Grace and Faith Counselling

Privacy Notice

Your privacy and confidentiality are important to me. As an accredited member of the Association of Christian Counsellors (ACC), I am committed to respecting your privacy and protecting the personal information you share with me.

I operate Grace and Faith Counselling as a sole trader and am registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) as a data controller.

What information do I collect?

I collect information directly from you, including your name, contact details, date of birth, relevant personal circumstances and information you share during counselling. I also request your GP's details in case they are needed in exceptional circumstances.

I maintain brief, confidential notes of counselling sessions.

Why do I need this information?

Your information enables me to arrange appointments, communicate with you, provide counselling and maintain appropriate professional records.

The legal basis for using information necessary to provide counselling is generally the performance of our counselling agreement under UK GDPR Article 6(1)(b). Sensitive information is processed for counselling purposes under the applicable additional data protection requirements.

How is your information protected?

Your counselling agreement and personal information are stored electronically in a password-protected Microsoft OneDrive folder. Counselling notes are kept in a password-protected Microsoft Access database, with a secure backup.

I use electronic services for appointment booking, communication and secure record storage. These providers may process information on my behalf.

Will your information be shared?

Your information is confidential and will not ordinarily be shared without your permission.

Exceptions may arise where disclosure is required by law or necessary to address serious safeguarding concerns. Counselling work may also be discussed in professional supervision, with care taken to protect your identity.

How long is your information kept?

Counselling records and associated documents are normally retained for five years after your final counselling session, after which they are securely deleted unless there is a legal requirement to retain them longer.

What are your rights?

You have the right to request access to your personal information, ask for inaccuracies to be corrected and, in certain circumstances, request its deletion or restriction of use. You may also have the right to object to certain processing and to data portability.

If you have questions or concerns about your information, please contact me using the details on this website.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).