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Privacy Notice

When you supply your personal details to this website and therapist they are stored and processed for four reasons, all relevant to the Data Protection Act 2018. This includes the General Data Protection Regulations.

1. We need to collect personal information about you and your health to provide you with the best possible treatment. Your requesting treatment and our agreement to provide that care constitutes a contract. You may of refuse to provide information but if you were to do that then we would not be able to provide any treatment.
2. We have a legitimate interest in collecting this information because without it we could not work effectively and safely.
3. It is important to be able to contact you to confirm appointments with us or update you or ourselves on your progress or other clinical matters related to your care.
4. Provided we have your consent, we may occasionally send you general health information for example articles or newsletters. You may withdraw this consent at any time, just let us know by any convenient method.

We have a legal obligation to retain your records for seven years after your last appointment with us. This includes to age 25 if this is a longer period. If you are a minor your data will be stored until you reach the age of 31. If you are a minor who has been a cared for child, your data will be carefully stored indefinity.

Your records are stored:
a) On paper, in locked filing cabinets in our office. This may change to electronically stored only as we transition to paper-free. You will be informed when your paper data is destroyed.
b) We may also retain your personal data electronically on portable computer devices protected by password.
c) We also use cloud storage, these service providers are fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulations.
We never share your data with anyone who does not need access without your written consent. Only the following would breach these rules:
a) In times of emergency where you or those near you may be in danger. Please read the relevant section in our client contract.
b) In the event we need to contact your GP or specialist to communicate relevant information in order that they can provide you with treatment.
c) Administration staff may have access to contact details only.
d) We use a bulk email distributer who is fully compliant with GDPR.

e) Any consultants we may need to engage for administration or other work may have access to your data. They will be fully informed of their duties of confidentiality and will sign a non-disclosure agreement.

f) In the event that your therapist is expectedly unable to fulfill his or her commitment to meet with you we have a provision to enable another individual to access your contact information so that you can be informed of the situation.

 
You have a right to see the personal data we hold and may also ask us to correct factual errors. Once the time limit has elapsed your data will be destroyed without notification.
We want you to be confident that we are treating your personal data responsibly and confidentially.
Be assured we are doing everything we can to ensure access is restricted to only those who have a genuine need to see the data. Also please note that in terms of data we endeavour to keep your records to the minimum being mindful of your rights to security and confidentiality.

If you feel we have mishandled data in any way you have a right to complain. Send complaints by email to the Data
Controller, in this case, it is Adam Penkul. The email should be addressed to adam@penkul.com with the title line being your full name and THERAPY CLIENT DATA CONCERNS. You may also make contact by telephone as listed on Adam’s website.

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