PRIVACY POLICY

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I have updated my privacy policy to take into consideration the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which came into force on the 25th May 2018.  It requires me to provide you with some additional information about how I use your personal data which I think provides greater transparency. 

As I have always done, I will only collect your personal information when we enter into a contract to work together.  I will keep all information about you confidential.  

 

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROCESSING YOUR PERSONAL DATA?

In Kay Fletcher Counselling, I am the only person responsible for how your personal data is collected, stored and processed. Under GDPR, this means I am the Data Controller.

 

MANAGING YOUR PERSONAL DATA

Although in general, it is important to have confidence in how your personal information is used when you share it, confidentiality is a fundamental part of a client's experience with the helping professions. To this end, I am a BACP Accredited Counsellor, Registered Member MBACP (Accred), of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), a professional body overseeing effective and ethical psychological therapy.  It sets and maintains the standards for practice and I am committed to its Ethical Framework.  More information can be found on the internet at www.bacp.co.uk  

I will never use your personal data for any marketing purposes or to share with a 3rd party.

Your data is only used to inform my practice and for contact purposes at the time of your counselling contract with me.

 

STORAGE AND MANAGEMENT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

I do not use any computer systems to store personal information (our contract) or session notes, all my records are kept manually.  Any session notes I make will not be held with any identifiable details and will be kept in a locked cabinet.  The signed contract which forms the identifiable part of the data is held in a separate lockable desk.  All keys are held by myself, and all records are only accessible by me. 

The session notes and contact details are kept for three years after the sessions have ended to satisfy legal requirements i.e. the time limit for a complaint to be raised against a therapist after counselling has ended under BACP professional conduct procedure.  This will differ for counselling children as the child will be regarded as coming of age at 18 and the records will need to be kept for three years after their 18th birthday.  Financial receipts are kept for 5 years to satisfy business audit requirements as per Revenue and Customs. Therefore, when you make a payment to me, I will keep a record of this for financial audit reasons only.

This system enables me to efficiently store personal data about my clients and former clients in a way that ensures adequate security and confidentiality.

 

VISITING MY WEBSITE

I do not make or allow any third parties to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting my website. No user-specific data is collected or used by me or any third party, if you fill in a form on my website, that data will be temporarily stored on the web host Wix (see Wix Privacy Policy at https://www.wix.com/about/privacy) before being sent to me.

 

ENQUIRIES

I do not record or process any data from people who ring me with general enquiries. If a query did require me to take personal data, I would explain this at the time. I do not record telephone calls. I do not retain email queries.  

 

COUNSELLING SESSIONS

I do not video or audio record any sessions.

 

YOUR RIGHTS

Please see the Information Commissioner's Office (https://ico.org.uk/) for more information about the GDPR in relation to information held about you.

If you have any questions or queries about my privacy policy, or how it applies to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.  My landline is 01547 540899, and my mobile number is 07583 382042.