I am committed to handling any personal information you share with me responsibly. This statement describes what types of information I collect from you, how it is used by me, how I share it with others, how you can manage the information I hold and how you can contact me.
- What information do I collect?
- Name, date of birth, postal address, email address, telephone number, contact person details, GP details – that you have given me on your registration form.
- Therapy notes.
- Any reports and letters that I have written to you and/or other professionals involved in your care with your permission.
- Any letters, reports and emails other professionals involved in your care have shared with us with your permission.
- Emails and messages we exchange.
- Questionnaires and feedback forms I may use.
- Birth stories and testimonials that you have given me.
- How do I use this information?
- To provide you with 1:1 therapy or birth preparation.
- Using your feedback to reflect on and improve my services.
- How do I share this information?
- Generally I do not share any of your information with third parties, and particularly not for marketing purposes.
- In exceptional circumstances I might need to share personal information with relevant authorites. For example:
- When there is need-to-know information for another health provider, such as your GP. Any information sharing will be discussed with you and agreed in advance.
- When the information concerns risk of harm to the client, or to another person. I would discuss such a proposed disclosure with you unless I believed that to do so could increase the level of risk to you or someone else.
- With my Professional Indemnity Insurers or legal advisers in the event of a claim.
- How long do I keep information for?
- Therapy records of adult clients are retained for a period of seven years in accordance with the guidelines and requirements for record keeping by The British Psychological Society (2000) and The Health and Care Professions Council (2017). An annual check is made and clients’ data deleted once the time has lapsed.
- Mindful hypnobirthing/ birth preparation – I will delete/shred records of your information 6 months after your EDD.
- I keep birth stories and testimonials that you have given me permission to publish indefinitely, or until you let me know that you wish me to remove them (these are published anonymously or with first names only).
- Security of information and files
- My computer, email and electronic devices are password protected.
- Electronic notes are stored on WriteUpp.
- Paper registration forms, therapy notes, questionnaires and feedback forms are kept in a locked filing cabinet.
- How can you manage the information I hold on you?
- For the purposes of GDPR, the named data controller of all information collected is Dr Guinevere Webster.
- If you wish to view, amend or delete (with exception of the first point in 4 above) any information I hold on you, please contact me at guinevere.webster@gmail.com
- What happens in the event of a data breach ?
- If it is something simple like an incorrectly addressed email and I am made aware of the breach, I will take appropriate action to correct it.
- If there is a serious breach I will let you know and notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) so that their procedures can be followed.
Dated 09/12/2022
