Privacy Notice

To ensure I offer you the best support possible, I must securely hold your personal contact details and session records. This privacy notice outlines how I handle your information from our first contact to post-therapy. Your privacy is a top priority for me, and you can trust that your details will be kept safe and only used for their intended purpose. I strictly follow all relevant data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (EU/2016/679) (the GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003.

My Lawful Basis For Holding And Using Your Personal Information

The GDPR states that I have a lawful basis for handling and using your personal data. Depending on the stage of processing your data, different lawful bases apply. If you've completed therapy with me, I'll use legitimate interest as the basis for retaining and utilising your personal information. If you're currently undergoing therapy or inquiring about it, I'll process your data based on the necessity of fulfilling our contractual agreement. Additionally, the GDPR ensures proper handling of any sensitive personal information, termed 'special category personal information'. Processing such information is justified under the provision of health treatment (in this case, therapy sessions) and is necessary for a contractual agreement with a healthcare professional (in this case, the agreement between you and me).

How I Use Your Information

I'll only use your personal data for the necessary administration of the therapy service I'm offering you, such as arranging, cancelling, or rescheduling appointments. Your personal information will be retained only for the duration required, following guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office. Rest assured, I will never use your data for any other purposes.

Initial Contact

When you reach out to schedule your first appointment, I'll gather some brief details to assist with processing your inquiry. This includes your name for appointment booking and a preferred contact method, such as email or phone number. These details are kept securely in a password-protected folder and are not shared with any third party. This information also ensures I can notify you promptly in case of any unforeseen changes to appointments. 

While You're Accessing Therapy

Your email or phone number will be used to send written confirmation of appointment times if you've consented. These details will only be used for appointment-related communication unless we've agreed to use your email for additional therapy-related information. You'll be asked to complete a personal details form, including your name, address, date of birth, contact information, and your GP's contact information. These details are stored in a password-protected folder and are only accessible to me. Your GP will not be routinely contacted about your attendance unless necessary for your care, in which case, I'll discuss it with you first, if possible. Confidentiality is paramount, and disclosures will only occur if legal or ethical obligations arise, such as in cases of serious harm or as required by law.

As a Registrant Member of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS), I adhere to their code of ethics. Supervision is part of my professional practice, during which our work may be discussed without identifying you. Brief session notes are kept solely to assist our therapy and are securely stored in a password-protected folder. I do not retain text messages or emails for more than one week. However, if there is relevant information contained in a text or email, I will transfer it to your notes.

After Therapy Ends

Retention of records post-therapy is necessary for reasons such as financial transactions and to provide efficient service if you return after therapy ends. Your therapy notes, devoid of personal identifiers, are securely stored for seven years post-therapy, in line with industry guidelines, and then confidentially destroyed. Your personal details form is also destroyed upon ending therapy sessions, though your name, date of birth, and client reference number are kept for the same duration to identify your therapy notes if needed.

Third Party Recipients Of Personal Data

I sometimes share personal details with third parties, but I have carefully selected the companies I work with. Your contact details will never be shared with third parties for sales, marketing, or research purposes. If your appointments are facilitated or paid for by a third party, such as your employer, only your attendance dates (or non-attendance) are shared with them for invoicing and payment purposes. Any discussions during sessions remain confidential unless you provide written consent for disclosure.

Data Security Measures 

Ensuring the security of your data is of utmost importance to me. I employ stringent measures to safeguard the information I hold about you. My email account, as well as the mobile phone and laptop used, are protected by passwords and equipped with antivirus software. All data is held securely.

Website Visitors' Data Usage Policy 

By visiting the website, you agree to abide by the information collection and usage practices outlined in this privacy notice. Should you decide to reach out to me using the website's contact form, none of the data you provide will be stored by the website or shared with any third-party data processors. Instead, the information will be compiled into an email and transmitted to me via the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP). SMTP servers are safeguarded by TLS (Transport Layer Security), also known as SSL (Secure Sockets Layer), ensuring that email content is encrypted before traversing the internet. Upon reaching its destination, the email content is decrypted by local computers and devices. The website utilises cookies and Google Analytics. Cookies are small files that websites place on your computer as you browse them. These files can store various information, potentially impacting your privacy. Google Analytics, a service offered by Google, collects anonymous data on website usage, including visitor statistics and page views. Many website owners rely on this service to enhance their websites based on the gathered data.

Your Rights 

In accordance with the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) guidelines of 2018, you possess the following rights regarding your personal information:

• The right to request access to the personal data stored and processed about you.
• The ability to request corrections to any inaccuracies in the held information or to request the deletion of your personal data.
• You can also request the restriction of processing your personal data or object to its processing under certain circumstances.
• More detailed information about your rights can be found at ico.org.uk/your-data-matters.

To exercise any of the aforementioned rights, please submit a written request via email to julie@safespaceonlinetherapy.com. It is important to note that in certain situations, counsellors may be unable to adhere to these requests, such as when legally compelled to retain records by a court of law. Additionally, there may be a charge associated with fulfilling a request if it is deemed excessive.

Queries

The term "data controller" refers to the individual or organisation responsible for collecting, storing, and managing people's personal data. In this context, Julie Rogers serves as the data controller and is registered with the Information Commissioner's Office. The registration number for Safe Space Online Therapy is ZB673586. Should you have any inquiries regarding this privacy policy or how your personal information is handled, you can contact Julie Rogers via email at julie@safespaceonlinetherapy.com.

Complaints

If you have any concerns about how your personal data is being handled, please feel free to reach out via email at julie@safespaceonlinetherapy.com. Should you wish to lodge a formal complaint regarding the processing of your personal information, you have the option to contact the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office), the regulatory authority responsible for overseeing data protection laws in the UK. For additional details, visit ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.

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