Privacy Notice

Natalie Hadlow-Wood
Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist

This privacy notice informs you how I collect and use any personal data you provide when you engage with my service. It details your rights and responsibilities according to the General Data Protection Regulations in the processing of your personal data. This policy is reviewed annually and will be updated/amended if necessary. If you have any questions about data protection, please contact nhwpsychotherapy@outlook.com.

1. What Types of Information I Hold

I collect and process the following personal data which is necessary for psychotherapy and to ensure I am providing a safe practice:

Your contact details, date of birth and GP details
Information about your mental health and physical health if appropriate
Information about your family history, relationships and past and present experiences
Special category data which may include information about your ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs and sexual orientation if it is relevant to the therapy
Your bank details if you make payment for sessions by bank transfer

2. How I Obtain Your Information

I obtain your contact details when you make an initial enquiry by completing the contact form on my website or contact me by phone/email. Further contact details are provided by email once you have agreed to commence psychotherapy. Other personal data is provided by you verbally during psychotherapy sessions.

3. Why I Require Your Information

I collect personal data to enable me to tailor the psychotherapy to your needs and to provide psychotherapy treatment and recommendations to you. It is standard practice for psychotherapists to take content notes after sessions, which help aid the process.

4. The Lawful Basis for Processing Your Information

‘Contract’ is the lawful basis by which I collect and process your information, because your data is necessary for me to provide the service you are contracting me for. After you agree to commence psychotherapy with me, you will be sent a contract that outlines the terms and conditions under which psychotherapy is provided. If I need to share your personal data to protect someone’s life, (see point 5), the lawful basis for this is called ‘vital interests’. The lawful basis by which I process special category data is listed as a ‘substantial public interest condition’ and can be found under ‘counselling’ in Schedule 1 of the DPA.

5. What I do With Your Information

All data collected by me is treated as confidential information. I may discuss some of your information with my clinical supervisor, which is a necessary process for all psychotherapists, and ensures that my practice is safe and ethical. My clinical supervisor is also a psychotherapist bound by the same GDPR regulations and confidentiality agreement that I adhere to. If your sessions are sponsored by an insurer or third party, they may require confirmation of your attendance and/or progress reports. All reports are kept brief and general in nature, noting themes that we have discussed, but never detailed content. There are rare and exceptional circumstances, in which I may need to breach confidentiality, in line with my duty of care as an accredited professional. These circumstances are:

If I have concerns about your safety or the safety of another person
If I am compelled to do so by a court of law
If I require legal support for non-payment of fees
If you need to be contacted by my therapeutic executor

I will always endeavour to discuss this with you prior to sharing any information.

6. How I Store Your Information

Emails: Emails sent to me or sent by me are processed and stored within a secure mailing system, provided by Outlook.
Handwritten data: Stored in a locked cabinet, only accessible by Natalie Hadlow-Wood, with only your initials as identifiers
Electronic data: Stored on a secure laptop which is password protected and protected by McAfee. The laptop is locked in a cabinet.

All personal data is stored for 3 years from the date the therapy ended. All data is destroyed after this time period.

7. Your Data Protection Rights

You have the right to inspect some or all the data I have collected if you wish, and this request will be fulfilled during a therapy session. If your sessions are sponsored by an insurer or third party, you will receive copies of any information I share with them, and this will be sent to you by email.

8. How to Complain

If you have queries or concerns about the collection and processing of your data, please discuss them with me. If you feel unable to do so, or we cannot reach a satisfactory resolution, you have a right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office at www.ico.org.uk.