Privacy Policy

I am committed to safeguarding the privacy of my website visitors and individual clients.

This policy outlines what information I will collect, how it is collected, the purpose for collecting such data and in what manner it will be stored, shared and processed and includes your rights under GDPR law.

In this policy, "I", "Me" and "My" refer to Natalie Freeman

Collection and storage of personal data

Once we have agreed to work together I will take some personal details such as your full name, date of birth, phone number, email address, house address and the name of your GP and GP address. I will also require you to sign a contract. These details will be stored in a locked filing cabinet/on an encrypted password protected device.

After each session I will make brief clinical notes, these hard copies will be kept securely in a locked filing cabinet/encyprted password protected device. Your anonymity is kept throughout, no identifiable information will be included and these notes are kept separate from your contact details.

Other forms of data collection/processing include:

Web-based contact form, if you complete the contact form on my website all data will be stored in accordance with the above confidentiality statement. If you decide not to proceed with a working contract then your information will be deleted.

If you pay by bank transfer then your name will appear on my bank statement.

If you are referred through your Health Insurer Provider, GP or other mental health professional or support, I will collect contact details and information pertaining to the referral.

Purposes of processing and legal bases

I may process your personal data for the purposes of operating my website, providing my services, generating invoices, bills and other payment-related documentation. The legal basis for this processing is my legitimate interests, this includes the proper administration of my website and provision of my services, namely, Psychotherapy and Counselling. In this instance there will be a contract between you and myself and/or taking steps, at your request, to enter into such a contract.

Relationships and communications

I may process contact data, accounting data and communication data for the purposes of managing our relationship, communicating with you (excluding communicating for the purposes of direct marketing) by email, SMS, post, and/or telephone, providing support services and complaint handling. The legal basis for this processing is my legitimate interest, namely communications with my website visitors and individual clients, the maintenance of relationships, and the proper administration of my website and services and business.

Research and analysis

I may process usage data for the purposes of researching and analysing the use of my website and services. The legal basis for this processing is my legitimate interests, namely monitoring, supporting, improving and securing of my website and services and business.

Record keeping

I may process your personal data for the purposes of creating and maintaining my records and my business records generally in accordance with this policy. The legal basis for this processing is my legitimate interest, namely ensuring that I have access to all the information I need to properly and efficiently run my business in accordance with this policy.

Legal claims

I may process your personal data where necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims, whether in court proceedings or in an administrative or out-of-court procedure. The legal basis for this processing is my legitimate interests, namely the protection and assertion of my legal rights, your legal rights and the legal rights of others.

Legal compliance and vital interests

I may also process your personal data where such processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which I am subject or in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person.

Retaining and deleting personal data

Personal details such as contact information, clinical notes and communication data, such as letters and emails referencing our work together will be retained for 7 years following the date of the most recent contact between you and myself. After which your information will be destroyed. This is done via a professional service to which I will receive a certificate upon the destruction of the data.

Notwithstanding the other provisions of this statement, I may retain your personal data where such retention is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which I am subject, or in order to protect your vital interests or the vital interests of another natural person.

Providing your personal data to others

Your sessions and our contact are kept confidential and your anonymity is kept at all times, except where there are exclusions to this. In the event that an exclusion becomes a known factor in our work together I will aim wherever it is deemed possible and appropriate to include you in any breach of confidentiality that I may make unless doing so risks more harm to yourself and/or others, which is in line with the ethical practice of my governing body the BACP. Such instances may include:

1) Where I feel it is appropriate to consult with, or involve other professionals such as your GP in circumstances where there is a risk of harm to you or to a third party.

2) Where in extreme cases I am legally compelled by a court of law.

3) Where statutory law requires me to inform the relevant authorities (such as terrorist activities, drug trafficking or abuse of a child or vulnerable adult).

I will also need to discuss our work with my clinical supervisor in accordance with the ethical framework of the BACP, this provides accountability and supports my clinical practice. To keep your confidentiality I will not use any details that make you identifiable.

Your rights

In this Section I have listed the rights that you have under data protection law.

Your principal rights under data protection law are:

a) the right to access - you can ask for copies of your personal data;

(b) the right to rectification - you can ask us to rectify inaccurate personal data and to complete incomplete personal data;

(d) the right to restrict processing - you can ask us to restrict the processing of your personal data;

(e) the right to object to processing - you can object to the processing of your personal data;

(f) the right to data portability - you can ask that we transfer your personal data to another organisation or to you;

(g) the right to complain to a supervisory authority - you can complain about our processing of your personal data; and

(h) the right to withdraw consent - to the extent that the legal basis of our processing of your personal data is consent, you can withdraw that consent.

These rights are subject to certain limitations and exceptions. You can learn more about the rights of data subjects by visiting https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/individual-rights/.

You may exercise any of your rights in relation to your personal data by written notice to myself, using the contact details set out below.

Amendments

I may update this policy from time to time by publishing a new version on my website.

You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are happy with any changes to this policy.

I may notify you of significant changes to this policy by email.

My details

This website is owned and operated by Natalie Freeman.

You can contact me:

(a) using my website contact form;

(b) by telephone, on the contact number published on my website; or

This document was created using a template from Docular (https://seqlegal.com/free-legal-documents/privacy-policy).