Data Privacy Notice

Privacy Policy

During our first session we will set out a working agreement between us which includes my commitment to protecting your personal data and confidentiality, as well as explaining to you when this confidentiality may be breached.

I will work in line with The General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and inform you of how I will store your personal details I collect from you. Your privacy is extremely important, and I want to reassure you that your personal details are kept safe and confidential.

The personal information I will obtain from you are set out below:

• Name (if under 18, I will also take name of parent or guardian)
• Date of birth
• Address
• Contact number (if under 18, I will take a parent or guardians contact number)
• Email address
• Next of Kin (for use in an emergency)
• GP details, for use with your permission
• Details of any medications 
• Details of any mental or physical health issues

Storage of Personal Details

The above details will be locked away and only accessed by my myself. I will make case notes of our sessions, and these will also be locked away (separately to your personal details) and only accessed by myself. I will use your initials only in the case notes.

Our appointments will be managed in a paper diary and I will refer to you by your first name only. This diary is kept separately from your personal details and case notes. 

I use a mobile phone for receipt of client calls and text messages, but I do not store your number in my contacts on my phone. Both my phone and laptop are password protective and my email account is separate to my personal account. 

Once our sessions have ended, I will destroy your personal details after one month and your case notes after 7 years. These will be shredded.

Sharing of Personal Details

I am required to have regular supervision by a qualified supervisor to ensure I am working professionally and ethically in my practice. When I discuss my clients with my supervisor, I will only use first names. Conversations between myself and my supervisor are completely confidential.

The only time I would break confidentiality is if I felt you were going to harm yourself or somebody else. I would try to discuss this with you first, but if an agreement cannot be reached, I would discuss the situation with my supervisor. I am obliged by law to inform the authorities if a threat of terrorism or drug trafficking has been disclosed to me.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding my privacy policy, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will be more than willing to discuss this with you.