Policies

Tia Webber Counselling is a private service offering counselling.

 

I am  registered with the ICO (Information Commissioners Office), an independent authority created to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals. We are committed to the Data Protection Act 2018 and GDPR. We promise that any data we hold on you will be transparent and only used for very specific purposes as defined below. 

 

Ask if you have any queries concerning your personal information or any questions on our use of the information.

 

When you initially contact me, you may be asked to provide names, age, date of birth, preferred pronouns, medical and mental health information. 

As part of the initial consultation, you will be asked to sign a risk assessment and a contract agreement or booking form for services we may be providing.

 

What do we use your information for? 

 

We use the information held about you in the following ways: 

• To provide you with the professional service requested. 

• To offer suitable appointments for yourself.  

• To notify you about changes to your appointments and other changes to our services. 

• To seek feedback from you on your experience of our work with you. 

• To improve our service to ensure that it is provided in the most effective manner for you and for us. 

• To ensure the safety of ourselves, yourself and all clients using our services. 

• To ensure we are meeting your needs as comprehensively as possible.

 

What information do we share? 

 

We will not share any information about you with other organisations or people, except in the following situations: 

• Consent: Tia Webber Counselling may share your information with professionals or others whom you have requested or agreed we should contact. 

• Serious harm: Tia Webber Counselling may share your information with the relevant authorities if we have reason to believe that this may prevent serious harm being caused to you or another person. 

• Compliance with law: Tia Webber Counselling may share your information where we are required to by law or by the regulations and other rules to which we are subject to do.

 

How do we keep your information safe? 

 

All information you provide to us is stored securely. All paper forms and correspondence are kept in locked filing cabinets. All electronic records are stored on my own devices and all access to which requires password-protected.

When do we remove your data? 

 

Any information, client notes and signed contracts held by the therapist will be kept, as legally required, in a locked filing cabinet on site or on a password protected device for a period of five years or in the case of a child, until that child is 25.  

 

You have the right to ask us to provide a copy of the information held by us in our records. You also have the right to ask us to correct any inaccuracies in your information. You may withdraw your consent for us to hold and process your data at any time. However, if you do this while actively receiving one of our services then this service would have to end.

 

We may edit and update this policy from time to time. 

Safeguarding

 

Tia Webber Counselling considers confidentiality a big part of the therapeutic relationship. Clients may share/disclose personal information with a therapist and they will feel more confident to do this if they are reassured that their personal information will be discussed and recorded in confidence. For counselling, a client contract is agreed upon on the initial appointment with all our clients. Confidentiality and the rights of the client are discussed as part of this. 

 

For all other services confidentiality is highlighted in each service’s risk assessment. The extent and limitations of confidentiality and what will happen if the counsellor needs to break confidentiality.  To have a clear therapeutic contract with terms that are fully understood, accepted and supported. 

 

There are legal and ethical frameworks about the protection of sensitive information. These frameworks exist for the protection of the public and individuals. There may be occasions when there is a perceived conflict between the professional and moral duty of confidentiality and the need to disclose information that is considered to be in the public interest or individual protection.

 

There are legal rights to confidentiality that are enforceable by legal orders, e.g. injunctions or actions for the breach of contract, damages, orders for compensation. Potential breaches of confidentiality may happen in regard to the following circumstances: crime, potential serious harm/death to the client or others, court orders and child protection.

 

The counsellor will have monthly supervision where she will use some of the notes from the sessions to discuss her own practice and ethics. 

 

We recognise that the welfare of our clients is important. That everyone regardless of age, disability, gender, race, religious beliefs, political beliefs or sexual orientation has a right to equal protection from all types of harm or abuse. 

Complaints

 

If you are unhappy with any part of the service we would like to know as soon as possible and be given the chance to put anything right and resolve the situation as quickly as I can. I take all complaints very seriously.

 

I am a member of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). NCPS can impose sanctions and even withdraw membership if a complaint is upheld against one of its members. Tel: 01903 200666 Website: www.nationalcounsellingsociety.org

 

Equality & Diversity

 

Tia Webber Counselling is committed to treating everyone equally and will not discriminate against anyone based on the legally protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 - age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation.