Privacy policy for Bec Griffiths Counselling

Introduction

Your privacy is very important to me, and you can be confident that your personal information will be kept safe and secure and will only be used for the purpose it was given to me. I adhere to current data protection legislation, 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.

This privacy notice tells you what I will do with your personal information from initial point of contact through to after your therapy has ended, including:

  • Whether I intend to transfer it to another country,

  • Whether I do automated decision-making or profiling, and

  • Your data protection rights.

I am happy to talk through any questions you might have about my data protection policy and you can contact me via email at bec-griffiths-counselling@proton.me 

‘Data controller’ is the term used to describe the person/ organisation that collects and stores and has responsibility for people’s personal data. In this instance, the data controller is me.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office ZC212254.

My phone number is 07511233220

My email address is bec-griffiths-counselling@proton.me 

My lawful basis for holding and using your personal information

The GDPR states that I must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. There are different lawful bases depending on the stage at which I am processing your data. I have explained these below:

If you have had therapy with me and it has now ended, I will use legitimate interest as my lawful basis for holding and using your personal information.

If you are currently having therapy or if you are in contact with me to consider therapy, I will process your personal data where it is necessary for the performance of our contract.

The GDPR also makes sure that I look after any sensitive personal information that you may disclose to me appropriately. This type of information is called ‘special category personal information’. The lawful basis for me processing any special categories of personal information is that it is for provision of health treatment (in this case counselling) and necessary for a contract with a health professional (in this case, a contract between me and you).

Your personal data: what I collect and why

I collect essential information to provide effective and secure online counselling. This includes:

  • Name, date of birth, occupation: Basic details to help understand you better.
  • Address, email address, telephone number: For contacting you about sessions. Your address is also kept for safety checks if you are at risk.
  • Emergency contact: To reach someone if an incident occurs during a session.
  • GP details: In case I need to contact your GP if I believe you are at risk, discussed with you first where possible.
  • Session notes: Summary notes are kept to refresh MY memory of session discussions, a standard professional procedure.
  • Sensitive personal data (“special category personal information”): This helps make an initial assessment and understand your circumstances, including any history of mental health issues.

During our sessions

I will keep a record of your personal details to ensure smooth counselling services. These details are securely stored in a locked cabinet and not shared with third parties.

I will take notes during each session, securely stored in a locked cabinet.

For security, I do not keep text messages longer than 3 months. Relevant information will be copied and stored on a password-protected memory stick in a locked cabinet. Any unimportant email correspondence will also be deleted after 3 months, or stored similarly if necessary.

How long I keep your data

  • For legal reasons, session notes are kept for five years after the end of therapy, as required by my insurance company. After this period, they are destroyed by shredding or deletion. If you would like this done sooner, please tell me.
  • The following will be shredded or deleted within three months of our work finishing:
    • Special category personal information
    • Your phone number from our mobile phone
    • Emails and texts regarding appointment arrangements

Confidentiality and Online platforms

Everything discussed in counselling sessions is kept in the strictest confidence. For online counselling, I use WhatsApp, which feature end-to-end encryption. Recording functionality is disabled. For more details, please visit whatsapp.com/privacy.

Data security

I take the security of your personal data very seriously, and I am committed to ensuring it remains protected.

All paper forms, notes, and correspondence are securely stored in a locked filing cabinet. Electronic records are saved on a memory stick, which is also kept in a locked cabinet and requires a password for access. Additionally, your phone number may be stored in my mobile phone, which is protected by a password.

Your identifiable information is maintained separately from session notes and is linked only by a unique number.

 

When I might share your information

While accessing counselling with myself, everything that is discussed will remain confidential, I will not share any information about you with other organisations or people, except in specific situations:

  • Consent: I may share your information with other professionals whom you have requested or agreed we should contact.
  • Serious harm: I may share your information with relevant authorities if I have reason to believe this may prevent serious harm to you or another person.

  • Clinical Executor – If for any reason I become incapacitated and unable to work your information will be passed onto my Clinical Executor so they can contact you and make suitable arrangements.

  • Compliance with the law – for instance if I am required by a court of law or if you discussed acts of terrorism or serious crime or risk of serious harm to others, I would discuss this with the police. Similarly, if you reveal information about children or vulnerable adults being seriously at risk, I will report to that to the relevant authorities.

Your rights regarding your personal information

I strive to be transparent about your personal information. You have the right to:

  • Ask me to delete your personal information.
  • Limit how I use your personal information.
  • Stop processing your personal information.
  • Request a copy of any information I hold about you.
  • Object to the use of your personal data in some circumstances.

For more detailed information about your rights, please visit ico.org.uk/your-data-matters.

If I hold information about you, I will:

  • Provide a description of it and its origin.
  • Explain why we are holding it and how long we will store your data, including the decision-making process.
  • Inform you who it could be disclosed to.
  • Provide you with a copy of the information in an intelligible form.

You can also ask at any time to correct any mistakes in the personal information I hold about you. To make a request for any personal information I may hold, please submit your request in writing to bec-griffiths-counselling@proton.me 

If you have any complaint about how I handle your personal data please do not hesitate to get in touch with me by emailing to the contact details given above. I would welcome any suggestions for improving my data protection procedures.

If you want to make a formal complaint about the way I have processed your personal information you can contact the ICO which is the statutory body that oversees data protection law in the UK. For more information go to ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint .