CeG Counselling and Psychotherapy

Privacy Satement

This page provides you with details about how your personal data are used and explains how your data are used from your initial contact and until your therapy has ended. I adhere to current data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/2016/679) (the GDPR), the UK GDPR 2021, the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003. Please note that any information provided ‘in confidence’ will not be disclosed to anyone else without your permission, except in the few situations where disclosure is required by law, or where I have good reason to believe that failing to share the information would put you or someone else at risk.

Initial Enquiry

When you contact me to book your first appointment/consultation/request information about the counselling support offered, I will collect some information to help me to process your enquiry. This will include your name so that I can book sessions into my diary and also a contact method, for example an email address and/or phone number to inform you of any changes/information relevant to your appointment/enquiry. If contact is made and you decide not to proceed with further sessions, I will ensure the personal data collected is deleted within one month. If you would like me to delete this information sooner please let me know.

How are my personal data processed?

Under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018 and UK GDPR 2021, every effort will be made to keep your personal data accurate and up to date; to store and destroy them securely; not collect or retain excessive amounts of data; protect personal data from loss, misuse, unauthorised access and disclosure and ensure that appropriate technical measures are in place to protect personal data. Every effort will be made to keep your information for no longer than is necessary although in some instances the law sets the length of time information has to be kept. This information may include your contact details, home address, services you use, the reasons you use them, any questionnaires you complete, evaluation, results, attendance information GP details and emergency contact details. Your personal data is used for the following purposes:

1. For the service you requested and to fulfil my contractual obligations
2. To allow communication and provide services and benefits appropriate to your needs
3. To ensure any legal obligations are met
4. Where necessary for the law enforcement functions
5. To prevent and detect fraud or crime
6. Where necessary to protect individuals from harm or injury

Lawful Basis

The lawful basis on which I process your data is a combination of contract and legitimate interest. Before commencing therapy data collected as part of your initial enquiry is processed on the bases of legitimate interest. During therapy, the bases are for the performance of a contract between us and any special category data under GDPR regulations are processed on the bases they are necessary for performance of a contract with a health professional for the provision of health treatment (that is the contract between us). Once your therapy has ceased I will retain your personal data on the lawful basis of legitimate interest before they are securely destroyed/deleted as described below.

How are my data protected?

Your personal data will be kept securely until the date they are no longer retained. Protecting your data means that counselling notes will be securely and separately stored from copies of the counselling agreements. In addition, all counselling client notes will be anonymised using a coding system to further protect the data from being used to identify you as an individual. Any electronic data are password protected.

How are my data shared?

Your personal data are treated as strictly confidential, and will be shared only with other healthcare professionals social and welfare organisations in circumstances where this is necessary in order to protect you or others from harm or injury or where this is required to meet legal obligations. If your sessions are being funded by a third party, details of your attendance at booked sessions and test/measure scores can also be shared with the organisation/company funding your therapy sessions. A limited amount of personal data may be shared with third parties in order to fulfil legal obligations in respect of tax and accounting purposes. If you make a payment by BACs, Cheque or electronic means, bank statements may also contain personal data and this will then appear in business accounting records.

How long are my personal data kept?

Your personal data are kept for no longer than reasonably necessary and for a maximum time of seven years after the date of your last counselling session/contact (unless retention is required for a longer period by law) after which they will be securely destroyed/deleted.

What are my rights?

Unless subject to an exemption under the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018, UK GDPR 2021 you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:

1. The right to request a copy of your personal data held about you;
2. The right to request that any personal data held are corrected if found to be inaccurate or out of date
3. The right to request your personal data are erased/destroyed where it is no longer necessary for them to be kept
4. The right to withdraw your consent to the processing at any time
5. The right to request the data controller provide you with your personal data and where possible, to transmit that data directly to another data controller known as the right to data portability
6. The right, where there is a dispute in relation to the accuracy or processing of your personal data, to request that a restriction is placed on further processing
7. The right to object to the processing of personal data
8. The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioners Office

To exercise any of the above rights contact the data controller at: Office 9, 72a Newark Road, Lincoln LN5 8PY. Further information can be found from Information Commissioner's Office website at ICO.org.uk.

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