Catie Egan Counselling: Data Protection & Privacy Policy

​

Your privacy is important to our work together. Please take the time to read and understand the following in order to learn more about my privacy policy and my information collection and use practices before contacting me. If you have any questions or concerns regarding any of the following information please let me know directly.

​

Any personal data you provide to me, will be held and processed in accordance with the data protection principles set out in the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation in order to provide the counselling service requested and for the legitimate interest of the business. 

​

When you request counselling with me or otherwise provide your personal details to me, you are consenting to my use of your data under this policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, I may not be able to provide counselling. I will ask you to confirm if you have read and understood this policy when regular weekly counselling commences. 

​

There are two kinds of personal information discussed in this policy. Identifiable information and non-identifiable information. Identifiable information includes your name, address, date of birth and contact details. Non-identifiable information includes any information stored without identifiable information.

​

This policy only applies to data collected by me; third party agents, and websites which are linked to mine, are not covered by this policy.

 

Your rights under GDPR legislation

• Access: If you would like to ask me to provide a copy of the information held by me in my records, or to correct any inaccuracies in your information, please contact me directly.

• Erasure: If you would like to withdraw your consent for me to hold and process your data please contact me directly, if we are engaged in regular counselling this may not be possible.

• Complaints: You have a right to complain to the ICO (Information Commissioner's Office) if you believe I am mishandling your data.

 

What information do I collect?

• Counselling Requests– Requesting counselling can be done online through my website contact form or by email address. I will ask for your name, telephone number, availability and email address. I may also request information regarding why you are looking for counselling, and other details which I believe are relevant to providing you with counselling. 

• Initial Counselling Appointments– During our initial appointment I will ask about your contact details, date of birth, the name your GP practice, some relevant medical information and your reasons for coming to counselling. I may also ask about your background, family history and previous experiences of counselling. It will be your choice about whether or not you give me this information. This will help me to understand if I think counselling with me could be helpful for you. I will also ask you to sign and complete a counselling contract.

• Weekly Counselling Appointments– I keep brief notes on all sessions, which include dates of attendance, major themes and other important information discussed in the session.

• Financial management- I keep codified accounting records. If you decide to pay by cheque, card or bank transfer than there will be an electronic record of this transaction. I use either iZettle or Revolut to take card payment. The collection and use of this data by these companies is subject to their own privacy policies.

• E-mail – My email account is powered by google.com. The collection and use of data by Google Inc. is subject to their own Privacy Policies, my account is password protected.

• Website – My website is powered by Wix the collection and use of any data that passes through it is subject to their privacy and data protection policies. https://www.wix.com/about/privacy 

  • My website also uses cookies and google analytics to improve user function and to monitor and analyse how parts of the website are used, this does not result in any identifiable data being collected or stored.

​

What do I use your information for?

I use the identifiable information held about you in the following ways:

• To respond to your counselling enquiry and provide you with information about my service.

• To provide you with the professional counselling service requested.

• To administer my service; including the arrangement of appointments and to request and receive payment.

• To notify clients about changes to their appointments or other changes to my services.

• To seek feedback from you on your experience of counselling with me after we come to an end.

 

I use the non-identifiable information held about you in the following ways:

• To provide and improve my service.

• To ensure that I am working to best practice, for example through on-going supervision.

• To aid in my own continuing professional learning, research and development.

​

 

Should I consider using your identifiable or non-identifiable information for any other purpose I will ask for your explicit permission before doing so.

 

What information do I share?

Your confidentiality is paramount to our work together, I will maintain your confidentiality according to the ethical standards the BACP (British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy). I will not share any identifiable information about you with other organisations or people, except in the following situations:

• Consent – I may share your information with others whom you have requested or explicitly agreed I should contact.

• Serious harm – I may share your information with your GP or the relevant authorities if I have reason to believe that this may prevent serious harm being caused to you or another person, wherever possible I would discuss this with you first. 

• Compliance with law – I may share your information where I am required to by law.

• In the event of my death or serious incapacitation – In accordance to the ethical requirements of my professional body I will nominate a trusted colleague, my Clinical Executer, bound by the confidentiality agreement between myself and my clients, to contact my current clients and to support them in making alternate counselling arrangements as required.

• I may be required to pass identifiable and non-identifiable client information on to the BACP, the ICO, HMRC or to my insurance company in the event of a complaint, legal action or audit. 

 

​

How do I keep your information safe?

All information you provide to me is stored as securely as possible.  All paper forms and records are kept in a locked filing cabinet. All electronic records are stored on my devices, access to which are password-protected, or by reputable service providers using secure ‘cloud’ technology.

​

To further protect the confidentiality of our sessions I keep session notes and other non-identifiable information separate from identifiable information wherever possible. 

​

The transmission of information via the internet is never completely secure. Although I will do my best to protect your information, I cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to me via email, or through forms completed on my website; any transmission is at your own risk.

​

Your identifiable personal information is kept separately from any session notes or other descriptive material. Client notes and other documentation are destroyed 5 years after the end of counselling as required by my insurance provider and personal contact details are destroyed/deleted after 5 years of no contact or updates. 

​​

Clarification

Please ask if you have any questions or would like clarification on any of the above points. I would be happy to discuss it with you.