Who we are
Counselling Insight is a trading name of Spellings Business Services Ltd Registered in England company number 3107152
Our website address is: https://www.counsellinginsight.co.uk.
Cookies
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
How we store and use your personal data
To fulfil my responsibilities as a counsellor, I need to record your personal information. This includes the information you put on your contract and notes that I take, including assessment notes, medical history, and aspects of your personal social and family history that you choose to share with me. I am registered with the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office).
Your contact details are only used:
- To contact you
- To contact your GP in the event of serious risk as outlined in our contract
- In the unlikely event that I am incapacitated, my professional executor (who would be responsible for dealing with clients if I were suddenly unable to work) will be provided with a file containing your first name and your telephone number. She, like me, is bound to keep this data safe under GDPR.
Your personal Information:
- Is stored in a locked cabinet – your identifiable contact details are stored separately to your other personal information.
- I protect your identity using an identifying code in relation to notes taken during assessment and during our sessions. These are stored separately in a locked cabinet.
- Your mobile number will be stored on my phone until our counselling relationship ends. I will then delete it.
- If we agree to communicate by email or text, these records may be kept for the same duration as counselling notes.
- My mobile iPhone is a smart phone and it will store your phone number, texts and emails, but they are password protected and very difficult to access. Your details are stored in the cloud and can be restored if lost or stolen.
- Is held for a period of 7 years after the cessation of our counselling relationship, except where there is a mutually agreed decision to retain it for longer or where I believe it is in my best professional interests to do so.
- Notes from our session may be shared to legitimate third parties under the following conditions:
- A request from you or your representative, where the release of the notes is not deemed by me as likely to cause you significant harm or harm to another person.
- Where there is a specific legal requirement for me to do so.
- Where there is an ethical duty for me to do so, for example, to avoid serious harm to yourself or another person, including the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
Data Protection Rights
Under the General Data Protection Regulations 2018, you have certain rights. These are:
- You can see your notes. This is facilitated by making a formal request.
- To ask for information that you believe to be inaccurate to be rectified.
- If I become aware that your personal information has been accidently or maliciously obtained by a third party, I will notify you within three days.
- If you are unhappy about the way your information is held, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office.
- Records are kept for 7 years after termination of therapy and then destroyed.
- Having your records amended (change of name and address)
- In the case of clients under 18, records are kept for 7 years after the child turns 18 years of age.
Erasure of Data
Under GDPR you can request your data be erased. However, there are exceptions to this:
- In the case of counselling records, insurance companies and ethical bodies ask for records to be available for the period of time as outlined above.
- By signing our engagement contract, you are agreeing to having your records kept for 7 years after the termination of therapy.
- In the case of young people, up the age of 25 years of age for a minor (18+7)