Privacy Policy
Data Controller / Vilma Farquharson , BACP Registered Counsellor/Psychotherapist , email: admin@vilmacounsellingpractice.co.uk. I am the Data Controller responsible for your personal information.
Collected Personal Data/ I may collect and process the following information : name, telephone number, email address, postal address, date of birth, emergency details, GP details, information about your health and wellbeing, risk and safeguarding information where relevant, information you share during the sessions, appointment records, payment and invoicing information, correspondence between us. Clinical records: As part of providing the service, I maintain brief clinical notes and record relating to our work together. These records are kept securely and contain only necessary information.
Purpose of collecting data /I use your information to respond to enquires, arrange and manage appointments, provide the counselling service, maintain appropriate clinical records, meet professional and ethical obligations, manage billing and admin, protect the welfare of the clients, comply with legal requirements.
Lawful Basis for Processing / Under the UK GDPR I process your process your personal information on the following lawful basis:
Contract / Processing is necessary to provide counselling or psychotherapy services requested by you.
Legitimate Interests /Processing is necessary for the management and operation of my practice, including maintaining records and arranging appointments.
Legal Obligation / Processing may be required to comply with legal or regulatory obligations.
Health and Social Care /As a psychotherapist, I process special category data relating to health under Article 9(2)(h) of the UK GDPR for the provision of health and social care services.
Vital Interests/ In exceptional circumstances, information may be processed or shared to protect someone’s life or safety.
Confidentiality /Confidentiality is a fundamental part of psychotherapy.
Information shared during therapy will be treated as confidential except in circumstances where:There is a serious risk of harm to yourself or another person. There are safeguarding concerns involving a child or vulnerable adult. Disclosure is required by law. A court orders disclosure. Professional consultation or supervision is required. Where possible, I will discuss any need to share information with you before doing so.
Clinical Supervision /As required by the BACP Ethical Framework, I engage in regular clinical supervision to support safe and ethical practice.Client work may be discussed with my clinical supervisor; however, identifying details are kept to a minimum and confidentiality is maintained. Supervisors are also bound by professional and ethical confidentiality requirements.
How Your Information Is Stored /Your information is stored securely using appropriate technical and organisational measures. This may include: Password-protected electronic records. Encrypted devices and secure cloud storage. Locked filing systems for any paper records. Reasonable steps are taken to protect information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access or disclosure.
Online Therapy and Electronic Communications /If therapy is conducted online or if we communicate electronically, reasonable measures are taken to protect confidentiality. However, no electronic transmission can be guaranteed to be completely secure. By choosing to communicate via email, text message, telephone or online video platforms, you acknowledge the inherent security risks associated with these methods.
Retention of Records In accordance with professional guidance and insurance requirements, client records are normally retained for seven years after therapy ends.After the retention period has expired, records are securely destroyed.
Sharing Your Information /Your information will not be sold or shared for marketing purposes.Information may be shared only where necessary:
Your Rights/ Under data protection law, you have the right to: Request access to your personal information.Request correction of inaccurate information.Request deletion of information in certain circumstances.Request restriction of processing.Object to processing where applicable.Request a copy of information you have provided.Withdraw consent where consent is relied upon.Please note that some rights may be limited where records must be retained for legal, ethical or professional reasons.
Website, Cookies and Contact Forms/If you use the contact form on this website, the information you provide will be used solely for responding to your enquiry and assessing whether I am able to offer services that meet your needs.This website may use essential cookies and analytics cookies. Where required, consent will be obtained before non-essential cookies are used.
Complaints/If you have concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact me in the first instance.You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office:Information Commissioner’s OfficeTelephone: 0303 123 1113Website: ICO WebsiteChanges to This Privacy Policyhis Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect legal, regulatory or professional changes. The latest version will always be available on this website.