Privacy Statement and Data Protection
Thrive Winchester Counselling & Psychotherapy is a confidential service where client data is treated with stringent confidentiality and care and in accordance with the Data Protection Act (2018) (the UK's implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
I am registered with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office), which means I need to inform you of what data I collect from you and what I intend to do with it.
I am a member of The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and adhere to the BACP ethical framework for good practice.
Personal information
- Relevant and necessary information is collected and held for the purposes of contacting you.
- Specific personal information held will be name, address, telephone number, email address. I will check whether messages can be left on your phone and act accordingly. I will usually contact you via established methods but if I cannot reach you I may try alternative ones you have provided
- GP’s details and date of birth – in case of medical health / emergency and if I was worried that you were at risk I may need to contact your GP; if I could, I would tell you I was going to do this
- If applicable: occupation, children, details of psychiatrists or other mental health / relevant medical professionals involved, current medication, previous therapy and various risk factors such as addictions and self-harm in order to assess.
What information is stored and how
Electronically (stored in password protected documents on a password protected computer)
Signed
- Client agreement and contract
- GDPR policy
- Separate client code document with corresponding name, allowing for anonymity.
- Anonymous, brief factual session notes, intake profile and CORE forms (if completed), identifiable by client code only. Information which would make you easy to identify (e.g. locations, full names) is not recorded.
Business Smartphone:
- Client phone numbers, text messages and phonecalls are stored with their corresponding client code in a password protected phone used only for and by Thrive Winchester Counselling & Psychotherapy. Clients names are not used.
Email:
- Client email address and email correspondence are stored within a password protected email account.
Social media:
- Any communications you have sent me via social media platforms I operate on (Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn) will be deleted after we have established communications via email or telephone channels mentioned above.
You have a right to see, have amended or destroyed any data I may keep about you at any point and up to one year after we complete our work together. I will respond to any such request within 14 days.
All data will be held for 5 years after we have complete our work together, in accordance with requirements of my insurance provider, Holistic Insurance Services, whereupon it will be destroyed confidentially.
Will I share your data and if I do who will I share it with and for what purpose?
Supervision
- All counsellors adhering to the BACP ethical framework are required to attend regular supervision with another therapist who is qualified for this role and who is required to adhere to the same procedures regarding confidentiality. This process is to ensure therapists’ ethical standards are in line with best practice for the well-being and safety of clients. Information shared will be client first name and relevant information from session notes.
Medical practitioners / emergency services
- If it is believed you are in immediate danger to yourself or others, your contact information may be shared with the relevant emergency services.
- If anyone you tell me about is at risk of harm I may have to pass this information on to your GP or the police.
- In certain cases such as suspected terrorism or money laundering, personal information may be shared without consent.
Court requests
- I may have to share your notes if they are subpoenaed by court
It is very unlikely I will share your data beyond the avenues mentioned above. I will not sell it on or use it for unethical reasons.
I have also appointed a Clinical Executor. In the unfortunate event I become unable to work with you they will have access to your name and contact details so they can get in touch with you.
Your Rights
You have the following rights:
- Information on how your data is held (i.e. this document).
- Request at any time sight of all data held about you (free of charge for the initial request).
- To rectify any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- To withdraw consent to me using your personal information.
- To request your data is removed or destroyed, although this may mean you are unable to access therapeutic services and I can decline whilst the information is needed for my competent practice. Your full name, dates of sessions and session notes will however have to be retained for 5 years after we complete our work together.
If you are not happy with the way I use your data you can complain to ICO at www.ico.org.uk
or phone them on 0303 123 1113.