I am committed to protecting all information that you share with me.

• All information is stored securely either in a locked filling cabinet, on a personal computer, which is

password protected or an encrypted memory stick. Contact numbers on my work telephone are

protected by a PIN.

• The legal basis for holding your information is legitimate interests as professional standards require
• me to keep records.
• Session records are brief and are kept separate to your name to protect your identity; these are
• intended for my sole use to provide the best possible professional counselling service.
• Confidentiality will only be broken in exceptional circumstances for legitimate reasons, for example
• to protect your safety or the safety of another or if the law requires me to.
• If you require a report or confirmation that you are in counselling, I can provide this, if you give me
• consent.
• You will need to give me a written request, if you wish to see your records. You have the right to ask
• for some information not to be recorded, however this will need to be negotiated and may not always
• be possible.
• Information and records are kept for 7 years from the end of sessions. After 7 years the records will
• be destroyed by incineration or permanent deletion.
• I keep a set of statistics on an ongoing basis; this is when you were seen and for how many sessions.
• I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office. For information see www.ico.org.uk