GDPR

General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Policy

This policy is concerned with the personal information about you that we at Athena Counselling Services collect, store, and share. When you contact us you are agreeing to the terms and conditions laid out in this policy.  If you have any questions or concerns about this policy please contact Jackie Chivers at jackie@athenacounsellingservices.com.
 

The personal information we collect from our website contact forms:

• Your name
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• The reason for your enquiry

The personal information we might collect from telephone conversations and during face to face meetings:

• Your name
• Your email address
• Your phone number
• The nature of your enquiry
• Your gender and sexual orientation
• Your religion / Ethnicity / Country of birth
• Your date of birth
• Information about your family and relationships (past and present)
• Information concerning your occupation, education and life experiences.
• Your home address
• Information concerning your previous mental health history, including treatments and diagnosis.
• Your GP’s name and contact details
• Any medical conditions that you tell us about and any medications you are on or have been on previously.
• Session Summaries.
   

How your information will be stored. 

• Paper: Written session notes will be securely filed in a locked filing cabinet. We will also keep a paper copy of your signed contract, (including GDPR consent), referral form, therapeutic reports, correspondence, assessment records, and client code.
•  Laptops / Personal Computers: Your referral form and any psychiatric reports that you provide to us electronically and psychotherapeutic reports that you or another service provider has requested and any correspondence that you have given us written permission to write will be kept on a secured personal laptop or personal computer.  The device will require passwords to access both the therapist’s main account and to access your individual information.  The electronic device will be checked regularly for viruses and the therapist will take every reasonable precaution to protect your personal information.
• Mobile Phone: We will store your contact telephone number for the duration of your treatment along with any text messages or WhatsApp messages which we may exchange.
• Email: Your email address and email correspondence will be stored securely in our email accounts (currently hosted by 1and1 and Gmail).
• Website: None of your personal information is stored on the Athena website, other than to momentarily collect & send it to our email accounts for the purposes of initial contact.
   

How we might process or share your personal information:
 

Your contact details and personal information will never be shared with outside parties apart from when necessary: 

1. In order to find the best therapist for you. When you contact us we will provide your details to the most appropriate therapist for you within our team, who will contact you directly to arrange your appointment. If they are unable to help you, they might also forward your details with your permission to an alternative therapist.
2. When a therapist undertakes supervision. All our therapists are required to undertake regular supervision with a suitably qualified supervisor as part of their professional codes of conduct as members of the National Counselling Society or British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy. Although information about the work that is being done in therapy will be discussed, your full name and contact details won’t be shared. All of our supervisors are also bound by confidentiality and GDPR policies.
3. Where a therapist dies, is in hospital, or is unable to attend for an extended period of time, our administrator will contact you to inform you of the situation and advise you of your options.
4. Where we believe significant risk exists. If we believe you are at significant risk, or someone else is at risk we might contact a relevant authority with or without your permission. This could include your GP, mental health services, law enforcement, or emergency services. We are required by law to pass on information relating to acts of terrorism and the ongoing abuse of a minor or vulnerable adult.  We will, when appropriate, attempt to gain your permission before breaking confidentiality in these instances however we retain the right to do so without your consent.

 How long we will keep the information we hold about you:
 

All the information we hold about you, as described above, will be held for a maximum of 6 years after your final session (or from the last point of contact if you choose not to go ahead with treatment).  Your telephone number will be erased from our mobile phones within four weeks of your final session. After six years, your information will be erased and/or shredded.
 

 Your rights:

You have the following rights...

• To be informed about what information we hold (this policy tells you).
• To see what information we hold about you. There may be a charge for this.
• To amend any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
• To withdraw consent from us using your personal information.

To request that some or all of your personal information be erased. Please note that we can decline this request if we need to hold the information to practice lawfully and competently.