- Personal Data
The personal details you supply to me are confidential and I take this very seriously. Your information is held by me and is shared with nobody else, unless prior discussion and agreement with you has taken place.
- Electronic Data
Any electronic correspondence or notes are kept on a password protected computer which is backed up regularly.
Where a computer is backed up to iCloud, all electronic correspondence or notes which have personal details are deleted after printing one copy and are not saved on the computer, with the exception of current client therapy or supervision notes which are saved on computer under first name basis only until the end of the course of therapy, after which one copy of each is printed, stored on file, and the electronic copy is deleted.
- Data Storage
One copy of all correspondence and notes are kept in a locked filing cabinet, the key to which is held by me only and not shared with anybody else, unless prior discussion and agreement with you has taken place.
- Confidentiality
All sessions will be conducted in confidence and may be recorded on audiotape. This confidence will be maintained, and applied to any and all records, in accordance with the Data Protection Act, except in the following instances:
- Where you give consent for the confidence to be broken.
- Where I am compelled to by court of law.
- Where the information is of such gravity that confidence cannot be maintained; for example, where there is a possibility of harm to self or others and in cases of fraud or crime.
- Where a referring GP require a report, a copy of such will be available to you.
- Where I am required by their Code of Ethics to receive supervision on my work; however, every reasonable effort will be made to ensure that your identity is concealed.
- Audiotapes
Client sessions may be recorded on audiotape with prior permission of the client. All recordings are confidential and are saved under a pseudonym. They may be used for client treatment planning and from time to time may be played to a Supervisor or for exam purposes, after which they are deleted.
- Emails
All e-mail communication is kept to a minimum, on a needs-must basis, and to facts such as rescheduling appointments. All emails are titled Private & Confidential and are deleted immediately on receipt or following being sent. No emails are kept on file electronically.
- Mobile phone communication
All mobile phone communication (including text messaging) is kept to a minimum, on a needs-must basis, and to facts such as rescheduling appointments, unless following the prior agreement of the Client.
If kept, mobile phone numbers are saved under a pseudonym, the details of which are written down on the Intake Form and stored in a locked filling cabinet.
All text messages are deleted immediately on receipt or following being sent. No text messages are saved electronically or shared with any other party, unless with the prior consent of the client.
- Deletion
Clients have the right to request deletion of this data at any time, and I have the right to deny this request if it is within the minimum required period for holding client data of Five Years. After this minimum period, clients have the right to request deletion of this date at any time.
- Rights of clients
Clients must be made aware of their Individual Right’s in relation to their data, including:
- The right to be informed
- The right of access
- The right of rectification
- The right of erasure
- The right to be forgotten
- The right to restrict processing
- The right to data portability
- The right to object
- The right not to be subjected to automated decision-making including profiling
- Right to Complain
Clients must be aware of their right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you think I have breached data rules.
- Contract
This GDPR policy must be available to all clients and will be attached to their Contract for Psychotherapy Services.
