Services:
To use these services you must:
-be over 18 years of age OR be 14 – 17 years of age and have permission from a legal guardian
-declare any previous therapy or psychiatric care
-declare any medications and any drug or alcohol dependency or abuse, any other addictions
Sessions:
Session times are made in advance of the session and will be 60 minutes starting at the agreed time, unless otherwise arranged. If you cannot make the agreed appointment and give at least 24 hours notice, you will not be charged
for sessions. Sessions cancelled less than 24 hours before appointments may be charged at the standard rate. Payments for sessions must be received in cash during the session or paid at least 24 hours in advance by BACs transfer
or PayPal
Additional Support:
If you require support between sessions, this can, by agreement, be supplied in either telephone or email format. This is chargeable. Please view the main website or ask for current rates.
Confidentiality:
Counsellors keep brief notes to help them remember the important facts about your situation. Notes are kept on a secure, password protected laptop, accessible only by the counsellor.
Any information about you will not be passed to anyone outside the service (such as parents, or other professionals) without permission. You have the right to request personal data about you at any time. There are three possible exceptions to this rule:
-Where you give us expressed consent to disclose information (such as for a GP).
-Where the law requires us to break confidentiality (we are talking about serious crime such as terrorism and drug-trafficking and child abuse rather than misdemeanours).
-If you give us information that leads us to believe that you or someone else is at serious and imminent risk of harm then we may take steps to minimise this danger.
-Any action would usually be discussed with you first. It is important to emphasise that no one will be told who does not need to know.
Data Protection:
Any data relating to you will be kept for the length of sessions and destroyed 6 months after sessions end unless you specifically request data be kept for longer. Your phone number, identifiable only by your first name, will be
stored on the counsellor’s mobile phone in case of cancellations. Invoices will be kept for 7 years for tax purposes.
Supervision
All counsellors are required to receive professional clinical supervision for their work to ensure quality of practice. Your sessions (but not your identify) will be discussed in supervision, which is
confidential and undertaken with an experienced practitioner.
Privacy Policy:
A Norman Counselling Services is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and is committed to complying with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). A Norman Counselling Services has a legitimate interest
in processing personal data in order to provide services. The purpose of this statement is to let you know what personal information we collect and hold, why this data is collected and how long it is kept for. This policy also outlines
your rights over your personal data.
1. Information about you
1.1 When you make an enquiry about counselling services, workshops or events, we collect personal information from you in order to arrange an initial consultation or to provide information to you as requested. 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 6 months and then destroyed unless the client specifically request the data be saved for longer. All financial records relating to invoicing of services are stored securely for 7 years and then destroyed. All data pertaining to anyone enquiring about services but who does not use them will have all personal information destroyed after 3 months from the last date of contact.
2. Our use of this information
2.1 Your personal information will be used only to provide you with our services and to give you information relating to our services. We will not share your personal details with any other person or organisation without your knowledge and permission, unless there is a legal requirement, if there is a child or adult safeguarding issue, or a perceived risk of harm. 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.
2.2 If you are receiving services through an external source such as case management, some details of your session relevant to the wider support services you are receiving may be shared with the case manager with your permission.
3. Security
3.1 We will take all reasonable precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of information you give us.
3.2 Communications in connection with this service may be sent by e-mail. Daily correspondence will not be sent in an encrypted form. If case notes or financial details are being shared, an encrypted account will be used. E-mail, unless encrypted, is not a fully secure means of communication. Whilst we endeavour to keep our systems and communications protected against viruses and other harmful effects, we cannot bear responsibility for all communications being virus-free.
4. Your rights over your personal data
4.1 If you would like to see the information we hold about you, or would like to correct, update or delete any records, or if you have any concerns about our use of your data, please email us at anormancounsellingservices@gmail.com. We will work with you to resolve any issues or concerns you may have, but if these are not resolved to your satisfaction, you may choose to contact the ICO.