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Privacy Notice
July 2021
Membership Bodies
I follow the Codes of Ethics of both the British Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy (BACP) and the British Psychological Society (BPS).
Client personal information: GDPR
Any client personal information is stored securely and confidentially. Electronic files are stored on a remote, encrypted and password-protected server. Paper files are stored in a locked cabinet, separately from my consulting office.
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Any information collected is used to enable effective communication during the therapeutic process, and processed in a safe and ethical manner in accordance with BACP and BPS ethical frameworks, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, 2018) and the UK Data Protection Act (2018). I only store personal information which is relevant to the therapeutic relationship and process.
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I am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO). You can read more about your rights here.
Data Held
As a counsellor, I hold the following personal information about clients:
Personal contact details
Name, telephone number, email address, home address, date of birth, emergency contact information
For the purpose of arranging sessions, invoicing, and in case of emergencies.
This information would only be shared in the case of a serious emergency.
My supervisor and professional executor will have access to clients' first names and contact numbers in case I am ever incapacitated or otherwise unable to attend sessions; this is the only time that they would contact clients working with me
Anonymised brief session notes
An aide memoire to therapeutic work and a record of attendance
This information is shared with no one without the client's explicit, written consent, or if I am issued with a court order (which is very rare).
Details will be kept for a maximum of seven years after I finish working with a client (in case we recommence work in this time, the notes are required in a court of law, or to support the ethics board if a complaint is raised). After this time, they will be securely destroyed.
Details of certain medical conditions (e.g. asthma, epilepsy)
Information that may need to be provided to emergency services
This information would only be shared with emergency services in serious circumstances (where failing to do so might put your life or wellbeing at risk). Details will be kept for a maximum of seven years after I finish working with a client (in case we recommence work in this time, the notes are required in a court of law, or to support the ethics board if a complaint is raised). After this time, they will be securely destroyed.