1. About this Privacy Policy

Jemma West Counselling is committed to respecting your privacy and protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, store and protect your information when you visit my website, contact me or access counselling services.

I aim to handle all personal information confidentially, sensitively and in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation, including the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

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2. Who I am and how to contact me

Data controller: Jemma West, trading as Jemma West Counselling

Email: Jemmawestcounselling@outlook.com

Telephone: 07754 663929

Website: www.jemmawestcounselling.co.uk

As the data controller, I am responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is used.

 

3. What information I collect

Depending on how you contact me and the services you receive, I may collect:

• Your name and contact details, including your email address and telephone number.

• Information you provide when making an enquiry or arranging an appointment.

• Information relevant to providing counselling, including personal experiences, feelings, circumstances and relevant health information.

• Brief counselling session notes and information relating to your therapeutic work.

• Appointment, attendance and payment records.

• Relevant information relating to safeguarding or professional responsibilities, where necessary.

I only aim to collect information that is relevant and necessary for the purposes described in this policy.

 

4.How I use your information

Your personal information may be used to:

• Respond to enquiries and discuss counselling services.

• Arrange and manage appointments.

• Provide counselling and maintain appropriate professional records.

• Communicate with you about appointments and the counselling service.

• Meet relevant legal, ethical, professional, insurance and record-keeping obligations.

• Address safeguarding concerns or serious risks where appropriate.

• Respond to lawful requests or establish, exercise or defend legal claims where necessary.

I will not sell your personal information or use your counselling information for advertising.

 

5.Confidentiality and clinical supervision

Confidentiality is an important part of counselling. I take reasonable steps to protect your privacy and will not routinely share identifiable information about you without an appropriate lawful basis.

As part of my professional practice, I receive clinical supervision. Where possible, I discuss client work without identifying details. If identifiable information needs to be shared, I will consider confidentiality, professional guidance, and the relevant legal requirements.

There may be circumstances in which information needs to be shared, for example:

• Where there is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of another person.

• Where safeguarding responsibilities arise, including concerns involving children or vulnerable adults.

• Where disclosure is required or authorised by law.

• Where information must be shared for legitimate professional, insurance or legal purposes, where permitted.

Where appropriate and safe to do so, I will discuss any proposed disclosure with you. Information will only be shared when there is a lawful and appropriate reason to do so, and only to the extent necessary.

Confidentiality cannot be guaranteed in every circumstance.

 

6.How I store and protect your information

I take reasonable and appropriate steps to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, or disclosure.

These measures may include password protection, secure storage, restricted access to records, and keeping identifying details separate from counselling notes where practicable.

Information may be held electronically or in paper form. Access is restricted to those who need the information for legitimate professional or administrative purposes.

Email communication may carry risks, and I encourage clients to consider this when sending sensitive information electronically.

 

7.How long I keep your information

In accordance with my professional indemnity insurance requirements, I retain counselling notes and relevant records for a minimum of 5 years

Clients may request the deletion or destruction of their counselling notes or other personal information. I will consider each request in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and my legal professional and insurance obligation,

Where records must be retained to meet insurance or other applicable requirements, I may be unable to destroy them before the required retention period has ended. Where destruction is permitted and appropriate, records will securely be destroyed.

Records will be retained for longer when necessary to meet applicable legal, professional, safeguarding or insurance requirements.

 

8.What happens if I become unable to practice

If I die or become permanently unable to practice, arrangements will be made to protect client confidentiality and manage records appropriately.

My clinical will sets out arrangements for a designated person to help ensure that clients can be informed sensitively and supported in accessing alternative help where appropriate.

If necessary, a password-protected file containing client names and contact details may be provided securely to my clinical supervisor, solely to enable appropriate contact with affected clients and to support the management of my professional responsibilities.

My partner may assist with these arrangements in accordance with my clinical will. Confidential counselling notes will be handled securely and retained or destroyed in accordance with applicable legal, professional and insurance requirements.

Client information will not be disclosed to family members or other individuals simply because of their personal relationship with me.

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9.Your data protection rights

Under applicable data protection law, you may have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information I hold about you.

• Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected.

• Request erasure of personal information in circumstances where the law allows it.

• Request restriction of processing in certain circumstances.

• Object to certain types of processing.

• Request transfer of information where the right to data portability applies.

• Raise a concern about how your personal information is handled.

These rights are subject to legal conditions and exemptions. For example, I may need to retain some counselling records even if you request their deletion.

To exercise your rights, please contact me using the details provided above. I may need to verify your identity before responding.

 

10.Website enquiries, cookies and third-party services

If you contact me through my website, by email or by telephone, I will use the information you provide to respond to your enquiry and, where appropriate, discuss counselling services.

My website is hosted through Wix, Wix may process certain technical information, such as website usage data, cookies or device information, in accordance with the website's settings and applicable privacy requirements.

The cookies and tracking technologies used may depend on the features enabled on my website. Please refer to the website's cookie settings and Wix's privacy information for further details.

If you follow links to external websites, their own privacy policies will apply.

 

11.Complaints and concerns

If you have concerns about how I handle your personal information, please contact me first so that I can consider and respond to your concerns.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent data protection regulator.

Website: https://ico.org.uk/

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practice, website, professional responsibilities, or applicable data protection requirements.

The latest version will be published on my website, with the date of the most recent update shown at the beginning of the policy.

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12.Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

I may use AI tools, including ChatGPT, to assist with creating general therapeutic worksheets, activities for my counselling practice. These tools are used for preparation and resource development only. No personally identifiable client information, confidential session discussions or client notes are entered into AI tools. AI is not used to record, transcribe or analyse counselling sessions. All AI-generated materials are reviewed and adapted by me, and I remain fully responsible for the professional services and therapeutic support I provide.

 

 

 

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