Privacy Notice

Privacy Notice- Lucy Hobbs

This statement confirms how I, Lucy Hobbs, use and protect any information that you give to me whilst using this service.

I am committed to safeguarding and protecting your information. If I ask you for any information it will only be used according to this privacy statement.

I may change this policy from time to time in line with legislation and whilst we are still working together I will provide you with a copy of any change. If we have ceased working together and you would like a copy of my up to date privacy policy I will provide one on request. This policy is effective from 12.12.21

For the purposes of Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation 2016 Lucy Hobbs is the data controller.

Your data and information I collect: I store your name, telephone number and email address and other personal information that you provide to me. I will also write brief notes of sessions.

How I store information: I keep brief notes recording the themes of our counselling sessions. These are stored online in a cloud-based system, password protected and with two-factor authentication enabled. These are destroyed 3 years after your counselling sessions end unless agreed otherwise. In the event of my death all notes will be destroyed. Your contact and appointment details will be kept for 7 years after your counselling sessions end and then destroyed unless agreed otherwise.  Any emails, texts, WhatsApp messages or other communications will be deleted at any time but not later than one month after receipt unless they form part of your notes in which case they will be kept for 3 years.  If they are needed for income tax purposes they will be kept for 7 years. 

Your telephone number will be stored on my mobile phone under your initials or your first name only until your sessions end at which point it will be deleted. If I change telephones then your details will be deleted on the old phone. If any reports are provided on your behalf then these will be stored for 3 years password protected. I store a note of your appointment in my diary either by first name or by your initials. This is kept for 7 years. At the end of these periods respectively I will confidentially shred all paper copies and I will use a specialist software programme to delete any data stored online. If I die or am incapacitated then you will be informed and your notes will be confidentially destroyed in three months.

How I use this information: I will use your contact details to engage in my work with you according to my contract with you including contacting you about appointments, keeping records such as appointments, running and maintaining my business. I also keep brief notes of counselling and supervision sessions in order to support me in offering you counselling or supervision. I will not use contact information or your session notes for any other purpose other than in this notice and my contract. If for any reason I am asked to provide a report of the sessions – eg at your request then this will be sent to you, password protected for your approval before it is provided to the person requesting it. It will be stored for a maximum of 3 years.

Your rights and Access to Information: You have the right to ask to see any information that I hold about you. Unless prevented from doing so by legal reasons, I will provide this information to you within a month of your request. I am happy to look at this in a session. You also have the right to ask me to change any information that I hold that is incorrect and to ask me to delete any information that I hold about you. I will do this except for any information I need to hold for legal purposes such as my business tax purposes.

Complaints: If you wish to complain about how I hold your data in any way then in the first instance please contact me Lucy Hobbs who is the data controller of LucyJ Therapy. If you have any further concerns which are not addressed then you should contact Information Commissioner’s Office at https://ico.org.uk/concerns/handling/ or 0303 123 1113. 

Breaches: I will report any data breach to the Information Commissioner, to NCS and to yourself within 72 hours if it becomes apparent that any data is stolen. 

Contact: If you wish to contact me with questions, concerns, complaints or requests for your information then please contact me on; 07845782012.