Within my psychotherapy and supervision practice, I am committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of anyone inquiring about or using my services.
This is from visitors to my web site, through to visitors to my therapy room. I want to emphasise that I would not sell, rent out or trade email lists or personal details with other companies and businesses for any reason.
The following Privacy Policy offers you further detail about when and why I collect your personal information, how I use it, the very rare conditions under which I might disclose this to other individuals or organisations and how I make sure it is secure.
Overview
I work in private practice with adults as a Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor, which requires me to receive and hold personal data of individuals who inquire about or access my services.
I keep digital information safe on password protected devices and email account paper-based information in a locked cabinet.
Where possible, I avoid using clients’ full names on the most sensitive records for an extra layer of security.
Types of data I collect and how they are stored
Digital records
Email details
- Your Email address in my Hotmail account contacts list
- Emails sent to me, either via website, counselling directory or directly: these are deleted after one calendar year, or sooner if they are responded to and the matter is considered closed.
Telephone number
- The number/s given by you will be stored within my phone contacts on a passcode protected mobile without surname. This will be deleted once we have agreed to end our work together.
Paper records
Assessment notes
- These are stored separately from case notes in a locked filing cabinet.
- They include contact details given: usually name, address, email contact, telephone number and GP details. These also include information on family and support structures, medications prescribed and non-prescribed, eating and sleeping patterns, brief mental health history of self and immediate family and goals for therapy.
- These will be destroyed by shredding ten years after the end of the therapy relationship. If you return as a client within ten years, the date for shredding historical notes will be re-set to the date of the end of most recent episode of therapy.
Case notes
- Brief notes based on the themes brought to the session.
- They are stored with initials only, separate from other documents that might identify you and in a locked cabinet.
- These will be destroyed by shredding ten years after the end of the therapy relationship.
Disclosure of information to others
During the course of the therapy, it is my aim that any information disclosed to others is done in a collaborative way, ideally by clients themselves, by supporting them to do so in relation to the protection of self and others.
In rare circumstance, I may need to contact a nominated support person or GP about your situation if I feel you are in serious present danger through harm to yourself.
Under safeguarding principles, I would contact relevant authorities, namely police or social services (or support you to do so), if I became aware of an issue related to the current safety of a child or vulnerable adult or imminent, serious danger to another individual.
Under the law, I would need to contact police if I become aware of activities related to terrorism or serious crime, such as fraud or money laundering. This is because I am duty bound under the law, just as any member of the public would be if they were aware of such information.
Access to your personal information
You have the right to see, receive a copy of and amend any information I hold on you. I will aim to arrange this within 20 working days from the initial request. To do so, you can ask me in person or email julie_faulkner@hotmail.com.
If this concerns case notes, I would encourage a discussion first to explore the impact on the therapeutic relationship and a debrief after reading.
If you wish to retain a copy of the notes, you would be required to sign a release form to indicate that you understand the implications.
Request to destroy records
Following the end of our work together, you have the right to request destruction of your records before the time period stated above. You can request this in writing, by letter or email: julie_faulkner@hotmail.com and I will send a form for you to sign and date, authorising the request before material is destroyed.
Changes to this Privacy Notice
This policy will be reviewed annually, in line with current legislation and good practice recommendations in the field of counselling and psychotherapy.