Privacy and Data Protection Policy
Overview
I am committed to safeguarding your data and protecting your privacy. I am a data controller, registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. My reference is ZB870899. I am responsible for ensuring that your personal data is processed lawfully, fairly and transparently, as required by the Data Protection Act 1998.
This privacy policy will help you understand how I use and protect the data you provide to me when you come for counselling and when you use my website.
Processing your Data – Legal Bases
I will need to process information about you during the course of our work. This is for the purposes of managing our relationships, communicating with you by email, SMS or telephone, and providing support services and processing complaints. It allows me to maintain the records that I am obliged to keep by law and for insurance purposes and it protects my own and your legal rights.
The legal bases by which I process your data is legitimate interest but I will also ask for your consent to process your information.
Personal Data – How I Keep and Store your Personal Information
I will collect the following information when you contact me via this website, e-mail or phone:
•Your full name
•Your contact details (e-mail address/phone number)
•The information you voluntarily tell me about yourself when making an initial enquiry.
I will store your phone number on my phone. I will allocate a unique client reference to store with your phone number. This will help to protect your identity.
If you decide to progress with counselling, I will hold additional data you share with me which may include:
•Any information you voluntarily tell me about yourself relevant to the work, your age, your date of birth, your support networks, your GP details, your occupation and your next of kin. In addition, I will record any medication you are currently on and any medical history that may be relevant along with information about your current situation or difficulties.
•The dates of your sessions and a brief note of the main themes occurring in the session.
•Details of your payments.
•Your counselling contract.
•If relevant, your written agreement for me to speak to a third party (for example, your doctor). In these cases, if possible, I will speak to you to discuss the reasons for this in session.
Information will mainly be stored electronically and is password protected.
Where relevant paper records are necessary, they will be stored in a locked cabinet.
Your data will be held for 7 years beginning from the date of our final session. After this time your data will be shredded/destroyed.
Personal Data Sharing
I will not share your personal data with anyone unless it is necessary for the purposes of yourown or my safety, or unless it is necessary by law, for example, in the case of drug trafficking, knowledge of terrorism activities or safeguarding.
Third Party Websites
Counselling fees are processed through my bank. For the purposes of my business, I use online banking managed by Tide. Their privacy policy can be accessed at https://www.tide.co/terms/privacy/.
My website is hosted by Squarespace. You can find their privacy policy at www.squarespace.com/privacy.
Your personal data – your rights
Under the GDPR regulations, you have the following rights:
• You may request to see your personal data, free of charge.
• You may request the rectification or deletion of your personal data, or you may withdraw your consent for data processing.
• You may file a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Any request, known as a ‘subject access request’, can be made by sending an e-mail to me, Claire Elizabeth Stickings at claire@claire-elizabeth.uk. Alternatively, you can contact me by phone on 07519 916174.
I will respond to your request as soon as I am able but at the latest within 28 days of receiving it.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
This policy may be updated from time to time. Please check this page from time to time to ensure you are updated with the latest version.