Privacy Policy May 2020

Under the GDPR ( General Data Protection Regulation )it is a legal requirement to make clear to you my data processing procedure and for you to explicitly consent to my processing your information. You can find out more about the GDPR from the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office - https://ico.org.uk).

We keep records about you.

This explains why we keep your info, where we keep it, how we keep it safe, and what your rights are.

The basics

We keep information about you in order to provide you with a service, and to process payments for the service.
We cannot work with you unless you allow us to keep records.
We follow the law and the codes of practice set down by the BACP (The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy)
We have systems in place to protect your data.
You are entitled to request a copy of your data free-of-charge, and to have inaccurate information corrected.
We aspire to the highest data privacy standards. If you have questions, concerns or feedback then please let us know so that we can address them.
You can complain to the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) if you think that we are acting unlawfully: visit www.ico.org.uk/concerns or phone 0303 123 1113.

Why I keep information

Our professional registration requires us to keep information about our clients and the work that we do. We cannot offer you services unless you allow us to keep data about you and our work together, and we have a legitimate interest for keeping your data. We are registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) to do so. We are bound by the ethical and practical rules set by our professional regulatory bodies such as The BACP ((The British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) .

The kind of information we keep

We keep personal data, e.g. your name, address, phone number. We also keep sensitive data e.g. notes from our sessions together, your gender, your social history.

What we do with the information

We use the data we collect for three reasons

to provide you with services,
for billing and processing payments,
to help prevent serious harm.

Some of our clients may feel vulnerable at times in their lives, and be at risk of harming themselves or be at risk of harm to / from others. In these circumstances, we need to be able to communicate effectively with other services such as GP surgeries or emergency care services, to keep these clients safe. This involves sharing of personal information on a need to know basis.

Who we might share personal information with

We hold information about each of our clients and the therapy they receive in confidence. This means that we will not normally share your personal information with anyone else. However, there are exceptions to this when there may be need for liaison with other parties:

If you are referred by your health insurance provider, or otherwise claiming through a health insurance policy to fund therapy, then we will share appointment schedules with that organisation for the purposes of billing. We may also share information with that organisation to provide treatment updates.
In exceptional circumstances, we might need to share personal information with relevant authorities:
When there is need-to-know information for another health provider, such as your GP.
When disclosure is in the public interest, to prevent a miscarriage of justice or where there is a legal duty, for example a Court Order.
When the information concerns risk of harm to the client, or risk of harm to another adult or a child. We will discuss such a proposed disclosure with you unless we believe that to do so could increase the level of risk to you or to someone else.

What we will NOT do with your personal information

We will not share your personal information with third-parties for marketing purposes.

How long I keep data

I keep client data throughout the time I work with my clients and, in line with professional guidance, for 7 years after the work has ended.

Where I keep data

On my password protected computer
In a paper file which is securely locked away
In my email systems
My website uses cookies so that I can see how many people have visited and which pages are most popular. Google may send additional cookies if you use any Google map links on the site. Cookies are anonymous and contain no personal data. You can turn cookies off in your website browser if you wish to.

Changes to my Privacy Policy

Any changes I may make to my privacy policy in the future will be posted on this page. I welcome comments on my privacy policy.

Please email your questions and comments to ia@iatollstam.com or Phone: +44 (0)7740 099896