GDPR Statement.
Over the course of the counselling process, I will collect various pieces of personal information. The following statement details how and why that information will be collected, what I will do with it, and your rights regarding your data.
What information will I collect?
I collect various pieces of personal data, detailed below:
Contact information (your name, address, phone number and email address).
The name and contact details of your GP.
Information about your mental health history and any medications you are taking.
Details of the therapeutic work we undertake together. This includes brief notes about individual sessions, the dates and times of our sessions and the number of sessions undertaken.
How your data be collected?
In the case of a self referral (if you get in contact with me personally to arrange therapy), I will request this information directly from you or it will form part of the therapeutic work we do together. In cases where another organisation or therapist makes a referral to me, they may supply me with some of this data (they should have sought your permission to do this beforehand).
How will this data be stored?
The data detailed above is stored electronically in a hidden folder on a password protected account. A back-up is stored on the Microsoft One Drive, which is also password protected. Any emails containing personal data will be deleted after the data is saved, I use Google’s G Suite based email servers.
In order to add extra security, therapy session notes are kept separately from other data and are pseudonymised i.e. your name will not appear in the title or body of the document,
How long will the data be stored?
In keeping with best practice guidelines provided to me by the BACP and my insurance provider, data will be stored for 7 years from the date that the therapy ends (unless we have made other arrangements between us).
Why will this data be collected?
The various types of data are collected and stored for the reasons detailed below:
Your contact information: this data is collected for administrative purposes, so that I can contact you when necessary.
The name and contact details of your GP: this is collected so that I know who to contact in case of emergency.
Information about your mental health history and any medications you are taking: this data is collected for clinical reasons, so that I can effectively formulate a therapeutic treatment plan for the work we undertake together. It is also collected so that I can assess any risks that are relevant to our work.
Details of the therapeutic work we undertake together: this is collected both because I have a professional/legal requirement to do so and so that I am able to reflect on the work we have done and plan further sessions that are clinically effective.
Who will be able to see the data?
The data is only accessible by me except in some specific circumstances. These are (either situations where you, or someone else may be in danger, or when I am obligated to share the data by a court subpoena). These exceptions are detailed below:
Your contact information: this may be shared with emergency services if I have reason to believe that either you or someone else is in immediate danger, or if I have reason to believe that a crime such as drug trafficking or an act of terrorism is taking or has taken place (this is a legal obligation).
The name and contact details of your GP: this may be shared with emergency services if I believe you or someone else are in danger of serious harm.
Information about your mental health history and any medications you are taking: this may be shared with emergency services if I believe you or someone else are in danger of serious harm.
Details of the therapeutic work we undertake together: this information may be released to a court in the event of a subpoena.
Your rights regarding personal data.
You have several rights regarding the data I hold about you, I will detail these below and any exceptions that may apply.
You have the right to be informed about what types of data I collect, how it is used and stored. - This document outlines this,
You have the right to see the data that I hold about you and our work together. - If at any time you would like to see the data I hold about you, please ask in writing and I will supply it to you within 10 working days.
You have the right to correct inaccurate information. - This does not extend to the clinical session notes, which I am legally required to keep based on my clinical assessment at the time of writing.
You have the right to withdraw your consent for me to collect data on you. - This would likely also require us to terminate our therapeutic relationship, as I am legally required to record our work.
You have the right to request I delete your personal data. - However, I may have to decline all or part of such a request as I am legally required to keep certain records of my work.