Data Protection Policy
The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Oakbank Counselling Services (OBCS) conducts its business practices in a manner compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018 and their principles, to ensure that all personal data is suitably protected, secure, accurate and up-to-date at all times and is only used in a manner for which it was intended.
The objective of this policy is to protect the rights of individuals with regards to the personal information known and held about them by OBCS, in the course of therapeutic practices, and ensure that OBCS is compliant with relevant Data Protection laws.
The guiding principles behind Data Protection of Personal Data, which are to ensure:
Confidentiality – That Personal Data will be handled with due regard to its sensitivity and appropriate security measures put in place to maintain its confidentiality
Integrity – That the Personal Data which is held by OBCS is up to date, accurate and can be relied upon.
Availability – That the Personal Data will be available to the data subject when they require the information.
This policy is therefore in place to ensure regulatory and legal compliance at all times with regards to handling and processing personal data
OBCS is committed to complying with the terms of the GDPR and to the responsible and secure use of your data. OBCS has a legitimate interest in processing personal data to provide counselling services
The purpose of this statement is to let you know what personal information OBCS collects and holds, why we collect this data, how long it is stored for and your rights over your personal data.
OBCS is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under reference 00010391450
Information about you
OBCS collects personal information from you whenever you enquire about our counselling services to set up an initial appointment. This information includes contact details, your availability and other relevant personal information. Once a client finishes counselling, all data regarding their counselling is stored securely for 3 years (in the case of adults) and for 6 years beyond their eighteenth birthday (in the case of children and young people). It is then destroyed.
When you enquire about counselling, we ask for contact details and relevant personal information from you that is needed to answer your enquiries and keep you informed.
Our use of this information
Your data will be used only to provide you with OBCS services and to give you information relating to OBCS services
OBCS will not share your details with any other person or organisation without your knowledge and permission unless there is a legal requirement to so, or safeguarding concerns arise as set out in our initial working agreement.
A breach of confidentiality is when a person shares information with another in circumstances where it is reasonable to expect that the information will be kept confidential. In the event that a breach of confidentiality occurs OBCS will notify the person or persons affected by the breach and the ICO at the earliest possible opportunity.
Security
OBCS will take all reasonable precautions to prevent loss, misuse or alteration of information you give to us
Communications in connection with this service may be sent by email. For ease of use and compatibility, communications will not be sent in an encrypted form unless you require it and give OBCS permission to communicate with you in that way. Email, unless encrypted, is not a fully secure means of communication. Whilst OBCS endeavour to keep our systems and communications protected against viruses and other harmful effects, we cannot bear responsibility for all communications being virus free
Your rights over your personal data
If you would like to see the information that we hold about you, or would like to correct, update or delete any records, please email OBCS at johurcombe.OBCS@protonmail.com
If you have any concerns about the use of your data, please contact me, Jo Hurcombe directly at johurcombe.OBCS@protonmail.com. I will do my utmost to resolve any concerns you have. If for any reason I cannot resolve the issues you raise, you may choose to contact the ICO directly.