Community Counselling (North Yorkshire) Limited (CCL) takes your privacy very seriously.  We will only use your personal confidential information to help us provide an effective service to you.  We are fully committed to complying with the terms of the General Data Protection Regulation, made on 27 April 2016, and to the responsible and secure use of your personal confidential information.

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CCL has a legitimate interest in processing personal confidential information in order to provide counselling and/or EMDR treatment. The purpose of this statement is to:

• let you know what personal information CCL collects and holds,

• why we collect this data,

• how long it is kept, and

• your rights over your personal data.

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CCL is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), ref. ZA044073.

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Normally, we will need to ask for your basic personal details, such as full name, date of birth, address, contact details, GP name, and parent/guardian if you are under 18. 

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1. Information about you

1.1 We either collect personal information from you when you inquire about our therapeutic services[1], or we receive personal information from referring agencies such as GP surgeries, the Community Mental Health Team and the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner, in order to set up an initial appointment.

This information includes contact details, your availability and other relevant personal information. Once a client finishes counselling, all data regarding their counselling is stored securely for six-years and then destroyed in line with the guidance of our professional body, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy.

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2. How your information is stored

2.1 Currently, we use electronic and paper-based systems to record data about appointments and about clients.  The electronic Client Record Management [CRM] database we use is called Dynamics 365, which is a Microsoft system.  

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3. Our use of this information

3.1 Your personal information will be used only to provide you with our services and to give you information relating to our services. We will not share your personal details with any other person or organisation without your knowledge and permission, unless there is a legal requirement, if there is a child or adult safeguarding issue, or a perceived risk of harm. A breach of confidentiality is when a person shares information with another in circumstances where it is reasonable to expect that the information will be kept confidential.

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4. Security

4.1 We will take all reasonable precautions to prevent the loss, misuse or alteration of information you give us.

4.2 Communications in connection with this service (usually about appointment times) may be sent by e-mail or by text message [SMS]. For your information, communications will not be sent in an encrypted form unless we are communication with the Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner.  Please note that e-mail, unless encrypted, is not a fully secure means of communication. Whilst we endeavour to keep our systems and communications protected against viruses and other harmful effects, we cannot bear responsibility for all communications being virus-free.

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5. Your rights over your personal data

5.1 If you would like to see the information we hold about you, or would like to correct, update or delete any records, please email us at:

Info@community-counselling.org.uk

If you have any concerns about our use of your data, please contact our Chief Officer directly at chiefofficer@community-counselling.org.uk

We will do our utmost to resolve any concerns you have, but if these are not resolved to your satisfaction, you may choose to contact the ICO.