General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Policy
George Fortune Counselling
The Data Controller for George Fortune Counselling is Mr George Fortune, the registered officer for the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO).
At George Fortune Counselling, we take the utmost care to ensure that any data on an individual is kept confidential and secure. In the initial consultation with a new client a contract will be discussed and signed prior to the start of therapy. The individual has the right to opt out of giving consent on particular data requirements, which are opted in and out of on the contract form. However, should the individual decide that they wish to opt out of giving consent for George Fortune counselling to keep details required on the Assessment, George Fortune Counselling reserves the right to decline treatment as the Assessment data is required to ensure the safety of all clients attending therapy.
At George Fortune Counselling, we take the utmost care to ensure that any data on an individual is kept confidential and secure. In the initial consultation with a new client a contract will be discussed and signed prior to the start of therapy. The individual has the right to opt out of giving consent on particular data requirements, which are opted in and out of on the contract form. However, should the individual decide that they wish to opt out of giving consent for George Fortune counselling to keep details required on the Assessment, George Fortune Counselling reserves the right to decline treatment as the Assessment data is required to ensure the safety of all clients attending therapy.
The following list shows how we store your information:
Assessment Form
The assessment form will be filled in on the initial consultation. It holds the most data on an individual. It includes your name, address, D.O.B, unique reference (your initial and date of assessment), GP address, Reason for therapy.
Contractual Agreement
The contractual agreement will be completed on our initial consultation, and again should we re-contract for any reason. It includes your name and signature
Sessional Notes
The sessional notes are kept as a log of our sessional work, they are brief objective notes on the content of the session. They include your unique reference for counselling, which will provided on your initial consultation.
Process Notes
The process notes are kept as a log of the work. However, more like a professional journal for supervision purposes. They include no information on you.
Logged Counselling Hours
The logged counselling hours are kept to monitor the overall hours completed. They include your unique reference and brief objective notes of the contents of our session.
Outcome Measures
The outcome measure are used to support a George Fortune Counselling and the individual to track progress and see changes in wellbeing. They include you unique reference.
Mobile Phone
A mobile phone is used to contact individuals. It includes you first name and surname initial.
Email Address
If you have contacted George Fortune Counselling via email your email address will have been stored in the email system.
End of Therapy Form
The end of therapy form is completed once an individual has finished their treatment. This form is used so that the assessment form and sessional notes can be destroyed and the required information stored in one place.The information stored on the End of Therapy Form includes:
The assessment form will be filled in on the initial consultation. It holds the most data on an individual. It includes your name, address, D.O.B, unique reference (your initial and date of assessment), GP address, Reason for therapy.
Contractual Agreement
The contractual agreement will be completed on our initial consultation, and again should we re-contract for any reason. It includes your name and signature
Sessional Notes
The sessional notes are kept as a log of our sessional work, they are brief objective notes on the content of the session. They include your unique reference for counselling, which will provided on your initial consultation.
Process Notes
The process notes are kept as a log of the work. However, more like a professional journal for supervision purposes. They include no information on you.
Logged Counselling Hours
The logged counselling hours are kept to monitor the overall hours completed. They include your unique reference and brief objective notes of the contents of our session.
Outcome Measures
The outcome measure are used to support a George Fortune Counselling and the individual to track progress and see changes in wellbeing. They include you unique reference.
Mobile Phone
A mobile phone is used to contact individuals. It includes you first name and surname initial.
Email Address
If you have contacted George Fortune Counselling via email your email address will have been stored in the email system.
End of Therapy Form
The end of therapy form is completed once an individual has finished their treatment. This form is used so that the assessment form and sessional notes can be destroyed and the required information stored in one place.The information stored on the End of Therapy Form includes:
- Unique Reference
- Address
- GP Details
- Therapy start and end date
- Presenting Issues
- Outcomes of therapy (if applicable)
How is the information stored
The following information is kept in a locked filing cabinet at George Fortunes’ home address (The reason it is kept here is because the office is rented and used by other practitioners):
Assessment Form
Sessional Notes
Outcome Measures
End of Therapy Form
Process Notes
The following information is kept in electronic format on Google Drive:
Logged Counselling Hours
The Following information is kept on Google Gmail:
Email contact details - Should contact have been made at any stage through this format.
The following information is stored on a Samsung Mobile Phone:
Client telephone numbers
Assessment Form
Sessional Notes
Outcome Measures
End of Therapy Form
Process Notes
The following information is kept in electronic format on Google Drive:
Logged Counselling Hours
The Following information is kept on Google Gmail:
Email contact details - Should contact have been made at any stage through this format.
The following information is stored on a Samsung Mobile Phone:
Client telephone numbers
The circumstances when information will be shared / who will be informed
If it appears that you are going to harm yourself or someone else.
Clinical Supervisor and/or police depending on situation.
Disclosure of criminal activity.
Clinical Supervisor and/or police depending on situation.
Discussing information with my Supervisor (This is to make sure that we are working as effectively as we can together and within ethical and legal boundaries).
Clinical Supervisor.
Where you as a client give consent for the confidence to be broken.
Whoever the client wishes me to inform. However, it is dependant to why confidence needs to be broken.
Other statutory obligations e.g. Terrorism, Drug Trafficking or to uphold Child Protection Laws.
Relevant authority.
When you have been referred from a service that requires your data in order for treatment to take place.
Relevant authority.
If you are under the age of 16 and not seen to be “Gillick competent”.
Someone who has parental responsibility to the child (parent, guardian, local authority etc…).
Clinical Supervisor and/or police depending on situation.
Disclosure of criminal activity.
Clinical Supervisor and/or police depending on situation.
Discussing information with my Supervisor (This is to make sure that we are working as effectively as we can together and within ethical and legal boundaries).
Clinical Supervisor.
Where you as a client give consent for the confidence to be broken.
Whoever the client wishes me to inform. However, it is dependant to why confidence needs to be broken.
Other statutory obligations e.g. Terrorism, Drug Trafficking or to uphold Child Protection Laws.
Relevant authority.
When you have been referred from a service that requires your data in order for treatment to take place.
Relevant authority.
If you are under the age of 16 and not seen to be “Gillick competent”.
Someone who has parental responsibility to the child (parent, guardian, local authority etc…).
How long are records kept
The following notes are destroyed immediately after the completion of treatment and the filling in of the End of Therapy Form:
Assessment Form
Sessional Notes
Outcome measures
The following forms are kept for 5 years after completion of therapy and then destroyed:
End of Therapy Form
Process Notes
Logged Counselling Hours
The following records destroyed immedietly after completion of therapy:
Logged Contact Numbers
Logged Emails Address’
Assessment Form
Sessional Notes
Outcome measures
The following forms are kept for 5 years after completion of therapy and then destroyed:
End of Therapy Form
Process Notes
Logged Counselling Hours
The following records destroyed immedietly after completion of therapy:
Logged Contact Numbers
Logged Emails Address’
Rights to access records
Under data protection law you have the right to the following notes should you wish:
Assessment Form
Contractual Agreement
Sessional Notes
Log Counselling Hours
End of Therapy Form
Notes you do not have the right to see:
Process Notes - These are more like a personal diary of thoughts and expressions rather than any details related to an individual.
If an individual wishes to access there notes, I require them to write to me asking for the information prior to it being provided. However, sessional notes can be shown in the session but can not be removed from George Fortune Counselling without written request for them, whereby a copy of the notes will be provided.
Assessment Form
Contractual Agreement
Sessional Notes
Log Counselling Hours
End of Therapy Form
Notes you do not have the right to see:
Process Notes - These are more like a personal diary of thoughts and expressions rather than any details related to an individual.
If an individual wishes to access there notes, I require them to write to me asking for the information prior to it being provided. However, sessional notes can be shown in the session but can not be removed from George Fortune Counselling without written request for them, whereby a copy of the notes will be provided.