Legal stuff

Data Protection/Usage Statement and other legal matters

The following information is required by the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR).

1. All personal information recorded or heard during any one-to-one treatment sessions is entirely confidential, and will not be released to any third party without your direct consent. If you want me to share treatment notes with other therapists (including doctors) or insurance companies, please ensure I have a clear idea of your requirements.
2. For security, treatment notes are stored on a single paper copy with no electronic backup. If I do not see you for about 2 years this is archived. I am required by law to keep your information for a minimum of 7 years, after which time it is destroyed.
3. I ask that you please do not email me with any medical or other personal details you want me to have, but rather send it to the clinic by post, or phone me and have a chat, or wait until you see me during a treatment session.
4. As of June 2018 I am will ask you to sign a simple form covering all legal requirements.
   • a "permisison to treat" if you are bringing your child or baby for treatment, plus
   • permission for how you wish me to be able to use your contact information under GDPR:
   1. Your postal address, telephone and/or email may be used during any course of treatment to contact you for the purposes of that treatment.
   2. I also ask for a second optional usage permission - to receive occasional email circulars about workshops/clinic changes. Except under exceptional circumstances that would normally be no more than once or twice per year.
   A copy of the form applying ONLY to one-to-one treatments can be downloaded from HERE. (If this does not appear immediately on a new browser window/tab, it has probably been sent to your Downloads folder.) If you bring this ready filled in to the first appointment, it saves some time.
5. Any permissions you give to use your contact information may be changed or withdrawn at any time by using the online contact form, or in writing on a real piece of paper.
6. (As for all of your data held by anyone), the GDPR legislation gives you the right to request a copy of infmrmation I hold - whether paper or electronic - and for you to demand any changes if information is factually incorrect.
7. Office management services for my therapy practice may also take your contact information independently to operate their services. I have no control over that data, and they have their own data protection policies. Online contact management systems (online diary, ticketing and email list management services, etc) have no access to your contact details, and the contact database is only accessible by myself. Companies such as Zoom that you register with independently have their own data protection policies.