I, Dr Anna Butcher, am the data controller for my private psychology practice. I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO).
If you make an enquiry to me about therapy or any other services I provide, I will hold any data you will have sent me voluntarily by email, text message or web enquiry form. If your enquiry goes no further than this initial contact, I will delete these data.
If we an initial consultation and agree to go on and work together for some sessions, the data I hold will include:
- Your personal contact information including your name, date of birth, address, email address, contact phone number and your GP details
- If you are using private health insurance, I will hold your insurance policy number and authorisation code
- Therapy notes, any outcomes measures completed, letters or reports written by or sent to health professionals or any other health provider concerning your treatment with me.
Why do you collect these data?
The lawful basis for processing these personal data is so that I can provide psychological therapy/treatment for you. I also require your personal details should I need to, on the rare occasion, involve other health professionals in your care (see below ‘Do you sell or share my data?’); however, this is always discussed and done with your explicit consent. Please see my FAQs concerning confidentiality and circumstances where this may be breached.
How are data stored and for how long?
Your contact details, email address and email correspondence are stored on my electronic and mobile devices which are kept and stored securely, as well as being protected with a passcode/touch ID and relevant antivirus software where appropriate. I will keep these data for up to six months after our therapy has ended. Therapy notes are handwritten and recorded in accordance with the Health and Care Professions Council guidelines. Therapy notes are kept securely and anonymously in my own domestic property which is the registered address of my business. Although I may use private consulting rooms, I never store any of your data there. Therapy notes, outcome measures, letters and reports will be stored for six years after the last session of therapy in line with my indemnity insurer guidance. Data will then be destroyed after this time.
Do you sell or share data?
I will not sell your data to anyone. I will also not share your data with anyone other than your GP or other healthcare professional involved in your care where appropriate and this will always be done with your explicit consent. Details of when I may need to share your data with others including healthcare professionals can be found in my FAQs section on my website. If you are using your private insurance provider for your therapy, they may require letters or reports to be written but again, this will only be done with your consent.
Can I have access to any data you hold about me?
Under the Data Protection Act 2018, you have the right to access any data I hold about you. If you wish to access these data, please submit a written request to me. If I receive a request from you to access your data, I will usually provide them within 30 days of the request. You also have the right to correct any information that I hold on you that may be inaccurate.
This privacy policy is updated regularly in line with the ICO’s regulations as well as the guidance set out by my professional, statutory and regulatory bodies, the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the British Psychological Society (BPS). Weblinks for these organisations can be found at the bottom of my website.
