Data Protection Policy

Data Protection Policy

Any personal data provided by you to Gillian Allan through any means (verbal, written, in electronic form, or by your use of her website) will be held and processed in accordance with the data protection principles set out in the Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation for the purposes for which you have given consent, to provide the professional services you have requested from Gillian, and to meet the legitimate interests of her work.
This policy only applies to data collected by Gillian, and via her own forms and website. Third party agents, and websites which are linked to hers, are not covered by this policy. If you have any queries concerning your personal information or any questions about her use of the information, please contact Gillian.

When you request gestalt therapy or otherwise provide your personal details to her as part of her work as a gestalt therapist in senior clinical training, you will be asked to consent to her processing of your data under the terms of this statement with Gillian,

What information does Gillian collect?
Gestalt Therapy
Contacting Gillian to request access to her gestalt therapy services can be done online, on paper or by phone. This involves providing your name, a means of contact, and your availability. This may also include information about your therapeutic needs and history.

Initial discussions
At any initial discussion, Gillian will ask about your current personal, social, professional, financial and medical circumstances.  She may also ask about your background and family history as well as the issues which are affecting you now. She requires this information so that she can determine the suitability of gestalt therapy with her for you.  

Gestalt Therapy
If you agree to work together, Gillian will ask you to complete a written contract which she will discuss with you. This normally includes giving your name, date of birth, address, telephone numbers, email address, postal address, GP details, medication details, medical/psychiatric history, history of counselling/psychotherapy and next of kin. Gillian may also keep records of ongoing work, appointments, attendance and payments. She may ask for your bank details in the unusual event of needing to refund any payments e.g. for a cancelled session. 

Website
Gillian uses Google Analytics to collect anonymous data from her website relating to online user behaviour and ‘web traffic’ statistics.  The collection and use of this data by Google Inc. is subject to their own Privacy Policies. Gillian also holds an online mailing list, in which you are asked for your name and email address. I collect and use this data through my website provider, Wix.com, and as such it is subject to the Wix Privacy Policies.

What does Gillian use your information for?
To provide clients with a professional gestalt therapyTo offer appointments,To notify you about changes to your appointments or other changes to services.To seek feedback from you on your experience of working with GillianTo administer gestalt therapy services, including      arranging sessions, financial control, data analysis, research and statistical purposes.For Gillian’s optional online mailing list, to promote gestalt therapy, and related events Gillian is facilitating.

What information does Gillian share?
Gillian will not share any information about you with other organisations or people, except in the following situations:

Consent:  Gillian may share your information with others whom you have requested or agreed she can contact.
Serious harm: 
Gillian may share your information with the relevant authorities if she has reason to believe that this may prevent serious harm being caused to you or another person.
Compliance with law:  Gillian may share your information where she is required to by law or by the regulations and other rules to which she is subject. 
Clinical supervision: it is a professional requirement for gestalt therapists in senior clinical training to review their work with a supervisor, who is also bound by confidentiality. As part of the backups of encrypted data processed and held by professional IT security companies.

How does Gillian keep your information safe?
All information you provide to Gillian is stored as securely as possible.  All paper forms and correspondence are kept in locked filing cabinets on our premises.  All electronic records are stored on her computer, access to which requires password-protected authentication, or by reputable service providers using secure encrypted Internet ‘cloud’ technology. In addition to this, she will keep your name and phone number on her phone in case she needs to contact you at short notice about a session, or in the situation where you are working online, to call you if connection fails. You will not be identified as a client on her phone and if you do not wish her to keep you number on her phone, please let her know and she will organise an alternative means of contact in these situations.Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the Internet is never completely secure. Although Gillian will do her best to protect your information using industry-standard applications, protocols and encryption, she cannot guarantee the security of data transmitted to her via email, including forms completed on her website which are transmitted by email; any transmission is at your own risk. Once she has received your information, she will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access.Your identifiable personal information is kept separately from any session notes and other descriptive material. Client notes and other documentation are destroyed seven years after the end of therapy. 

Your rights
You have the right to ask Gillian to provide a copy of the information held by us in our records. You also have the right to require Gillian to correct any inaccuracies in your information. If you would like to do this, please contact Gillian. Any inaccuracies will be amended promptly.You may wish to request changes to how certain aspects of your information are stored – please contact Gillian. You can unsubscribe from the optional online mailing list at any time, either by contacting Gillian or following the ‘unsubscribe’ link on emails sent through this medium. You may withdraw your consent for Gillian to hold and process your data at any time. However, if you do this while engaging in gestalt therapy with Gillian, your work with her would have to end. You can withdraw your consent by contacting Gillian.

Changes to this policy
Gillian may edit this policy from time to time. If Gillian makes any substantial changes she will notify you in writing.

Gillian Allan
Mar 2020
GPTI accreditation logo
ACTO accreditation

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gillianallan@protonmail.com



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