It is necessary for me to retain and process some personal data about my clients in order to provide them with the best service possible. The purpose of this policy is to outline the information I keep, and how and why I keep it. It is important you read this information thoroughly prior to giving consent.

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General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

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The GDPR came into force on 25th May 2018, it acts by providing a legal framework for keeping personal data safe. It ensures that companies have clear and thorough ways of handling and storing personal data. Personal data is any information that makes a person identifiable. I follow the GDPR when storing your personal data, to ensure it is kept safe.

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Personal Data Collected

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• Name

• Date of birth

• Phone number

• Email address

• Home address

• GP details

• Medical history & medication details

• Counselling history

• Session records/notes​

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What your Data is Used for

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I require your full name and date of birth as identifiers, they will be used if I need to contact your GP. Your phone number, email address and home address will be used for any contact I need to make with you, using your preferred method of contact. I will also use your home address if you become unwell during a session, to ensure your safe return home. Furthermore, I may use your address if I should need to recover any outstanding unpaid fees.

 

If I have concerns for your mental health I may need to speak to your GP or mental health specialist - I will inform you of this.

 

I require information such as medical history, medication details and counselling history to carry out an initial assessment, to learn about you and your counselling needs. This information allows me to consider any elements such as medical history, which may affect our work together. The more relevant information I have, the better equipped we’ll be for our work together, ensuring the best care for you.

 

I will make brief, factual notes at the end of each session to monitor and reflect upon client work. By making client notes I can ensure that our work together remains current and allows us to revisit and reflect upon previous sessions when needed. All notes will be thoroughly anonymised.

 

How is your Data Stored
 

Electronic Information:

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I will store your name, contact number and email address on my laptop and my smart phone whilst we are working together. Once we finish our work together I will delete this information from both of my devices, unless there are outstanding fees owed, in which case I will use your details to contact you.

I have a separate email address used specifically for counselling, which I will contact you from. I also have a separate phone which I use for my counselling work. Both my laptop and phone are password protected, with only me having access to them.

 

I will only keep emails and texts for as long as necessary. When they are no longer relevant they will be deleted from my devices.

 

Paper Records:

 

• Client contact details & assessment form

• Client appointment form

• Client contract

• Session records/notes

• End of Counselling Summary

• Log of client hours

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I will keep paper copies of your contact details, assessment, appointment form and contract, in your own individual client file. I will keep your session notes, log of client hours and end of counselling summary in a separate file. All of these documents are kept in a locked secure place, which only I have access to.

 

Once an initial assessment has been carried out and you have decided to commence working with me as your counsellor, I will send you an appointment form for your first appointment. This form will include a unique client reference number, which I will use to identify you within my session notes, log of client hours and in the ending summary.

 

All paper records will be destroyed 7 years after we have completed our work together.

 

When I May Share your Data

 

• Some personal information may be shared during my supervision sessions. I have monthly supervision with a qualified, professional supervisor, to ensure I am working ethically and providing the best service for my clients. Any information I share within supervision will be anonymised.

• If you consent to confidence being broken i.e. if you ask for a letter or a report.

• If I receive a subpoena from a court of law.

• If I have concerns about your mental health I may need to speak to your GP or mental health worker.

• If I am legally obliged to share information e.g. if you disclose information that you or someone else are at risk of serious injury or death, or if a child or vulnerable adult is at risk of neglect or abuse.

• If you share information relating to terrorism or to crimes involving laundering money through drug trafficking.

• Continuing professional development - there may be occasions when I use details of our work together to aid my professional development, however any information shared will be anonymised and only used within a confidential training environment.

 

I will always aim to discuss with you any instances where I need to share your data, prior to doing so, unless the situation requires an immediate response or I am required by law not to inform you. I will never share your data for any reason other than those stated above.

 

My Policy

 

• I will only keep your data with your consent.

• I will only use your data for the agreed upon reasons that you gave it to me.

• I will not share your data with anyone else without your consent (unless there is a lawful obligation to do so).

• I will keep your data safe and will destroy it when it is no longer needed.

• I will keep the data up to date and accurate - please inform me of any information that changes during our time working together.

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Your Rights

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You have:

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• The right to be informed.

• The right of access - you can request a copy of the personal data which I keep for you.

• The right of rectification - you have the right to request that I amend any personal data which I keep for you, which is factually incorrect, misleading or incomplete.

• The right of erasure - you have the right to request that I erase your personal data at any time. However, this can be declined whilst the data is required by me to work competently and lawfully.

• The right to restrict processing - you have the right to request that I do not process your data for a limited period of time.

• The right to data portability - under certain circumstances, you have the right to request that I transfer your data to another individual or organisation.

• The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).

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Complaints

 

If you have any concerns, questions, or complaints about how I collect, use, store, or process your personal information, you are encouraged to contact me directly in the first instance. I take privacy concerns seriously and will endeavour to respond promptly and resolve any issues wherever possible.

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You can contact me by email at: aislingevershedcounselling@gmail.com

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You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent authority for data protection and privacy matters, if you believe that your personal data has been handled unlawfully or that your data protection rights have been infringed.

Further information about making a complaint to the ICO can be found on their website, or you can contact them directly using the details available there.