Privacy Notice

Who is responsible for your information?

Rivington Counselling is operated by Gareth Barnes MBACP, 73 Brownlow Road, Horwich, BL6 7DR. Email: gareth@rivingtoncounselling.com. Telephone: 07979 908001. ICO registration: ZB514374. BACP registration: 397769. Gareth Barnes is the data controller for personal information used within the counselling practice.

Information I may collect

Depending on your contact with the practice, I may collect your name and contact details; information supplied through the website, email, telephone or voicemail; appointment and payment information; information needed to consider whether counselling is suitable; counselling records and brief session notes; relevant health, wellbeing, safety or circumstances information; and technical information collected by Wix when you use the website.

Please do not include detailed personal, clinical or safeguarding information in your initial website message, email or voicemail.

Why I use your information

I use information to respond to enquiries, consider whether I can offer suitable counselling, arrange appointments, provide counselling, maintain appropriate records, process payments, meet safeguarding and professional responsibilities, and protect the security and proper operation of the practice and website. I collect only information reasonably necessary for these purposes.

Lawful basis

The primary lawful basis for ordinary personal information is Article 6(1)(b) of the UK GDPR: processing needed to take steps at your request before entering into a counselling agreement and to perform that agreement. Article 6(1)(c) may apply where processing is required by law. Health and counselling information is special-category information. The relevant condition is Article 9(2)(h): processing necessary for health or social-care purposes, subject to appropriate professional confidentiality obligations.

Confidentiality and sharing

Counselling information is treated confidentially, but confidentiality is not absolute. Information may be shared where you have authorised it; where necessary to address a serious safeguarding concern; where there is an overriding legal, ethical or professional obligation; where disclosure is required by law or a court; or where a service provider needs limited information to provide secure administrative or technical services. Where appropriate and safe, I will discuss a proposed disclosure with you beforehand.

Clinical supervision uses client initials or anonymised identifiers wherever practicable, and information is limited to what is necessary for professional supervision.

Service providers

The practice may use service providers for website hosting, email, video appointments, document storage, accounting or administration. They receive only information needed for their role and are expected to protect it appropriately. The website is hosted by Wix. Zoom may be used for online counselling, and telephone counselling is also available. I do not sell personal information.

International transfers

Some technology providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where this happens, I use providers offering an appropriate UK data-transfer safeguard or another legally recognised transfer mechanism.

Retention

Counselling and associated practice records are normally retained for three years after counselling ends, unless a legal, safeguarding, insurance or professional reason justifies a different period. Initial enquiries and website messages are retained only for as long as reasonably necessary. Financial information is retained for the period required by tax and accounting law. Information is securely deleted or destroyed when no longer required.

Security

Reasonable technical and organisational safeguards are used, including access controls, device security, protected storage, data minimisation and anonymised client identifiers where appropriate. No internet or email service can be guaranteed completely secure, so please avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information by ordinary email or through the website form.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances and lawful basis, you may have rights to be informed; request access; correct inaccurate information; request erasure or restriction in certain circumstances; object to particular processing; and receive certain information in a portable format. These rights are not absolute and may be limited by legal, safeguarding or professional obligations. Contact Gareth Barnes using the details above to exercise a right.

Complaints

Please contact Gareth Barnes first if you have a concern. You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at www.ico.org.uk or telephone 0303 123 1113.

Website cookies

Wix may use cookies and similar technologies needed to operate and secure the website. Non-essential analytics or marketing cookies should only be used in accordance with choices provided through the website’s cookie controls.

Changes to this notice

This notice will be reviewed periodically and updated when the practice’s services, systems or legal responsibilities change.