Providing online Counselling, Supervision and Training Services.
Founder of the Gloucestershire Bereavement Forum.
PRIVACY POLICY
This policy states how I store and use your personal information to comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) introduced in May 2018. The 1998 Act and GDPR applies to anyone processing personal data. It sets out principles, which should be followed, and it also gives rights to those whose data is being processed.
WHAT INFORMATION DO I HOLD?
I keep an electronic record of your contact details - name, address, email, phone number, GP details and an emergency contact. I keep electronic records of our working agreement and privacy policy. I keep a handwritten record of our counselling session discussions and the dates and times of our appointments. I keep email correspondence between us. I keep electronic and paper bank statements.
HOW DO I USE THIS INFORMATION?
I use this information to provide you with the services that you have agreed too. I use your contact information to make or change appointments. I make records of our counselling session discussions to aid me in our work and as part of my agreement with my insurance company and professional body. I also use the information to run and maintain my business i.e. for tax purposes, proof of working hours etc.
HOW DO I STORE THIS INFORMATION, HOW DO I PROTECT IT AND HOW LONG DO I KEEP IT?
I hold electronic records of your contact details and any documentation that we exchange that is relevant to our counselling work together. These records are destroyed 7 years after our work together ends. I keep your phone number in my phone. I do not use your full name. This will be deleted from my phone when our counselling work ends. Email communication between us will be deleted 7 years after our work together ends. My phone and computer are password protected. Written records of our counselling session discussions are kept securely in a locked filing cabinet. These records are destroyed 7 years after our work together ends. Dates and times our appointments are recorded in a paper diary. I do not use your full name. These will be destroyed every 7 years.
Electronic bank statements are password protected. Paper bank statements are kept in a locked filing cabinet and will be destroyed in line with HMRC guidelines.
WHAT ABOUT CONFIDENTIALITY?
Services are confidential however there are some exceptions where confidentiality may be broken:
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• if you advise me or I suspect that you have harmed or intend to harm another person.
• if you advise me or I suspect that you intend to seriously harm yourself.
• if you advise me of something, or I suspect something, that leads us to believe that a child is being harmed or is at serious risk of being harmed.
• if you advise me or I suspect that you have committed a serious crime, or you intend on committing a serious crime.
• if you disclose anything or I suspect anything that I am legally bound to disclose under the Drug Trafficking Act or Terrorism Act. For example, if you intend to commit an act of terrorism, are dealing drugs or if you are laundering money.
• if I am ordered by a court to disclose information about you.
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In all these circumstances I will endeavour to discuss anything disclosed, with you, before any action is taken.
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In order for me to provide the best counselling and supervision services I meet regularly with a supervisor where I will discuss our work together.
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If I am providing you with services on behalf of a third party I may be required to share information with them. I will provide you with details of the information to be shared with them before the service starts.
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I can confirm I do not record any services I provide however should this change no recordings will be undertaken without your explicit consent. I ask you to not record any services you receive without my explicit consent.
Your information will only be shared with a third party for the reasons listed above for legal/insurance/professional body or business purposes.
Your information will never be used or shared for marketing purposes.
WHAT ABOUT ACCESS TO YOUR RECORDS?
You have the right to ask to see any information that I hold about you. You also have the right to ask me to change any information that you believe is incorrect, and to ask me to delete any information that I hold about you. I will do this except for any information that I need to hold for legal/insurance/professional body or business purposes. Please send any requests in writing to my email address.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW I HOLD YOUR DATA?
Please discuss any concerns with me in the first instance. I can confirm that I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). If you feel that I have not addressed these concerns you can contact the ICO at https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/ I am required to report any breaches of data to the Independent Commissioner, and to you, within 72 hours, if it becomes apparent that any data has been lost or stolen.