I have checked on the governments website https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/uk-gdpr-guidance-and-resources/ and while I have no legal obligations in this area, I do have an ethical duty to adhere to the principles of the legislation, and I am happy to do so.

Counselling and psychotherapy is a confidential activity. I do not share clients’ personal data with others. The exception being that if I believe that a client is at risk of seriously harming themselves, or someone else then I reserve the right to break confidentiality in order to prevent harm. The other exception is that if I am ordered to by a court of law, then I would have to. This would be following a court order, signed by a judge. The police or anyone else have no right to obtain details of my clients without a signed court order.

So what information do I store? Your name, address, phone number and that of your General Practitioner are noted on paper and kept locked away separately from all other paperwork.

I do keep notes about my sessions with clients, and these are not identifiable by name, just a code that only I know. These notes are again stored on paper and are kept locked away separately. I do not keep any client records stored electronically. However clients’ phone numbers and their first name are stored on my phone and if you email me then your email address will be recorded within the hard drive of my lap top.

Client’s may withdraw consent for me to hold the above information at any time and may ask for any information I hold to be sent to them. I have a duty to comply with any such request within one month.