Privacy Policy
1. Why do we collect your data?
We request information about you to provide you with psychological assessment and treatment. It also enables us to provide a safe and professional service. It is your choice whether you share information with us, however, in many cases we may not be able to offer you a service if you do not.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) which originates from the Data Protection Act looks to ensure that personal data is protected and respected. We are committed to ensure that any personal information we obtain from you is safeguarded and protected against misuse. This policy outlines how we are committed to comply with GDPR in regard to any information we may have about you.
When you contact us via email, telephone, website or other means (such as a third-party referrer) we may keep a record of this. We will request some personal information to be able to make initial contact with you, to ultimately enable us to offer you our services. We will only use your personal information to provide the services you have requested from us.
2. What information will we ask for?
We will request personal details including (but not limited to):
· Name
· Demographic information (e.g. date of birth)
· GP
· Contact details (e.g. email, telephone, address)
· Next of kin
· Personal history
· Presenting issues
· Social Context
· Financial information, including bank account details (if you are a self-funded client)
· Prior psychological interventions
· Signed therapy/ GDPR contract
· Completed outcome measures
· Your review of our service
In addition to the personal information above, we may also collect sensitive information including whether you or others are at risk of harm. This is so that we can uphold our duty of care for ensuring your safety and the safety of others.
Supervisees
We will only use the information you provide to support your supervision. Data collected about you (in addition to the above) may include:
· Employment history
· Professional registration details
· Information regarding previous supervision
3. How do we store the data we request?
Personal data is stored securely and incompliant with GDPR guidelines. Notes will be password protected and encrypted where possible when stored electronically. Any paper notes will be filed and stored in a locked filing cabinet with restricted access.
We do not keep information about you any longer than is necessary. Data is retained for a period of 7 years in accordance with the guidelines and requirements for record keeping by The British Psychological Society (BPS; 2000) [1] and The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC; 2017) [2]. We delete or securely destroy all personal data when it is no longer required.
4. How do we use the data we collect, and who do we share information with?
Data is used solely for the purpose of being able to deliver the best possible psychological assessment and treatment. This includes liaison with others involved in your care, where relevant, and with your consent. We may use your data for any reports that are requested by you.
If any of your personal data is required by a third party (like your GP or your medical insurer or any other health professional involved in your care) we will ensure that you consent to this. We will also ensure that your personal data is handled safely, securely, and in accordance with your rights, our obligations, and the third party’s obligations under the law.
In some limited circumstances, we may be legally required to share certain personal data if you are involved in legal proceedings or to comply with legal obligations, a court order, or the instructions of a government authority.
We may also share information if it is in the public interest to do so. This means that disclosing information might be necessary to prevent a serious crime or serious harm to yourself or others.
All our team are required to undergo formal supervision, as recommended by our governing body (the Health and Care Professions Council). As part of these sessions your data may be discussed with the supervisor, who will be a qualified practitioner psychologist operating under terms of confidentiality.
5. How can you access your information?
You have the right to access the information we hold about you, and you can make a request for this information by contacting us at info@mindtomindtherapies.co.uk. Data will usually be shared with you within 30 days of receiving a request. Further evidence from you to check your identity might be requested. A copy of your personal information will usually be sent to you in a permanent form (that is, a printed copy) and there may be an admin fee for supplying the information to you.
You have the right to correct your personal information if it is inaccurate. You have the right to ask us to delete records and data we may have of you. However, there may be some limitations due to our need to comply with statutory or regulatory requirements for retaining data.
6. Privacy
In order for you to work safely and effectively with a psychologist, it is important that the privacy of the work is respected. Please do not attempt to record your psychology sessions using any device or app. If it is found that recordings have been made covertly, therapy services for the individual responsible will be discontinued immediately, and we reserve the right to seek legal advice in this eventuality.
7. Website cookies
Our website uses cookies. A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. Cookies are used to help us to identify and track visitors and their website access preferences. Website visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using this website. We will only collect the information needed so that we can provide you with the services you require, we do not sell or broker your data.
8. What if I am unhappy with the way my data is handled?
We hope that you will be happy with the way we manage your data, however, if you have any concerns, please notify the Data Controllers at Mind to Mind Therapies by email at info@mindtomindtherapies.co.uk.
If you feel that we have not complied with data protection laws, you have a right to make a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Their details can be found at www.ico.org.uk
9. Reviews
We may ask you to review our service, so that we can make improvements based on your feedback. We may also ask you to provide a testimonial about our service for anyone visiting the website to see. This is not mandatory and it will not impact upon your care if you decide not to leave a review. We will not ask you to share identifying information in your review. Should you leave a review, but later change your mind, we would encourage you to notify us at Mind to Mind Therapies, so that your review can be removed from the website.
10. Changes to the policy
We reserve the right to amend and make changes to this policy and those receiving services from Mind to Mind Therapies will be directed to these changes as they occur.
Further information regarding GDPR regulations can be found at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation
Or: