My Counsellor Fiona

Who we are

MyCounsellorFiona.org

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• Email address: contact us via our contact page

• All letters to be emailed

• Contact for Data Protection matters: Fiona Ryan using the link above

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What type of information we have

 

• We hold basic personal contact information about you if you enquire about having counselling with us and additional information if you have counselling with us. 

• We only hold information that we need.

• If you make an enquiry this may include: name; email; phone numbers.

• If you have counselling with us it may also include: address; username of video platforms if used for remote counselling; your GP contact details; medication related to or impacting on psychological conditions; other services you use for psychological support; emergency contact name, number and relationship; notes of counselling sessions or contacts with the counsellor. Other information provided by you as needed or considered relevant.

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How we get information and why we have it

 

• All personal information is provided by you by phone, email or in person. Client session notes are created by the counsellor. We do not collect information about you from any other person or organization.

• We keep this information so we can arrange or cancel appointments and request payment of fees for sessions. Email and phone details give us more options for ensuring we can contact you when needed, but you can choose to give only one of these if you want to.

• Some of the information is needed so we can do an initial assessment of whether we can provide a suitable service to you and to enable us to continue to provide counselling whilst being able to act in your best interests if your safety is considered at risk.

• Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the lawful basis we rely on for processing this information is ‘Legitimate Interests: the processing is necessary for your legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party unless there is a good reason to protect the individual’s personal data which overrides those legitimate interests.’

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What we do with the information we have

 

• We use your information to assess whether we can offer you counselling and then to continue to provide a counselling service.

• Your information is not shared with anyone or any organisation unless you specifically request this and give permission. The exception to this would be if your safety becomes a concern or a serious crime is disclosed in which case another person or organisation might be contacted to ensure your safety or another person’s or to report or prevent a crime.

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Embedded content from other websites

 

• Articles on this site may include links or embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

• These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

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How we store your information

 

• All your information is stored securely in encrypted, password protected files and off-line encrypted, password-protected back-up files.  Information that has been emailed will also be saved in a cloud-based, password protected email system. Phone numbers, emails and text messages will also be saved in a securely locked smartphone.

• These can only be accessed by your counsellor.

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How long we keep your data

 

• Information is kept for 7 years after the last contact. This is in line with British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) advice and contract law, in case you or we need the data as evidence. After 7 years it will be securely deleted, any paper information will be shredded and disposed of securely.

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Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

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Your right of access – You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information. This can include:

• A copy of your details held in the client database.

• Copies of letters or emails. This includes letters sent to you, letters sent by you, letters sent on your behalf to third parties and letters received from third parties.

• A copy of your client notes

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You can request your personal information verbally, in writing or by email.

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You can request to receive your personal information electronically, in person, or by recorded delivery.

 

You can request for your personal information to be sent to a third party. For example; another therapist, your G.P or your solicitor. However we may wish to contact them directly to ensure that they will handle your personal information securely.

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We will not make a charge for this request and we will complete the request within 30 days.

 

Your right to rectification – You have the right to ask us to rectify information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.  Any corrections needed to information that is incorrect or misleading will be made as quickly as possible.

 

Your right to erasure – You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

 

Your right to restriction of processing – You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your information in certain circumstances.

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Your right to object to processing – You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

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Your right to data portability – You have the right to ask that we transfer the information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

 

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

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Please contact us via our contact page if you wish to make a request.

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How to complain

You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

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The ICO’s address:           

Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113