergency services or relevant authorities without your permission.
This privacy policy outlines the information I collect, how I use it, where I store it, how long I retain it, and the procedures I have in place to safeguard your privacy.
What Information Do I Collect?
When you contact my service via email, I collect the following information: •Name •Email address •Phone number •Reason for your enquiry When you contact my service via phone and choose to proceed from a phone or online inquiry, I collect the following information: •Name •Address •Email address •Phone number •Date of birth •GP name and address •Emergency contact •Reason for your enquiry
During your therapy, I will keep brief notes of each session and any homework tasks that may have been agreed upon.
How Do I Use This Information?
I collect this information for the following reasons: •To accurately identify you and safely and confidentially process your referral through my service. •To identify all the factors that may be contributing to the problem you are seeking help with. •To monitor and measure the effectiveness of my service.
Where Do I Keep This Information?
Your information is securely stored on my password-protected computer and in password-protected files and folders. My computer is located in a locked room with restricted access. Additionally, I will securely retain your mobile number on my password-protected mobile phone.
How Long Do I Keep Your Data?
I destroy computer records of your enquiry upon the completion of your therapy. I store your client notes on my computer for a minimum of 5 years, following guidance from my insurers, after which point they are permanently deleted. Your records in my service are not classified as medical records or public records.
How Do I Safeguard Your Privacy?
Other than your enquiry and registration information, all other documentation is identified by your initials only. The only individuals who have access to your data are: •Myself •The Executor of my Clinical Will You will not be personally identified in any reports that monitor and measure the effectiveness of my service.
Supervision
I undergo regular supervision to ensure that I am providing the best standards of care for you. You are identified in supervision by your first name or initials only. Supervisors may keep records of the guidance they have offered to me, which would not be directly identifiable to you and would be stored in line with their individual Privacy Policies. Supervisors do not have access to your client file. At any point, should I become incapacitated or die, the executor of my clinical will (who is also a psychotherapy professional) will have access to my files and will contact you in order to share any relevant information and offer you support.
Subject Access Request
If you wish to access your data or have it deleted before 5 years have passed, you may submit your request in writing. Each application will be considered on an individual basis, and any decision to provide access to or delete your personal data will be reached only after consultation with my insurers and professional bodies.
Data Breaches
I make every effort to protect your data. However, in the event of a personal data breach, the following actions will be taken: •All breaches will be reported within 72 hours to the data protection officer when deemed necessary. •If the breach is likely to result in a high risk of adversely affecting individuals' rights and freedoms, I will inform those individuals without undue delay. •A record of any personal data breaches will be maintained.