Counselling + Psychotherapy with Leanne Riley- Privacy Policy

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Connection Point Counselling and Psychotherapy provide psychological therapy to individuals.

The way we look after your data complies with the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation (2018) and Leanne Riley is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).  Her Registration number is ZA808509 if you want to look at this.

We understand how important your privacy is, and we are committed to protecting this.  Any information that we ask you to provide will only be used in the way we have explained in this notice.  We want you to be clear about the data we collect and why; how we use, store and protect it, and what your rights are regarding this.

The limited occasions that we may share your data with others is explained, and this only happens with your agreement at the time.  

If we change this Privacy notice at any time, we will let you know about it.

What information we collect about you and why

Personal data is any information that can identify you as an individual. This category includes:

• Identity information – your name, title
• Contact information – your email address and telephone numbers. This may include your online ID for services such as Zoom, if applicable.
• Financial information – depending on how you choose to pay, your bank account information.  This also includes information about payments between us.
• Appointment information – a record of appointment dates and times, attendance, and location of the sessions.
• Correspondence information – general administrative information about our contact with you via phone, email, letter or in person.

Your personal data is collected so that we can provide a counselling service to you, at your request.  Your financial data is collected as we are required to hold information on payments received for our financial records.

Sensitive data is data about you relating to personal aspects of your life, including your physical and mental health.  This category may include:

• The reasons you initially contacted us
• Who referred you (if relevant)
• The name and contact details of your GP
• The name and contact details of other professionals or agencies involved in your care
• Details about your physical or mental health, including any medications
• Your family – your marital status, who you live with and whether you have children

This information would only be provided by you during the contact stage, at your discretion. It is only then specifically collected by us once counselling services are in place so that we can provide a counselling service to you, at your request.

How we collect your personal information

We collect your information in a variety of ways:

• As record of your correspondence with us – by telephone, email, post, website (including the contact form) or otherwise.
• Questionnaires or forms that are relevant to providing you with counselling.
• Records of any appointments or meetings with us, including audio recordings where relevant.
• Correspondence we received from you or from other healthcare professionals involved in your care.

How your information is used

We use your personal data to provide you with a counselling service.  We ask how you want to be contacted to arrange sessions and ask whether we can phone, text, e-mail or leave answer phone messages.  We do not use your information for marketing.  We also may need to comply with legal or regulatory obligations.

Who your information is shared with

We do not share your data, either personal or sensitive, with any third parties for marketing purposes.  We may share your sensitive data with other healthcare professionals who are involved in your care, but we will make sure you are aware of this.  You may request us to share this information yourself.

Counsellors and Psychotherapists are required to have regular, formal supervision of their work, by another qualified professional.  As part of this, it may be necessary to discuss your personal or sensitive data with the supervisor.  This professional also works under the terms of confidentiality.

It may be necessary to refer you to another therapist or service that is relevant to you.  Your personal or sensitive data may be shared with them, with your consent. 

How long your data is kept for

We only keep your data for as long as is necessary.  This length of time is partly decided by statutory or regulatory requirements.  Once this time has passed we delete or securely destroy all personal data that is no longer required.  We currently have a legal and insurance requirement to keep your data for 7 years.

How your data is protected

We store your data physically and electronically.  All physical data is kept in secure, locked storage when it is not being used.  All electronic data has password access to keep it secure and devices used have security measures in place to protect it.

If there was the unlikely event of some of your data being lost or compromised, we would follow the ICO’s guidance on this.  We would contact you to tell you what has happened and may report the episode to the ICO.

What your rights are

We want you to be clear about what your rights are.  Under data protection laws you have the following rights:

• Access – To see any information that we hold about you.
• Correction – To ask us to correct any data that we hold about you that is wrong.
• Erasure – To ask us to erase any information that we hold about you (this could be limited by our need to keep data to comply with statutory or regulatory requirements).
• Transfer – To request that your data is transferred to another party.
• Withdraw consent – to change your decision to allow us to use your data (this could be limited by our need to data to comply with statutory of regulatory requirements).

Please contact us if you would like to discuss any of these areas.  You can find in-depth details of your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation at https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public. 

How you can raise a complaint about how your data is used

If you have any complaints about how your data is used you have a right to complain to us and we have a duty to respond to you.  You also have a right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office about how your data is used.

Consent 

By contacting Connection Point Counselling and Psychotherapy through this website, you are giving permission for your data to be used as detailed above.