Counselling | Privacy Policy

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.

I use the 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 you 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.
To provide and improve my service.
To ensure that I am working to best practice.
To aid in my own continuing professional learning, research and development.

I take your privacy seriously and will take all reasonable steps to ensure the protection of your data. I am required by my insurance keep therapeutic notes for a period of time after treatment. This can vary in length depending on your age and ability to consent but will be for a minimum of 5 years. Your details will be destroyed after this period.

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 where you have given your explicit consent, or where you have made a specific request of me.
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.
Compliance with best practice - In the event of my death or serious incapacitation, and in accordance to the ethical requirements of my professional body, I will nominate trusted colleagues to contact my current clients and to support them in making alternate counselling arrangements as required. They will have access to your identifiable details. I will also speak about our work in ongoing supervision and educational settings in order to ensure I continue to work to the best of my ability, without using your identifiable information.
I may be required to pass identifiable and non-identifiable client information on to the relevant authority or to my insurance company, solicitor or accountant in the event of a complaint, legal action or audit.

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.

Couples counselling only:

Please note that, if you make a subject access request for your client notes, I will only be able to release information relating solely to you (which may be minimal information due to the nature of couples counselling) unless I receive signed consent from both parties of the couple, agreeing to the release of the 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.

If you do not agree with any part of this policy, I may not be able to provide counselling.

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.

Where I work I offer counselling and supervision both online and face to face in central Edinburgh. My office is on George St. Please get in touch to arrange an initial appointment.

Where I work

I offer counselling and supervision both online and face to face in central Edinburgh. My office is on George St. Please get in touch to arrange an initial appointment.