Privacy Policy
YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION – GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR)
The UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) provides legal protection for personal information. This notice explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how it is used, and your rights in relation to your personal data.
Therapist’s Name/Identity: Louisa Hodgson, The Creative Therapy Space
Therapist’s Telephone No: 07775612525
Therapist’s Email address: louisahcounselling@gmail.com
Data Controller Contact Details: : louisahcounselling@gmail.com
The Purpose of processing Client Data
In order to give professional counselling services I will need to gather and retain potentially sensitive information about your health. What is requested can be seen on the contract and assessment forms. I will only use this information for informing the counselling session, and associated recommendations concerning aspects of health and wellbeing, which I will offer to you.
Lawful Basis for holding and using Client Information
The lawful basis for processing your personal information is that it is necessary for the provision of counselling services.
As I process special category data (health-related information), the additional condition relied upon is the provision of health care and the management of health care services. I am also bound by the ethical and confidentiality requirements of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
What information I hold and what I do with it
In order to provide professional Counselling sessions I will need to ask for and keep information about your health. I will only use this for informing counselling and any advice I give as a result of your session. The information to be held is:
- Your contact details
- Details and related notes (which I will take after each initial consultation)
- Medical history and other health-related information (which I will take from you on the assessment form)
How Long I Retain Your Information for
I retain client records for 5 years after the end of our therapeutic work in line with my professional insurance requirements.
Personal data may be processed using secure third-party service providers. Where data is transferred outside the UK or EEA, appropriate safeguards will be in place to ensure your information remains protected.
Protecting Your Personal Data
I am committed to ensuring that your personal data is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, I have put in place appropriate technical, physical and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect from you.
I will contact you using the contact preferences you give me in relation to:
- Appointment times / reminders
- Information or information related to your health if required
- Specific handouts/worksheets, website links between sessions
Your Rights
GDPR gives you the following rights:
- The right to be informed: To know how your information will be held and used (this notice).
- The right of access: To see your therapist’s records of your personal information, so you know what is held about you and can verify it.
- The right to rectification: To tell your therapist to make changes to your personal information if it is incorrect or incomplete.
- The right to erasure: (also called “the right to be forgotten”) For you to request your therapist to erase any information they hold about you
- The right to restrict processing of personal data: You have the right to request limits on how your therapist uses your personal information
- The right to data portability: under certain circumstances you can request a copy of personal information held electronically so you can reuse it in other systems.
- The right to object: To be able to tell your therapist you don’t want them to use certain parts of your information, or only to use it for certain purposes.
- Rights in relation to automated decision-making and profiling.
- The right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office: To be able to complain to the ICO if you feel your details are not correct, if they are not being used in a way that you have given permission for, or if they are being stored when they don’t have to be.
Full details of your rights can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office website: https://ico.org.uk
How to make a complaint
I take any concerns about the handling of personal information seriously and aim to resolve them promptly and fairly. If you have any concerns about how your personal data has been collected, stored, used, or shared, please contact me (Louisa Hodgson at The Creative Therapy Space) in the first instance so that I can investigate and try to resolve the matter.
You can make a complaint by:
Email: louisahcounselling@gmail.com
Telephone: 07775612525
When making a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible so that I can investigate your concerns fully.
What happens next?
- I will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 30 days.
- I will investigate your complaint without undue delay.
- I will keep you informed of the outcome of my investigation and any action taken.
If you remain dissatisfied after I have investigated your complaint, you have the right to raise your concerns with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
Website: https://ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint/
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
Therapists Rights
Please note: If you don’t agree to your therapist keeping records of information about you and your sessions, or if you don’t allow them to use the information in the way they need to for sessions the therapist may not be able to offer you sessions.
Your therapist has to keep your records of sessions for a certain period as described above, which may mean that even if you ask them to erase any details about you, they might have to keep these details until after that period has passed
Your therapist can move their records between their computers and IT systems, as long as your details are protected from being seen by others without your permission.
Thank you -Louisa Hodgson
The Creative Therapy Space