ROB KERLEY COUNSELLING
This privacy notice sets out how Rob Kerley Counselling uses and protects any
information that you provide when you visit this website or when you contact me
and the lawful basis under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data
Protection Regulations (‘GDPR’ to be enacted May 25th 2018) that permits me to
do so. You may visit my website freely without having to contact or use my services. I do
not use cookies or Google Analytics to track your access to my website.
Consent to hold your personal data
Rob Kerley Counselling is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected and
will seek your explicit written consent to hold personal data about you, specifically
and only for the purposes of providing counselling to you. If you make contact via
this website or by phone you will be asked to provide certain information by which
you can be identified.
You can be assured that all this information is held securely and will only be used in
accordance with data protection principles, data protection, confidentiality and
ethical principles. I will honour the confidence and trust you have placed in me.
The basis on which I hold or share information about you is outlined below and also
the limits around confidentiality.
You have the right of access to information I hold about you and to amend or ask
for deletion of information that may not be accurate or correct. Please contact me if
you wish to view the data I hold about you. Rob Kerley Counselling will not hold
your data for longer than is deemed necessary for the purposes of counselling and
following best practice and legal guidance. By visiting my website you are agreeing
to the contents of this Privacy Notice.
For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR, the data controller
is Rob Kerley. I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office.
Whether or not you choose to become a client of my counselling service I will use
your initial personal data for the purposes of making contact with to discuss
counselling services. The majority of the information is provided during the first
appointment during an assessment. I will advise you if any of this data is optional.
At first contact I will collect the following information in order to establish if I can
provide you with counselling:
• Your name
• Date of birth
• Contact information including your email address
• Geographic information from your postcode
• Other information relevant to you engaging in counselling with us, e.g. the
name of your medical practice
• Information about any disability or communication difficulty you may have
• At first contact you may also choose whether or not to share with me a brief
description of what is bringing you for counselling.
At assessment
• At assessment you will be asked to sign a consent form to give me
permission to process your data and also information about your healthcare
professionals and emergency contact details
• Anonymised counselling notes – your identity is protected and these notes
are not shared with anyone unless I am legally required to do so or the client
specifically requests I share them with another third party, which I have the
right to refuse to do
• Personal data that identifies you and counselling notes are held separately
and securely to protect your anonymity
• You have the right to view these notes and you would be advised of any
request to share your notes
• These notes are the property of Rob Kerley Counselling and not the client
• Only your counsellor has access to your notes
Where I store your personal data
The data that I collect from you is not transferred outside the European Economic
Area (“EEA”). I will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that your data is
treated securely and in accordance with this privacy notice and confidentiality
policy.
All information you provide to me is stored securely.
My website contains links to other websites that may be of interest. However, Rob
Kerley counselling has no control over other websites. Therefore, I cannot be
responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide
whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement.
You should exercise caution and look at their privacy statements.
Controlling your personal information
I do not share your personal information with anyone else unless in pursuit of
counselling on your behalf and only then if I have your permission to do so. In
exceptional circumstances I may be required by law and my ethical responsibilities
to break my confidentiality with you.
I would discuss this with you first wherever possible but if you do not give consent I
may still have to disclose information. This relates to situations where you may be
at risk of harm, causing harm to others, the safeguarding of children, young people
and adults at risk, acts of terrorism and unreported road traffic accidents where I
am under legal obligations.
Access to information
You have the right of access to the personal information which I hold about you
under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR and also the right of access to
your client notes. You can contact me by phone or email if you wish to examine
what I hold and believe that any information I am holding is incorrect or incomplete.
Steps will be taken to correct any incorrect information that I hold.
There is no charge to access this information and it will be provided to you within
one week unless circumstances require longer, but this will not exceed a month in
any event.
You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners’ Office in
connection with enforcement and compliance with data protection law at