In relation to the General data protection regulation May 2018 and records I hold for you, I would like you to know that I am registered with the ICO and keep records relating to you. All information, including email and texts are kept securely

Passwords, coding systems and locked cabinets are used to keep information relating to you secure and confidential.

Personal Information Record Card

Your personal information record is held on an index card recording the name, address and contact telephone number of you, your GP and if applicable your consultant psychiatrist. It is kept in a filing system that is separate from therapy records and under lock & key. It is used for contact information purposes only.

Session Records

Your session records are kept using a manual system under lock & key and stored under a unique identifier. In this manual file I record a brief outline of your presenting issue and any end of session notes. It should be noted the therapy records I keep are brief and are literally a reminder of the key issues covered in session. These records are not shared with any other person.

None of the information on the Personal Information record Card appears in this file. Any electronic communication you have with me is via password protected equipment using anti virus software.

How long is your data stored?

Records are kept for a period of three years from when therapy ends. All records are then securely destroyed. Paper records are shredded and burnt.

Supervision

As a member of the British Association of Counsellors & Psychotherapists I am bound by its code of ethics aand practice and attend supervision.  Any information that is shared in supervision that relates to you is done using your unique reference

Disclosure of information to other parties

Contact information for the medical professionals working with you is important to have in case I believe you need medical intervention. I will only contact these people if:

*I need to obtain more detailed records of your medical condition

*I believe that prescribed medication may need to be adjusted or changed

* I believe that you may harm yourself or another

I will always tell you if I intend to contact your GP and/or psychiatrist.

There may be exceptional cases where I may ethically or legally have to give information to relevant authorities, for example: if I have reason to believe that you or someone else, especially a child is at risk of serious harm or to prevent a miscarriage of justice or when required to do so by a court of law. I will do my best to discuss any proposed disclosure with you unless I believe that to do so could increase the level of risk to you or someone else.

Clinical Will

In the circumstance of my being unavailable to continue to work with you due to serious illness, incapaccitation or death I have an agreement with a colleague whereby she will be informed of my circumstances by a member of my family, sent your contact information and it is she who will contact you and discuss how you wish to go forward. A member of my family also holds responsibility for the deletion of all electronic and paper records pertinent to my clients in the scenario of my severe illness or death.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law you have rights, including:

Your right of access: you have the right to ask for copies of your personal information

Your right to rectification: You have the right to ask for rectification of any information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask me to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure: you have the right to ask for erasure of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to object to processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability: You have the right to ask that information that you have given is transferred to another organisation or to yourself in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, I have one month to respond to you.

Please contact me at: Connect to health, 38 West Street, Builth wells LD2 3AL: connecthealth@outlook.com M: 07754604614

How to complain:

You can also conplain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how your data has been used.

The ICO's address:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline no: 0303 123 1113

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