PRIVACY NOTICE MAY 2018
This policy informs you how I collect personal information. Personal information is held strictly in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). I may at times modify, alter and update this Privacy Policy and will notify you of any changes to this Privacy policy by posting the amended version on my website. It is your responsibility to check this page from time to time to ensure you are happy with any changes. I take your privacy and confidentiality very seriously. I am committed to protecting your privacy and this policy sets out how I use and protect any information you provide when using this website. By visiting www.citypsyche.co.uk, you accept and consent to the terms described in this policy.
Any personal data provided by you to me through any means (verbal, written, in electronic form, or by your use of my website) will be held and processed in accordance with the data protection principles set out in the General Data Protection Regulation for the purposes for which you have given consent. When you request psychotherapy/counselling/relationship and/or psychosexual therapy with me, or otherwise provide your personal details to me, you will be asked to consent to my processing of your data under the terms of this policy.
When you contact me via this website to request information about counselling/psychotherapy/relationship and/or psychosexual therapy services, you will be asked to provide me with your name, telephone number and email address. In our subsequent correspondence, I may also request information on your availability and other details that I deem relevant to processing your request.
At our initial appointment I ask about your current personal, social and medical circumstances. I may also ask about your background and family history, as well as the issues which are affecting you now. I require this information so that I can decide about whether I am the right fit for you as a therapist and to manage the service I provide to you.
I use information held about you in the following ways:
- to provide you with the professional therapy service requested from me
- to offer suitable therapy appointments
- for internal record keeping
- to notify you about changes to your appointments and other changes to my services.
I will not share any information about you with any other organisation or people, except in the following circumtances:
- Consent – I may share your information with your GP, at your specific request
- Serious harm – Where I believe this may prevent serious harm being caused to yourself or others
- Compliance with law – Where I am required to by law
All information you provide to me is stored as securely as possible.
Electronic client notes and other documentation are destroyed 6 years after the end of counselling.
You have the right to ask me to provide a copy of the information held by me in my records. You also have the right to require me to correct any inaccuracies in your information.
You may withdraw your consent for me to hold and process your data at any time. However, if you do this while actively receiving therapy services with me, your counselling/therapy would have to end.
I only collect the personal data required to provide you with counselling/psychotherapy/relationship & psychosexual therapy.
The EU's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) legislation means you need to confirm consent for me to securely hold your contact details and send you texts/emails. I’d like to be able to carry on doing so specifically in relation to our meetings and appointments.
Confidentiality Statement & Exceptions
As agreed in our first meeting, all content of our sessions is confidential. The only exception to this may be if there is risk to yourself or others
Data Retention
Brief notes of sessions are kept in hard copy only, in a secure environment. My professional organisation recommends these notes are retained for six years. They are not shared with anyone unless requested by you, or for legal reasons.