GDPR Privacy Policy

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is concerned with the personal information about you that we at Herts and Essex Psychotherapy and Counselling (HET) collect, store, and share. This page details our GDPR policy (previously known as Privacy Policy).  By contacting any of our therapists at HET you are agreeing to the terms and conditions laid out in this GDPR policy.  The point of contact for any questions or concerns around our GDPR policy should be directed to Saira Plane at saira@handetherapy.co.uk 

PERSONAL INFORMATION WE WILL COLLECT FROM HET WEBSITE CONTACT FORMS

·        Your name

·        Your email address

·        The nature of your enquiry

PERSONAL INFORMATION WE MAY COLLECT FROM ONLINE/TELEPHONE CONTACT AND / OR DURING THE COURSE OF YOUR THERAPEUTIC TREATMENT

 ·        Your name

·        Your email address

·        Your phone number

·        The nature of your enquiry

·        Gender identity.

·        Religion / Ethnicity / Country of birth

·        Sexuality

·        Date of birth

·        Relationships and family (past and present)

·        Occupation and education.

·        Home address

·        Previous experience of mental health treatment / diagnosis

·        Doctors name and contact details

·        Medical conditions.

·        Prescribed medication.

·        Difficulties

·        Session summaries

 

HOW WE WILL STORE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

  • Paper: Written notes remain entirely anonymous and may either be securely filed in a locked filing cabinet (or equivalent) or will be completely destroyed in a confidential manner after notes are transferred to an electronic storage form.

  • Laptops / Personal Computers: Written notes may be kept on a secured personal laptop or personal computer. The device will require passwords to access your individual information. The electronic device will be checked regularly for viruses and the therapist will take every reasonable precaution to protect your personal information.

  • Mobile Phone: We may store your contact telephone number for the duration of your treatment along with any text messages or WhatsApp messages which we may exchange.

  • Email: Your email address and email correspondence will be stored securely in our email accounts (Gmail).

  • Website: None of your personal information is stored on the HET website, other than to momentarily collect & send it to our email accounts for the purposes of initial contact.

 

HOW WE MAY PROCESS/SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION.

Your contact details and personal information will never be shared with outside parties apart from the exemptions below:

Supervision

In compliance with our accrediting organisation (BACP), all the therapists at HET are required to attend regular supervision sessions with a suitably qualified therapeutic supervisor.  Although aspects of your case will be discussed, your full name and contact details will not be revealed.  All our therapeutic supervisors are bound by similar confidentiality and GDPR policies. 

Therapeutic Will

All the therapists at HET are required to have a therapeutic will.  In the event of your therapists death, hospitalisation or similar of a close relative of theirs or another emergency, your therapists Therapeutic Executor will make contact to inform you of the situation and advise you of your options. 

Breaking Confidentiality

If we believe yours or another person (or group of people’s) safety is at significant risk, we may contact the suitable authority without your permission.  This includes your doctor, the emergency services and the mental health crisis team.

We are also required by law to pass on information relating to acts of terrorism and ongoing abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult.  We will at all times attempt to gain your permission before breaking confidentiality in these instances however we retain the right to do so without your consent.

 

ERASING YOUR INFORMATION.

All the information we hold about you (detailed under “Personal Information We May Collect From Telephone Contact And / Or During The Course Of Your Therapeutic Sessions”) Will be held for a maximum of 4 years after your final session at HET (or from the last point of contact if you choose not to go ahead with treatment).  Your telephone number will be erased from our mobile phones within four weeks of your final session.     

 

YOUR RIGHTS

You have the following rights...

·        To be informed what information we hold (i.e. this document).

·        To see the information we hold about you (free of charge for the initial request and then £5 for every additional request).

·        To rectify any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

·        To withdraw consent to me using your personal information.

·        To request that some or all of your personal information be erased (though we can decline whilst the information is needed for us to practice lawfully & competently).

    If you have any questions, or would like to enquire about a session, please contact us.