Fiona Hanlon Counselling is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains how I collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018.
Data I Collect
Contact Details: Name, address, phone number, email address
Initial Assessment/Referral Information: Details about why you are seeking therapy.
Clinical Notes: Brief notes on sessions, stored separately from identifying information.
Administrative Records: Emails, text messages, billing information.
Special Category Data: Health information, relevant personal history. Your therapist uses various measures in order to gauge your response to treatment. If you are happy to do so, you will be asked to fill out some brief questionnaires before and after therapy sessions. These questionnaires help the therapist understand your needs, your past and present strengths and how best to help.
Your personal details and the information from the questionnaires will be treated as strictly confidential and in accordance with the terms of the data protection legislation. With your permission, the anonymised data from the questionnaires will be transferred to a secure database to be used for service evaluation and research.
Lawful Basis for Processing
Contract: To provide counselling services to you.
Legal Obligation: To meet professional or legal requirements.
Legitimate Interests: To maintain records for safety and professional practice.
How Data is Stored
All paper records are stored in a locked filing cabinet. Electronic files are kept on a password-protected, encrypted device. Client notes are kept anonymously (coded) and separated from personal contact details.
Confidentiality and Sharing
Your data is not sold or shared with third parties, except in the following circumstances: Supervision: I discuss my work with a supervisor to ensure quality, but I do not reveal your identity. Risk: If I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else, I may be legally or ethically obliged to contact your GP or relevant authorities. Legal: A court order requires me to share information.
Data Retention
Client records are destroyed 7 years after the end of therapy.
Your Rights
You have the right to request access to the information I hold about you, request corrections, or ask for your data to be deleted.
Data Controller & ICO Registration
Fiona Hanlon is the Data Controller. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
If you have concerns about the accuracy or management of your personal information, please tell your therapist. If you are not satisfied with their response, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office Tel: 0303 123 1113) and/or Human Givens Institute.
Feedback and complaints
Please feel free to feedback directly to me on any therapy-related result or change you may notice. You can do this in person in our session together, or afterwards by email or by text. If you feel your comments require a conversation with me directly, please email so we can get a feedback meeting scheduled on Zoom, Facetime, Skype or phone (usually 15-20 minutes).
I’m open to and grateful for all feedback. It helps me to stay aware of how best to support you as an individual in your unique life situation. It also supports me to continue to improve the therapy I supply going forward. In the first instance, please get in touch by:
Telephone: 07879 585 742
Email: fionaclarecounselling@gmail.com
You may also feedback to Human Givens Institute. Their Code of Ethics and Conduct, and how to feedback can be viewed on their website.
How to complain
If you have any concerns about my use of your personal information, you can make a complaint to me at fionaclarecounselling@gmail.com.
I will send you a written acknowledgement within 30 days, make every effort to resolve the matter within three months and inform you of the outcome. As required by the law, I will keep a record of your complaint for six years.
You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how I have used your data or if you are not happy with how I have attempted to resolve your complaint. Contact them at:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Helpline number: 0303 123 1113
ICO website: https://ico.org.uk.