The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is concerned with the personal information about you that I collect, store and share. This page details my GDPR policy. I have the following information to share with you as a client or potential client.
The personal information I collect from my website contact form:
- Your name
- Your email address
- Your phone number
- The reason for your enquiry
The personal information I might collect from telephone conversations and during face to face meetings:
- Your name.
- Your email address
- Your phone number
- Your home address.
- The nature of your enquiry.
- Your gender and sexual orientation.
- Information about your family and relationships (past and present).
- Information concerning your occupation, education and life experiences.
- Information concerning your previous mental health history, including treatments and diagnosis.
- Your GP’s name and contact details.
- Any medical conditions that you tell me about and any medications you are on or have been on previously.
- Session Summaries.
How your information will be stored:
- Paper: Written session notes will be securely filed in a locked filing cabinet. I will also keep a paper copy of your signed contract, (including GDPR consent), and referral form.
- Laptop: Your contract that you sign electronically will be kept on a secured personal laptop. The device will require passwords to access the laptop and a separate password to access your individual information. The electronic device will be checked regularly for viruses and I will take every reasonable precaution to protect your personal information.
- Mobile Phone: I will store your contact telephone number for the duration of your therapy sessions along with any text messages or WhatsApp messages which we may exchange.
- Email: Your email address and email correspondence will be stored securely in my email account.
- Website: None of your personal information is stored on my website, other than to momentarily collect & send it to our email accounts for the purposes of initial contact.
Will I share your data and if I do who will I share it with and for what purpose?
- It is very unlikely I will share your data and will not use it for unethical reasons.
- I may have to share it if my notes are subpoenaed by court, if you or anyone you tell me about is at harm or risk of harm I may have to pass this information on to your GP or the police.
- You have a right to request to see, have amended or have destroyed any data I may keep about you. I will respond to any such request made within 14 days.
- The notes I keep are brief and are written in a way that no one would be able to tell who they are about unless I was asked.
How will I store your data?
- The data I keep is mainly written and kept in a locked filing cabinet. Your phone number will be kept in my business mobile phone which is passcode protected.
How long will I store your data for and how will I dispose of it?
- I will keep your session notes for 5 years which is the time frame my insurance company requests. I will shred your referral and contract form which holds your personal information 1 month after our therapeutic work finishes.
- I will delete your phone number out of my mobile phone 1 month after our work finishes.
- All emails received from you will be deleted as soon as they are no longer needed and at least within 1 month of us finishing working together.
Consent
- If you do not consent to me using your data in this way it is unlikely that I will be able to work with you.
Your rights:
- To be informed about what information I hold (this policy tells you).
- To see the information I hold about you.
- To amend any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- To withdraw consent from me using your personal information.
To request that some or all of your personal information be erased. Please note that I can decline this request if I need to hold the information to practice lawfully and competently.
Please let me know at you earliest convenience if you have any questions or issues with this policy.