Privacy Notice For David Tidsall Psychotherpay and Counselling in Buckinghamshire
David Tidsall
MSc Psychotherapy, PTSTA(P), CTA(P), UKCP Registered Psychotherapist and BACP accredited.
Catmint Cottage
Cryers Hill Lane
Cryers Hill Buckinghamshire HP15 6AA
Telephone: 01494 711556
Email: david.tidsall@btinternet.com
GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATIONS (’GDPR’)
PRIVACY NOTICE.
This Privacy Notice sets out what personal data I keep and why, how I receive such data, how I keep it and for how long I keep it, and with whom I share it. These activities all take place in the context of my role as a psychotherapist counsellor coach or supervisor in private practice. As a professional in any of these roles I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (‘ICO’).
Personal Data that I hold and why I hold this.
I hold your name, address and contact details, such as telephone numbers and email addresses, date of birth and GP contact details. Please advise me of any change in these details so that I can keep my records up to date and accurate. I take brief hand written notes of our sessions, which cover date of session and a short description of the session. These are stored securely in my office as described below.
Please note; if you communicate with me by email or other electronic means then I will also collect the details and content of such emails or other means.
I use your contact details contractually to fulfil my obligations to you by making contact with you about my services and to respond to your contact with me, for example to make arrangements about our session appointments.
I hold session notes in the legitimate interest of assisting me, as an aide to memory, in providing the services related to my roles as set out above.
I keep details of the dates and times of our sessions together on my electronic diary, which is held on my computer phone and tablet. I use you initials to record this data. I use this data to keep accurate records for the times we have agreed to meet, to assist me in providing the basis information for drawing up my annual accounts and in meeting my obligations to the professional organisations to which I belong.
If you choose to pay for your sessions by electronic means for example BACS then I will have records of your name on my bank statements.
How I receive Personal Data.
I receive the personal data set out above directly from you or as a result of our sessions together. If I receive any other information from a third party then I will inform you of such at our next session appointment or as soon as I can within a month of receiving such communication.
How I keep you Personal Data
I keep you name address and contact details in electronic form stored on my computer, telephone and tablet. Each of these devices is password protected and only used by myself. These devices are synchronised through Apple iCloud, which stores data in an encrypted format. My account with iCloud is also password protected.
I also keep my diary on my computer phone and tablet. I make our appointment entries in this using you initials only. Periodically I print off my weekly diary as part of my accounting records.
I print my bank statements periodically and keep them with my accounting records, which are securely store in a locked filling cabinet in my office.
All other information, for example session notes, is stored in hand written paper format and, with regard to session notes I only use your first name. This information is kept securely and separately in my office in a separate locked filing cabinet
How long I keep your Personal Data.
Generally I keep your personal data in electronic and hand written formats for 3 year from the end of our work together. At the end of these three years I delete the electronic records and destroy the paper and hand written records. This is subject to the following:
Any record of your name or initials in my accounting records is kept for a period of 6 years. I am required by law to keep such records.
With whom I share information
I accordance with good practice I share your name and contact details with my professional executors. These persons would contact you in the event of my death or being unable to work and unable to contact you myself. These details are regularly updated. My professional executor deletes them as soon as our work together has ended or as soon as my executor no longer needs them to keep you contact details in order to communicate with you in the event of my incapacity or death.
Our confidentiality agreement and my arrangements for my work to be regularly supervised are set out in the administrative contract we sign at the beginning of our work together. They are included here as part of this notice:
Confidentiality
The content and records of our sessions will be kept confidential except in the following circumstances;
a.
Where you agree in writing to the release of information.
b.
Where I am required to make disclosure of information in accordance with the Law.
c.
Where a matter is of such importance that I fear you may harm yourself or others (including criminal activity). In such matters I will use my reasonable endeavours to obtain your consent to action that I think appropriate for you or I to take. If I am unable to obtain your consent then I will inform you of the action I intend to take.
3. Supervision
My work with all clients is regularly supervised. I have supervision in groups, with peers and in individual settings. Your identity will be withheld in such supervision sessions and confidentiality will be maintained as set out in 2 above.
If I am asked to share information about you by a third party outside of the terms of our confidentiality agreement I will only do so with your written consent. I will keep a record of your written consents separately from my notes of our sessions.
Your rights Under GDPR
You are entitled to view, amend, restrict or delete your personal data held by me.
Changes to this Privacy Notice
I review this policy from time to time to ensure it continues to reflect what personal data I hold and how I use it under the headings set out above. I will advise you of any changes I make to this notice.
