This privacy notice tells you what to expect me to do with your personal information.

Contact details

Email: carolyn@metaphortherapy.co.uk

What information I collect, use, and why

I collect or use the following information to provide client care and services:

• Name, address and contact details

• Emergency contact details

• Health information (including medical conditions, allergies, medical requirements and medical history)

• Records of meetings and decisions

I collect or use the following personal information to comply with legal requirements:

• Name

• Contact information

• Safeguarding information

I collect or use the following personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims:

• Names and contact details

• Addresses

• Purchase or service history

• Client accounts and records

• Financial transaction information

• Correspondence

Lawful bases and data protection rights

Under UK data protection law, I must have a “lawful basis” for collecting and using your personal information. There is a list of possible lawful bases in the UK GDPR. You can find out more about lawful bases on the ICO’s website.

Which lawful basis I rely on may affect your data protection rights which are set out in brief below. You can find out more about your data protection rights and the exemptions which may apply on the ICO’s website:

• Your right of access - You have the right to ask me for copies of your personal information. You can request other information such as details about where I get personal information from and who I share personal information with. There are some exemptions which means you may not receive all the information you ask for. Read more about the right of access.

• Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask me to correct or delete personal information you think is inaccurate or incomplete. Read more about the right to rectification.

• Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask me to delete your personal information. Read more about the right to erasure.

• Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask me to limit how I can use your personal information. Read more about the right to restriction of processing.

• Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data. Read more about the right to object to processing.

• Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that I transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you. Read more about the right to data portability.

• Your right to withdraw consent – When I use consent as my lawful basis you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. Read more about the right to withdraw consent.

If you make a request, I must respond to you without undue delay and in any event within one month.

To make a data protection rights request, please contact me using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.

My lawful bases for the collection and use of your data

My lawful bases for collecting or using personal information to provide patient care and services, are:

• Consent - I have permission from you after I gave you all the relevant information. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to object. To be clear, you do have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

• Contract – I have to collect or use the information so I can enter into or carry out a contract with you. All of your data protection rights may apply except the right to object.

• Legitimate interests – I’m collecting or using your information because it benefits you, my organisation or someone else, without causing an undue risk of harm to anyone. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to portability. My legitimate interests are:

• Information on clients and individuals enquiring about counselling and psychotherapy is gathered in order to be able to respond appropriately and to deliver counselling and psychotherapy services.

For more information on my use of legitimate interests as a lawful basis you can contact us using the contact details set out above.

My lawful basis for collecting or using personal information for dealing with queries, complaints or claims are:

• Legal obligation – I have to collect or use your information so I can comply with the law. All of your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability.

Where I get personal information from

• Directly from you

How long I keep information

Information is kept for seven years before being securely destroyed.

For more information on how long I store your personal information or the criteria I use to determine this please contact us using the details provided above.

Who I share information with

Others I share personal information with

• Organisations I need to share information with for safeguarding reasons

• Emergency services

Duty of confidentiality

I am subject to a common law duty of confidentiality. However, there are circumstances where I will share relevant health and care information. These are where:

• you’ve provided me with your consent (I have taken it as implied to provide you with care, or you have given it explicitly for other uses);

• I have a legal requirement (including court orders) to collect, share or use the data;

• on a case-by-case basis, the public interest to collect, share and use the data overrides the public interest served by protecting the duty of confidentiality (for example sharing information with the police to support the detection or prevention of serious crime);

• In England or Wales – the requirements of The Health Service (Control of Patient Information) Regulations 2002 are satisfied; or

How to complain

If you have any concerns about my use of your personal data, you can make a complaint to me using the contact details at the top of this privacy notice.

If you remain unhappy with how I’ve used your data after raising a complaint with me, you can also complain to the ICO. My ICO registration number is ZB647296.

The ICO’s address:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

Website: https://www.ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint