I keep your contact details, and I will keep brief notes of our discussions after each session. I am registered under the Data Protection Act (1998) Registration Number ZB031326. You have rights under GDPR to access your personal data or request erasure, correction, or the cessation of data processing in certain circumstances. Records will routinely be kept securely for 7 years and then securely destroyed.
If there is a data breach which is likely to result in an clients’ rights or freedom being compromised then it will be reported immediately to the ICO within 72 hours and inform those individuals without undue delay. A record of any personal data breaches will be kept.
Therapy involves the disclosure of sensitive and personal information, which means confidentiality is paramount. To protect your privacy the things you disclose in therapy will remain confidential. I am bound by the ethics and professional standards of COSRT, and these include the responsibility to manage your information in line with GDPR.
I have listed below the situations in which I can break confidentiality without your consent,
- Where there is a subject access request and you give your signed consent for confidentiality to be broken and for information to be shared.
- Where I am compelled by a court of law.
- Where the information is of such gravity that confidentiality cannot be maintained, such as terrorism, , drug trafficking or serious crime or risk of serious harm to others. I would report these matters to the police.
- Where withholding information means I would be in breach of my code of ethics, and potentially breaking the law.
- Where you reveal information about children or vulnerable adults being at serious risk, I will report that to the relevant authorities if you feel unable to do so.
- Where I am subpoenaed to give evidence in court
- Where I believe that you are likely to cause serious injury to yourself or others, then I may contact your GP or other medical professionals.
I keep brief notes from sessions to help keep track of topics and themes covered. My notes are kept in a locked cabinet and all information is retained for 7 years, and after this, electronic information is deleted, and any paper records shredded.
General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) You have the following rights:
- To be informed what information is collected and how it is stored.
- To see information, I hold about you.
- To rectify any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
- To withdraw consent to me using your personal information.
- To request your personal information be erased (if appropriate).
- To cancel this agreement at any time without further cost.
I am required by my professional bodies BACP and COSRT to regularly discuss aspects of my work with a supervisor, but your identity is not revealed in these professional discussions. I am bound by both the COSRT and BACP code of ethics, and GDPR.
If you are attending couple therapy and you contact me between sessions about matters other than appointments, I will share that information with your partner at the next session and would prefer that any other matters are only discussed jointly in the relationship therapy space. The exception to that would be if you or a partner is at risk of harm.
