About this policy

This policy explains how Dr Roxanne Barrett collects, uses, and shares your personal data when you contact her or use the services provided by her, and it also sets out your data privacy rights.

Please read this policy carefully so as to ensure you understand how your personal data will be collected, used, processed and stored. Before any services can be provided it is necessary that you provide your consent, freely given, to such use of your personal information.

How Dr Barrett obtains the personal information and why she has it

Most of the information Dr Barrett obtains is provided directly by you. At times she may receive information from other professionals or institutions such as individuals making referrals. The information received is used clinically to enhance the care she provides to you. Dr Roxanne Barrett is the data controller who is responsible for deciding what data is collected and how it is safely stored.

The types of personal data she collects 

• Personal data: contact information including name, address, telephone number, email address, GP contact details.

• Sensitive personal data: therapy records including notes, letters, reports and outcome measures

• If you are referred from another organisation she will also collect the information provided by them

Why she collects such information

Dr Roxanne Barrett has a lawful basis for processing the information mentioned above as she has a legitimate interest is using such data to provide care to clients. What this means is that it is necessary to collect such information in order to provide a psychological therapy service to clients. 

Data is collected for the following reasons:

• Information about clients is collected so that they can be contacted and communicated with.

• To provide services such as psychological therapy

• To process payment for services

• Feedback about her services may be collected to improve the care she provides.

How she stores your personal information  

Dr Barrett takes your privacy very seriously and will ensure that all data collected is stored securely. All data is securely stored electronically on a password protected computer and on a secure GDPR compliant electronic notes system. A smartphone is also used which is password protected.

The length of time she keeps your information depends on the type of contact with you. If she is contacted by someone who does not become a client, she will keep their contact information for 6 months and it will then be securely deleted. Medical records of those who have attended appointments will be kept for 7 years. Electronic invoices will be kept for 7 years in line with requirements set out by HMRC. After that period your information will be securely and permanently erased at the end of the calendar year.

Who might she share information with?

She holds all information about clients and their care in the strictest of confidentiality. This means she would not routinely share information about you with anyone else. However there are exceptions to this rule, including:

• When you are referred by another professional, such as a health insurance provider, she may provide them with an update regarding therapy appointments for the purposes of billing and updates regarding to outcome of the referral.

• In cases where treatment has been instructed by a solicitor, relevant information from your records will be shared with your consent.

• Where there is a legal duty to disclose information, for example a court order.

• Where information relates to risk of harm occurring to the client or another individual and she is professionally obliged to act to prevent such harm from occurring.

• Additionally it is a requirement that all Clinical Psychologists have regular clinical supervision to optimise the care they provide. During supervision some details regarding therapy sessions are discussed but details are kept to the minimum required.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including: 

• Your right of access - You have the right to request information about how your personal data is being processed, and the right to be allowed access to that data and to request a copy of it.

• Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete. 

• Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances. 

• Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances. 

• Your right to object to processing - You have the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

• Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that the personal information you provided be transferred to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make such a request, Dr Barrett has one month to respond to you.

Please contact her at info@drbarrettpsychology.com if you wish to make a request.

How to complain

If you have any concerns or questions about Dr Barrett’s use of your personal information, you can address this to info@drbarrettpsychology.com  

You can also complain to the Information Commissioner if you are unhappy with how she has used your data:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk