DG COUNSELLING UK (DGC)

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 arrange and contact you in relation to appointments. In addition, we hold GP and emergency contact details. Telephone numbers and email may be stored on smartphones.

We also retain separate client biographical notes and 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, 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.

Your Rights

You have the right to ask to see any information held by us about you, including client notes and relevant extracts. To do this please either ask 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. However, to protect the privacy of any other persons mentioned during the sessions, clients are not 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 DG Counselling 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, 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, that confidentiality cannot be maintained.

• where NHS Test & Trace contacts either you or myself, your name and contact details would be required as a matter of public interest and safety, although the context in which I know you would not be disclosed.

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 professional interest to do so.

Information Commissioner’s Office

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 and the Information Commissioner’s Office within three days.

If you are concerned about the way that your information is being held please discuss this with the counsellor. If you are still unhappy you have the write to complain to the Information Commissioners Office.