Privacy Policy

 

At KV Therapy, your privacy and confidentiality are paramount. This page outlines our adherence to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which governs the collection, storage, and sharing of your personal information. By engaging with KV Therapy, you agree to the terms and conditions described herein.

PERSONAL INFORMATION COLLECTED

In the course of your interactions with KV Therapy—whether through contact forms, telephone conversations, or during therapeutic treatment—we may collect the following personal information:

  • Identity and Contact Details:

    • Name
    • Email address
    • Phone number
    • Home address

  • Demographic and Background Information:

    • Gender (or preferred identity)
    • Religion, ethnicity, or country of birth
    • Sexuality
    • Date of birth
    • Relationships and family (past and present)
    • Occupation and education

  • Health and Medical Details:

    • Previous mental health treatment and diagnoses
    • Medical conditions
    • Prescribed medications
    • Name and contact details of your doctor

  • Therapeutic Information:

    • The nature of your enquiry
    • Challenges or difficulties you are experiencing
    • Session summaries

HOW YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION WILL BE STORED

  • Paper Records:
    Notes may be stored in a secure, locked cabinet or equivalent. Paper records will be securely destroyed once transferred to electronic storage.

  • Digital Storage:
    Electronic records are encrypted and stored securely in compliance with GDPR standards.

  • Phone and Messaging Data:
    Contact details, text messages, and WhatsApp communications may be stored on a secure mobile device for the duration of treatment. These will be deleted within four weeks of your final session.

  • Supervision:
    In compliance with the guidelines of accrediting organisations (e.g., NCS or BACP), KV Therapy engages in regular supervision with qualified supervisors. While aspects of your case may be discussed, your name and identifiable details remain confidential. All supervisors adhere to strict confidentiality and GDPR requirements.

When Confidentiality May Be Breached

Confidentiality is a cornerstone of Klara’s therapeutic practice, and every effort is made to protect clients’ privacy and trust. However, there are specific circumstances where confidentiality may need to be broken to ensure safety, comply with legal obligations, or uphold professional ethics.

1. Risk of Harm to Self or Others

If Klara believes there is a serious risk of harm to:

  • The client: For example, in cases of suicidal intent or self-harm.
  • Others: For example, if there is a credible threat of harm toward another individual or group.

In such situations, Klara may disclose relevant information to appropriate authorities, such as:

  • Emergency services.
  • Mental health crisis teams.
  • The client’s GP or another medical professional.

Where possible, this will be discussed with the client beforehand.

2. Legal Obligations

Klara is required by law to disclose information in certain scenarios, including:

  • Terrorism: Under the Terrorism Act 2000, any knowledge or suspicion of terrorist activities must be reported to law enforcement.
  • Drug Trafficking or Money Laundering: Disclosure is mandatory if activities specified under these laws are suspected.
  • Abuse of Minors or Vulnerable Adults: If there is suspicion or evidence of ongoing abuse or neglect involving children or vulnerable adults, Klara must notify child protection or safeguarding authorities.

3. Court Orders

In the event of a legal order from a court requiring the disclosure of information, Klara is legally obligated to comply.

4. Supervision and Ethical Practice

To maintain the highest standards of ethical and professional practice, Klara regularly discusses her work with a qualified supervisor. During these discussions:

  • Client identities are anonymized to protect confidentiality.
  • Supervisors are bound by the same confidentiality and GDPR standards.

5. With Client Consent

In some cases, Klara may break confidentiality with the client’s explicit consent. For example, a client may request that Klara share information with their GP or another third party to support their care.

How Confidentiality Breaches Are Handled

  • Transparency: Wherever possible, Klara will discuss the need to break confidentiality with the client beforehand, ensuring they are fully informed.
  • Proportionality: Only the necessary information will be shared, and only with the relevant parties involved.

Commitment to Ethical Practice

Klara adheres to the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, ensuring that any decision to breach confidentiality is guided by legal requirements, ethical principles, and a commitment to the client’s safety and well-being.

If there are any questions about confidentiality or its limits, clients are encouraged to discuss them with Klara at any stage of therapy.

ERASING YOUR INFORMATION

  • Retention Period:
    Personal information will be retained for a maximum of four years after your final session or the last point of contact if treatment does not proceed.

  • Deletion:

    • Mobile phone contact details will be deleted within four weeks of your final session.
    • Paper notes will be shredded once digitized or no longer required.
    • Digital records will be securely erased after the retention period.

YOUR RIGHTS

As a client of KV Therapy, you have the following rights regarding your personal information:

  1. Right to Be Informed:
    You have the right to be informed about what personal data is collected, how it is used, and for what purposes (as outlined in this document).

  2. Right of Access:
    You can request to see the information KV Therapy holds about you.

    • Initial request: Free of charge
    • Additional requests: £5 per request

  3. Right to Rectification:
    You can request corrections to any inaccurate or incomplete information.

  4. Right to Withdraw Consent:
    You can withdraw consent for the use of your personal information at any time.

  5. Right to Erasure:
    You can request that some or all of your personal information be erased. KV Therapy may decline such requests if the information is necessary for lawful or competent practice.

  6. Right to Restrict Processing:
    You may request limitations on how your information is used, especially in cases where its accuracy or lawful use is in question.

  7. Right to Data Portability:
    Upon request, KV Therapy can provide your personal information in a commonly used, machine-readable format for transfer to another service provider.

  8. Right to Object:
    You may object to the processing of your data for certain purposes, such as research or marketing.

  9. Right to Complain:
    If you have concerns about how your information is handled, you may contact KV Therapy or lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • Ethical Compliance:
    KV Therapy adheres to the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions, ensuring that data collection, storage, and usage align with professional standards of confidentiality, transparency, and integrity.

  • Policy Updates:
    This GDPR policy is reviewed regularly to remain compliant with updates to legal and ethical guidelines. Clients will be informed of any significant changes to this policy.

For further information or to exercise your rights, please contact KV Therapy directly.

search previous next tag category expand menu location phone mail time cart zoom edit close