Privacy and Confidentiality

This policy is written with the intention of providing transparent information regarding how Fiona Jordan (trading as Ms Fiona Jordan Counsellor LLB MA MBACP) collects and processes personal data.

Fiona Jordan is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Register of Data Controllers. Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) registration reference: ZB029917.

Data Controller and processor: Fiona Jordan

To find out more about General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and your rights, please go to https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/ or https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

The Service: Fiona Jordan provides personal counselling by private contract to clients.

1. Data Collection and Processing: website

What information do I collect from my website fionajordan.co.uk and why do I process it?

I may collect, use and store the following personal information: your name; your telephone number; your email address; other information you choose to send to me.

Any personal data collected and/or retained by Fiona Jordan is solely processed in order to make relevant contact with and provide counselling services to clients.

How do I process your personal information collected from my website?

In law I am allowed to use this personal information to provide the service you request and to communicate with you about my service. Specifically, I will use this personal information to contact you to answer any questions you may have and/or to arrange and send confirmation of your counselling appointment(s).

I will not share this information with any third party without your consent except to help prevent fraud or if required to do so by law and/or in accordance with my Confidentiality Policy.

For how long will your information be retained?

If you do not proceed with counselling I will retain your contact information for a maximum of 12 months from the date of initial contact, unless you request otherwise. After 12 months I will delete all of your personal information.

2. Data Collection and Processing: counselling sessions

What information do I collect and process?

1. During your introductory appointment I may collect personal information including: your name, your date of birth, your address, your telephone number, your email address, emergency contact details, the name, address and telephone number of your GP and details on your general health.

2. Text messages and emails.

3. Session notes: the date, time, session number and brief session notes are documented in anonymised form and identifiable only by unique client codes

3. Counselling Agreements

All clients proceeding with counselling are required to consent in writing to both the parameters of counselling and data collection within a detailed counselling agreement.

I retain the original signed counselling agreement and clients are provided with a paper copy.

4. Data storage, retention and disposal: How secure is your personal information?

Transmission of data and information via the website is not an encrypted transmission method for sending your personal data, unless otherwise indicated. Your attention is therefore drawn to the fact that any information and personal data carried over the internet is not 100% secure. It is possible that information and personal data may be intercepted, lost, corrupted or accessed by other people.

Upon receipt of your personal data I am committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, I have in place appropriate electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information collected online. I store paper records in a locked filing cabinet and electronic information (text message and emails) on password protected devices. Session notes are held separately from personal and identifying information in an anonymised format.

Data is held for a maximum of 5 years after our last contact, in line with insurance requirements and GDPR. After this time, data is then disposed of securely and confidentially.

5. Third party data collection & processing

My website is hosted by Fasthosts Internet Limited. The following information will be shared with Fasthosts Internet Limited: your IP address and any information necessary for Google Analytics.Their privacy policy is in line with GDPR requirements and is available to view at https://www.fasthosts.co.uk/terms/privacy-notice.

6. Data sharing

It is rare that any personal information would be shared.

As a BACP registered counsellor, anonymised client information is shared with professional supervisors, as an ethical requirement, in order to optimise service provision to clients.

In the event that I am in some way incapacitated, all records retained by Fiona Jordan Counsellor will be destroyed confidentially by my professional supervisor, in accordance with an agreement between myself and my professional supervisor, and every effort will be made to ensure that you are informed when this has been done.

Personal information will not be shared with any other party without client consent and/or in accordance with my Confidentiality Policy. I will discuss confidentiality with you at our introductory meeting, to ensure that you feel comfortable with my policy, and you will then be asked to formally record your consent, in writing, in our Counselling Agreement.

7. Controlling your personal information

I want to be sure that your personal information is accurate and up-to-date. If you believe that any information I am holding about you is incorrect or incomplete then please inform me and I will promptly correct the error.You have the right to request a copy of the personal information that I hold about you under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 (GDPR) and you have the right to to be compensated for any harm caused by incorrectly processing personal information. You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office. Find out on their website (www.ico.org.uk/concerns/handling) how to report a concern.

To find out more about General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and your rights, please go to https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/

8. Cookies and Google Analytics

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, this facilitates analysis, via Google Analytics, of web page traffic to improve the website in order to tailor it to visitors’ needs. Each time you visit a website Google analytics automatically tracks information such as, but not limited to, your geographical location, IP address, browser type, browser version, operating system, referral source, page views, times and dates you visit the site, and whether you are a new or a returning visitor.

When you visit www.fionajordan.co.uk the information collected by Google Analytics may be used by me to help improve the visitor experience.

Overall, cookies help me provide you with a better website, by enabling the monitoring of pages that visitors find useful. A cookie in no way gives me or Fasthosts access to your computer or any information about you other than the data you choose to share with me.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may, however, prevent you from taking full advantage of the website. For further information visit www.aboutcookies.org or www.allaboutcookies.org. However, in a few cases some of my website features may not function as a result.

9. Links to other websites

My website may include links to other websites. However, once you have used a link to leave www.fionajordan.co.uk you should note that I do not have any control over that website. Therefore, I cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy policy. You are advised to exercise caution and read the privacy notice applicable to the website in question.

10. Changes to my Privacy Policy

I keep my Privacy Policy under regular review.

I may amend and/or update this privacy policy from time to time without notice to you, in which case, I will publish the amended version on the website. It is your responsibility to check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. I shall not be liable to you or any third party for any changes made to this privacy policy.

This Privacy Policy was last updated April 2021.

11. How to contact me

This policy is written with the intention of providing transparent information regarding how I control and processes your personal data. If you have any queries regarding this policy, or the information I retain about you, please contact me using the contact button on my website or email fionajordanseed@gmail.com.

To find out more about General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and your rights, please go to https://ico.org.uk/for-the-public/ or https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/

All sessions will be conducted in private and the content of all sessions is confidential.

However there are some circumstances when I have an ethical and/or legal duty to share some limited information. These are outlined below and I am willing to answer any questions you may have around any of these issues.

Safeguarding: adults: Many people seek therapy when they are in crisis and some are feeling suicidal. It is important for these feelings to be explored confidentially. Sometimes, however, these feelings don’t abate or they become worse and a client may be at significant risk of harming themselves or another person. In these circumstances additional support would be required and we would discuss together the nature of the support which would be sought. I would hope to gain your consent before taking any action, but if you are unable or unwilling to consent, I may need to act without your consent. Typically, I would contact a medical professional, usually your GP. In any event, I would only share relevant, limited information, which means that the vast majority of the details that you shared with me in our sessions together would remain confidential.

Safeguarding: children: The protection of children and vulnerable adults is of primary importance. If you share information that indicates that a child or vulnerable adult has been harmed, or is in danger of being harmed, I would need to disclose this information to relevant agencies.

Specific Circumstances: In some instances there is a specific legal requirement for me to share specific information, for example, pertaining to serious organised crime such as terrorism, money laundering, or drug or human trafficking.