Privacy Statement
Your privacy
Your privacy is very important to me. I will keep your personal information safe and secure and only use it for the purposes for which it was provided.
I comply with UK data protection law, including the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.
I am the data controller responsible for the personal information I hold about you. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) Reg: ZB951582
If you have any questions about how I use your information, please contact me
Email: loubaker.therapy@hotmail.com
Information I collect and why
When you first contact me, I may collect information needed to respond to your enquiry and provide counselling. This may include your name and contact details, When we begin counselling I provide you with a counselling agreement and will also collect emergency contact, GP details and relevant health information for safeguarding purposes.
During counselling, I may keep brief notes about our sessions and information necessary to provide a safe and appropriate service.
I process your information because it is necessary to provide counselling services and, where appropriate, on the basis of your consent or legitimate interests. Health information is treated as special category data and is handled with additional care and security.
Confidentiality
What you discuss with me is confidential, subject to certain exceptions. I may need to share information if:
I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else.
I have safeguarding concerns about a child or vulnerable adult.
I believe a serious crime may have been committed or is likely to occur.
I am required to disclose information by law, for example through a court order.
Where possible, I will discuss any proposed disclosure with you first, unless doing so would increase the risk of harm or is prevented by law.
How I store your information
Your personal information and counselling notes are stored securely on encrypted devices and in secure files. I do not routinely share your information with third parties.
Text messages and emails are normally deleted within 3 months after counselling ends, unless they contain information that needs to be retained as part of your counselling record.
Your counselling records are kept for 3 years after our contact ends and are then securely destroyed. If you would like your information deleted sooner, please contact me. Some information may need to be retained where there is a legal reason to do so.
Your rights
Under data protection law, you have rights including the right to:
Ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you. (At the point of asking I will require written confirmation of the information requested and how it will be used and I will get Legal guidance before I share any records.)
Ask me to correct inaccurate information.
Ask me to delete or restrict the use of your information in certain circumstances.
Object to certain types of processing.
To make a request, please email loubaker.therapy@hotmail.com.
You can find more information about your data protection rights on the Information Commisioners website: www.ico.org.uk/your-data-matters.
Data security
I take the security of your personal information seriously. I use encrypted devices and secure storage to protect your information from unauthorised access, loss or misuse.
Complaints
If you have any concerns about how I handle your personal information, please contact me first. I welcome the opportunity to resolve any concerns.
You can also contact the ICO which regulates data protection in the UK.
Website visitors
My website is hosted by Squarespace. When you visit the website, standard technical information may be collected, such as visitor numbers and website usage. This information is used to help maintain and improve the website and is not intended to identify individual visitors.
If you submit a form through my website, the information you provide may be temporarily stored by the website host before being sent to me. I will then handle it in accordance with this privacy notice.