Data Protection Policy

Your data is important

What you say in here, stays in here.

This policy is written for the purpose of the Data Protection Act (1998) and to meet GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) requirements - it lets you know how your personal information is being collected, stored, and shared.

I make every effort to keep all information confidential. Your personal information is stored securely and confidentially. Data is collected for legitimate business reasons and your consent is required in order you receive the service.

I will never sell or give my clients email addresses to any other companies for marketing.

THE PRINCIPLES OF HOW AND WHY I GAIN YOUR INFORMATION

To ensure compliance with GDRP, I, Emma Bailey, will ensure that your Personal Data will be:

Handled and Processed lawfully, in a fair and transparent way.
Taken only for legitimate reasons.
Only necessary, accurate, and relevant information will be taken.
Is kept up to date
Is processed with your data security in mind.

I am the data protection officer, so if you wish to view and amend or delete your personal details I hold, then please email me at emmabaileycounselling@gmail.com or call me on 07929000785

COLLECTING YOUR INFORMATION

Using the contact form on this website gives me your contact details and tells me that you require further information on the services I offer.
Contact made by phone, letter or email may be kept for 5 years after we cease to work together.
My website is pretty straightforward and the only place data from you will be collected is through the contact form – which is SSL protected so fully encrypted, as is the rest of my website.

THE STORING OF YOUR YOUR PERSONAL DATA

Personal data collected by the contact form via my website will be sent to my email address or will be stored on the server inside the European Economic Area (“EEA”). THIS site is encrypted and has SLL padlock in situ.
By visiting the site and submitting your personal data, you agree to this transfer, storing or processing. Your information will be treated as necessary and kept as securely as possible in accordance with this privacy policy.
Data is mainly stored in a paper format, in a locked cabinet. I do not keep your phone number stored on my phone.
Your identifiable information is kept separately from any session notes and they are linked by a unique number.

HOW LONG WILL I STORE YOUR DATA FOR AND HOW WILL IT BE DISPOSED OF?

I will keep any paper notes for 5 years as required by my Indemnity Insurance Policy.
I will delete your phone number from my mobile within 3 months after our sessions end/last contact (whichever comes first).

USES OF THE INFORMATION

I will provide you with information, on my service, at your request, which I feel you need, or where you have consented to be contacted for such purposes.
To carry out my obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us.
I will advise you regarding any changes to the service I offer.
Existing clients, will be contacted by electronic means or by letter to the addresses you provide.

DISCLOSURE

I may disclose your personal information to third parties for the following reasons:

I have duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply terms of use; or immediate risk of substantial harm to self or any others; or for legal reasons, or a court order for disclosure.
This also includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations in the case of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
I will NOT process your personal data for marketing purposes under any situation.
This site may contain links to and from the websites to other partner networks, advertisers and affiliates. If you access these sites by the link I provide, please understand I do not accept liability or responsibility for you visiting or their website safety, or the policies they provide.

IP ADDRESSES AND COOKIES

The site may record statistical data about my clients’ browsing actions and patterns but this does not identify you or any individual personally.
This information about your general Internet usage may be by using a cookie file, which is stored on the hard drive of your computer. These Cookies contain information that is transferred to your computer’s hard drive. Using cookies helps improve the site and helps me deliver an improved and a more personalised service. They help estimate the visitors usage and size of audience and can recognise returning customers.
If this is, so a pop up window warning if cookies are being used will appear. If you wish not to accept cookies, you can activate this setting on your browser. However, access certain parts of our site may be inaccessible.
Please see below in NOTES section for any third party information

CLIENT PRIVACY POLICY

The following personal details will be taken and recorded when you complete the assessment form:

Name & date of birth – This information helps me get to know you and the age range of client I am seeing.
Address, email, & telephone number – for contacting you - you can let me know which is the most appropriate form of contact for you.
Emergency contact - In case you should become unwell within our session and I needed to contact someone. (I will always seek to gain your approval for this contact to be made)
Doctor – If there is an instance where I may need to make contact with your GP or to other agencies. I will always aim to discuss this with you in advance.
Current & previous counselling therapy - This information helps me to get to know you and to make an initial assessment of your circumstances, and explore whether I am best placed to assist you.
Drug and alcohol use - For therapeutic reasons I also enquire about your use of alcohol and drugs; this information is confidential and kept separately from your personal details alongside your coded notes.
Religious and cultural needs - it’s important that I am aware of any needs you may have so that I can better understand you.

HOW I SHARE YOUR DATA

Consent – I may share your information with other professionals whom you have requested or agreed I should contact. However,

your data will not be shared with anyone else unless:

I am subpoenaed by court.
If you or anyone is at risk of harm, I may have to pass this information on to the relevant professionals. (This would be discussed with you first). This will include if there is any risk of child abuse, money laundering, or in the interests of terrorism.
When I provide counselling to an individual I am required by the BACP to have regular supervision with a suitable qualified Counsellor. This is anonymous and the purpose of which is to help me to improve upon my counselling practice and to ensure I continue to work safely and for the benefit of my clients.

PRIVACY POLICY CHANGES

Any changes to this privacy policy will be posted on this page and, if and when appropriate, you will be notified by e-mail or text.

RIGHT TO ACCESS

You have the right to view your personal information, free of charge, in an electronic or paper format. You also can ask me to amend or change any incorrect information about you. I ask that you allow me 7 working days to collate the information that you require.

RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN

You have the right to ask me to erase any information that I hold about you. This includes your information no longer relevant to original purposes, or if you wish to withdraw consent. This does not include information I have a legal obligation to retain.

DATA PORTABILITY

As the client, you have the right to receive your personal information which you previously provided, and also have the right to transfer that information to another party. For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) 2018, the data “controller” is Emma Bailey.

DATA PROTECTION ACCOUNTABILITY

If you wish to complain about how your data is handled, in the first instance contact, Emma Bailey, who is the Data Controller at Your Time Counselling. I am registered with the ICO, should you need to contact them for any reason.

Tel: 07929000785

Email: emmabaileycounselling@gmail.com