Privacy Notice of Helen Brown

This statement confirms how I, Helen Brown of Helen Brown Counselling, use and protect any information that you give to me whilst using this service.

I am committed to safeguarding and protecting your information. If I ask you for any information it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

I may change this policy from time to time, in line with legislation, and to update it. If we have ceased working together and you would like a copy of my up-to-date privacy policy I will provide one on request. I will also update my website (www.helenbrowncounselling.co.uk) and would advise that you check that from time to time to be aware of any changes. This policy is effective from 16 July 2019.

For the purposes of Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulations 2016, Helen Brown is the data controller for Helen Brown Counselling.

Your data

Information I collect: I store your name, telephone number and email address and other personal information that you provide to me. I will also write brief notes of sessions.

How I store information: I keep brief notes recording the themes of our counselling sessions. These are stored in a locked filing cabinet and shredded confidentially 3 years after your counselling sessions end unless agreed otherwise. Any personal information stored online will be kept securely on a password protected computer. Your contact and appointment details will be kept for 7 years after your counselling sessions end and then shredded confidentially unless agreed otherwise. Any emails, texts, WhatsApp messages or other communications will be deleted at any time but not later than one month after receipt unless they form part of your notes or are needed for legal or insurance purposes in which case they will be kept for 7 years as above. Your telephone number will be stored on my mobile phone under your initials or your first name only until your sessions end at which point it will be deleted. If I change telephones then your details will be deleted on the old phone. If any reports are provided on your behalf then these will be stored for 7 years and password protected. I store a note of your appointment in my diary either by first name or by your initials. This is kept for 7 years. At the end of these periods respectively I will confidentially shred all paper copies and I will use a specialist software programme to delete any data stored online. If I should die or become incapacitated then you will be notified and my notes will be confidentially shredded within 3 months.

How I use this information: I will use your contact details to engage in my work with you according to our contract, including contacting you about appointments, keeping records such as appointments, running and maintaining my business. I also keep brief notes of counselling and supervision sessions in order to support me in offering you counselling or supervision. I will not use contact information or your session notes for any other purpose other than in this notice and my contract. If for any reason I am asked to provide a report of the sessions – eg at your request then this will be sent to you, password protected for your approval before it is provided to the person requesting it. It will also be stored for 7 years. I do sometimes use anonymous examples of work to support my training or writing but this will only be done if you have specifically consented to this.

Your rights and Access to Information: You have the right to ask to see any information that I hold about you. Unless prevented from doing so by legal reasons, I will provide this information to you within a month of your request. I am happy to look at this in a session. You also have the right to ask me to change any information that I hold that is incorrect and to ask me to delete any information that I hold about you. I will do this except for any information I need to hold for legal purposes such as my business tax purposes. This does include diary appointments and session notes.

Complaints: If you wish to complain about how I hold your data in any way then in the first instance please contact me, Helen Brown, as the data controller of Helen Brown Counselling at www.helenbrowncounselling.co.uk. If you have any further concerns which are not addressed then you should contact Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/handling/ or 0303 123 1113. 

Breaches: I will report any data breach to the Information Commissioner, to BACP and to yourself within 72 hours if it becomes apparent that any data is stolen. 

Contact: If you wish to contact me with questions, concerns, complaints or request for your information please contact me at Helen Brown, 68 Old Market St, Bristol, BS2 0EJ, helenbrowncounselling@gmail.com, or 07580 425305.

 

Date: 16 July 2019.