Privacy Policy

Data Controller
The term data controller simply refers to the person or organisation responsible for collecting, storing, and looking after personal information. In this case, that responsibility sits with me.

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under registration number ZC095393.

How I lawfully use and protect your personal information
The law (GDPR) requires me to have a clear and lawful reason for holding and using your personal information. This can vary depending on where you are in your contact or work with me, and I’ve explained this below as simply as possible.

If you have previously had counselling with me and your therapy has now ended, I rely on what is called legitimate interest as my lawful reason for keeping and using your personal information where appropriate.

If you are currently attending counselling, or you are in touch with me to explore whether therapy is right for you, I use your personal information because it is necessary to support our work together and form part of our agreement to provide counselling.

Sometimes, you may choose to share more sensitive information with me as part of your therapy. This is known as special category personal information. The law places extra importance on protecting this type of information, and I take this responsibility very seriously. I process this information only because it is necessary to provide counselling and to fulfil our professional agreement, always with your care, privacy, and wellbeing in mind.

How I use your information

Initial contact
When you get in touch with me to ask about my counselling services, I will collect a small amount of information so I can respond to your enquiry and understand how best to help. This will include your name and email address. Sometimes, your GP or another healthcare professional may share your details with me as part of a referral.

If you decide that counselling is not right for you, I will securely delete any personal information you have shared within 7 days. If you would prefer this information to be deleted sooner, just let me know and I will be happy to do so.

Confidentiality

I take confidentiality very seriously. I will not share anything we discuss with anyone else, unless there is a risk to your safety, someone else’s safety, or a child’s safety. In these situations, I am legally and ethically required to share information, but I will always try to talk this through with you first. Sometimes this may not be possible, because the most important priority is keeping everyone safe. As a counsellor, I have a professional and legal duty to act if someone is at risk of serious harm. This can include calling 999 (or your local emergency services) if there is an immediate danger.

Collected Personal Data
I collect basic contact information for individuals I work with, including telephone numbers and email addresses. This information is used solely to maintain communication during the course of our work together and is given to me directly from the client. I keep very brief notes for my counselling work. These are short notes written as simple reminders for me and they do not contain your name or any personal details.

In order to meet the registration requirements of my professional body—NCPS, I also maintain a record of the number of counselling and sessions I provide. These records do not include identifiable details and are limited to initials and numerical data.

I store contact details and my counselling notes on an external hard drive. These documents are password protected and are only accessed by me. The hard drive is kept in a secure digital safe, which only I have the access code for, and this is stored in my home. I do not keep any paper copies.

Purpose of collecting data

I keep client contact details and counselling or supervision notes for up to seven years after our work together has ended. This is in line with professional guidance by NCPS and allows me to: respond to any later concerns or complaints, meet insurance requirements and comply with professional standards and accountability. After this period, all records are securely deleted or destroyed so that they can no longer be accessed. If you want me to delete your information sooner than this, please tell me.

The type of information I hold

I may collect the following information:

Your name and contact details (including email, postal address, and phone number)

Your date of birth

Payment information

Medical History

Emergency contact

Notes from any counselling sessions you attend.

Your information and your rights
I want you to feel comfortable and informed about how your personal information is looked after. I aim to be as open and transparent as possible, and you are always welcome to ask questions about anything you’re unsure of.

You have the right to ask me to delete your personal information, to limit how it is used, or, in some situations, to ask me to stop using it altogether. You can also request a copy of any information I hold about you and, where appropriate, raise any concerns about how your information is being used.

If I do hold personal information about you, I will always be happy to:

explain what information I hold and how I received it
explain why I am holding it, how long I plan to keep it, and how I make these decisions
let you know who the information might be shared with, if anyone
provide you with a clear and easy-to-understand copy of the information

If anything I hold about you doesn’t feel quite right, you can ask me at any time to correct or update it.

If you would like to see, change, or delete your personal information, please make your request in writing and send it to gemmamoore25@outlook.com. You can also read more about your rights at ico.org.uk/your-data-matters.

Looking after your data and raising concerns
If you ever have any questions or worries about how your personal information is cared for, please don’t hesitate to contact me using the details above. I welcome feedback and suggestions, as they help me improve how I protect your privacy.

If you feel you need to make a formal complaint, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), which is responsible for overseeing data protection in the UK. More information is available at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.