Privacy Policy
Your personal information is important to us and we only use and retain your personal information to provide the services which you have requested from us. Your counsellor will be the Data Controller in relation to the personal data held and be registered with the Information Commissioners Office
Why we hold information
We hold personal identifying data including name, address, telephone number and e-mail address to contact you in relation to appointments. In addition, we hold GP and emergency contact details. Telephone numbers and e mail addresses may be stored on smartphones.
We also retain separate client biographical notes, these will include medical information provided, personal history and session summary. These notes are anonymised with a code, which links to the identifying data sheet to retain confidentiality, to reflect on the sessions and support the counselling work. Where appropriate client work may be discussed in counselling supervision in accordance with ethical practice and guidelines.
Right to access records
You have a right to access the client notes and receive relevant extracts. However, to protect the privacy of any other persons mentioned during the sessions clients may not be entitled to copies of notes referencing any third party. Once provided the client becomes responsible for the privacy of the notes and neither the counsellor or Reigate Community Counselling Centre are responsible for the disclosure of such records.
Sharing of data
We will not share your data with third parties other than where you give consent for the confidence to be broken ,or
the counsellor is compelled by a Court of Law,or
where the information is of such gravity that confidentiality cannot be maintained including in the case of fraud, crime or serious or imminent harm to the client or others including Child Protection issues, breach of the Terrorism Act or Proceeds of Crime Act.
How long is information held
Personal contact data stored electronically is deleted once counselling has ended.
Client notes are retained securely for a period of 3 years. After this period records are destroyed except where it is agreed with you to retain them for longer, or where the counsellor believes that it is in their best interests to do so.
Your Rights
You have the right to ask to see any information held by us about you. To do this please either ask the counsellor or submit a request by writing. You also have the right to ask for information that you believe to be incorrect to be rectified. We will endeavour to provide you with the information requested within four weeks.
If we become aware of a situation where your personal information may have accidently or maliciously been obtained by a third party we will notify you within three days.
If you are concerned about the way that your information is being held please discuss this with your counsellor or the centre manager. If you are still unhappy you have the write to complain to the Information Commissioners Office.
