General Data Protection (GDPR) Privacy notice for Recentre Therapy
 

In order to provide an appropriate service to you as my client I need to keep basic personal details and notes related to your therapy sessions. This privacy notice lets you know how I will store these details and for how long. It will give you the reassurance that your information is held in confidentiality and that your right to privacy is taken seriously.

I adhere to current data protection legislation, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/2016/679) (the GDPR), and am registered with The Information Commissioners Office (ICO - ico.org.uk/). I also adhere to the ethical guidelines regarding protecting client privacy and confidentiality set by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions.

How will I use your personal information
 

When you make the decision to begin therapy I will ask you to complete a form which includes your contact details, emergency contact and the details of your GP. Your sessions are confidential, and I will not routinely contact your GP to inform them that you are attending therapy sessions.
I will only use your information to administer your therapy sessions. This may include confirming session times, cancellations, breaks etc. via your preferred method, I will only keep your personal details on record for as long as necessary and for a minimum of six years. Records will be kept in an anonymised form, not mentioning names of you or others, referring to initials only.

Confidentiality
 

The therapeutic relationship places the confidentiality of the relationship between client and therapist as paramount.
As outlined in The BACP ethical guidelines, there are occasions when confidentiality may not be absolute such as:

• When there is a risk of harm to self or others

• When a court order is issued requiring information to be supplied to a judge

• When there is a disclosure of harm to a child or vulnerable adult

Normally, such circumstances would be discussed with you beforehand, though there are instances where this may not be possible.

How I will store the records
 

I will keep brief anonymised notes of your sessions to help our work together. The notes I keep will be stored on a password protected computer using secure cloud storage. Any written notes will be kept in a locked filing cabinet. 

There is a clear principle under data protection law that records should be kept no longer than necessary. However, there is also a need to keep records to help if you return for further therapy, or if you have an issue with the process at a later date; the latter is a legal requirement. Any dissatisfaction with therapy should be directed to How to complain about a BACP member Professional conduct procedure. Records will be kept for a period of 7 years in case of complaint, but personal details will be destroyed when therapy ends. Contact details such as phone numbers and email addresses will be removed from my phone and any other devices after one year of no sessions.

Third party recipients of personal data
 

I do not share personal details with anyone without specifically asking your permission: for example, contacting your GP or emergency contact. 

For accounting purposes, my accountant may view invoices which contain initials only.
If your sessions are paid for by a third party e.g. your employer, only invoicing information will be shared which includes dates of sessions. Details of your sessions remain confidential and will only be shared with your written consent.

Complaints
 

If you have a query or complaint about how I handle your personal data please do not hesitate to get in touch by email at yolandafrost@hotmail.com. If you want to make a formal complaint about the way I have processed your personal information you can contact the ICO which is the statutory body that oversees data protection law in the UK. For more information go to ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.
 

Changes to privacy notice
 

This privacy notice may be updated from time to time, so please check occasionally for any updates.