Privacy Notice

I am a qualified psychotherapist registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). My ICO registration number is ZA400355.

As a data controller, I am committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the safe handling of your personal information in accordance with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and the BACP Ethical Framework.

1. The Information I Collect

I may collect, store, and use the following personal information if we contract to work with one another:

Your name, contact details (address, phone number, email)
Date of birth
GP and emergency contact details
Relevant medical, psychological, or psychiatric information
Session notes (brief summaries of our sessions)
Payment and invoicing details
Any communications between us (emails, texts, messages)

2. How I Use Your Information

Your information is used for the following purposes:

To provide you with safe, ethical, and effective therapeutic services
To communicate with you about appointments and services
To comply with legal and professional obligations
To maintain accurate financial records

I only collect and use the minimum necessary data and only for these stated purposes.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing

I process your data under the following lawful bases:

Contract: Processing is necessary for the performance of our therapeutic agreement.
Legal obligation: to retain your therapy records for six years after your most recent appointment; after this period you can ask me to delete your records if you wish.
Vital interests: In rare cases, to protect you or someone else from serious harm.
Legitimate interests: To ensure quality and continuity of care throughout our relationship.

4. Confidentiality and Sharing

Your information is kept confidential. I may share information in the following rare circumstances:

With your explicit consent
If required by law (e.g., court order, safeguarding concerns)
If I believe you or someone else is at serious risk of harm
With my clinical supervisor (anonymised and bound by confidentiality)
With one of my colleagues via the password-protected spreadsheet, who would use that information to contact you, in case something happens to me and I’m not able to contact you myself.

I will always aim to discuss any necessary disclosures with you first, unless legally prohibited or in urgent circumstances.

5. Storing Your Information

Your data is stored securely in accordance with data protection law.
Electronic records are stored on password-protected devices.
I retain records for six years after the end of therapy (or longer if required by insurance or law), after which they are securely destroyed. Provided the legal minimum period of six years has elapsed you can also ask me to erase your records.

6. Your Rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

Access the personal data I hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
Request erasure (in some cases)
Withdraw consent where applicable
Lodge a complaint with the ICO: www.ico.org.uk

7. Contact Details

If you have any concerns about your data or would like to exercise your rights, please contact me.

ICO Registration Number: ZA400355

8. Updates to This Privacy Notice

This privacy notice is reviewed regularly and may be updated to reflect changes in legislation or practice. The most recent version will always be available on request.

Last updated: 1 June 2025