Privacy Notice

Introduction

This Privacy Notice explains how I collect, use, store, and protect your personal data in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR).

I am committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care, respect, and confidentiality.

About me

Name: Nicky Kantura
Role: Counsellor
Website: www.nickykantura.co.uk
Email: kanturanicky@gmail.com
Telephone: 07875 704567

I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
ICO registration number: ZB664131

I am the data controller for the personal data you provide.

What data I collect

During counselling, I collect and store personal and sensitive information necessary for our working relationship and your safety. This may include:

· Name, address, and date of birth

· Telephone number and email address

· GP details

· Emergency contact details

· Relevant medical information, including medication

· Information shared during counselling sessions

· Brief anonymised session notes

· Correspondence related to appointments or therapy

This includes special category data, such as information about your mental and physical health.

Why I collect your data

Your data is collected and used to:

· Provide counselling safely and ethically

· Maintain appropriate clinical records

· Manage appointments and communication

· Ensure your wellbeing and safety

· Meet legal, professional, and insurance requirements

Only information that is necessary for these purposes is collected.

Lawful basis for processing

Under UK GDPR, the lawful bases I rely on are:

· Contract – to provide counselling services

· Legal obligation – for record keeping and safeguarding

· Legitimate interests – for practice administration

· Consent – where you have explicitly opted in (for example, contact about events or workshops)

For special category data, the condition relied upon is:

· Provision of health or social care

How your data is stored

Your personal data is stored securely:

· Electronic records are password-protected

· Paper records are stored in a locked cabinet

· Session notes are anonymised

· Access to identifiable data is restricted to me only

Reasonable steps are taken to protect your data from loss, misuse, or unauthorised access.

How long your data is kept

In line with my counselling agreement:

· Client records are kept for 5 years after counselling ends

· For clients under 18, records are kept for 5 years after their 18th birthday

After this period, records are securely destroyed.

Confidentiality and sharing of data

Therapy is confidential, but confidentiality is not absolute. I will not share what you tell me unless there is a lawful, ethical or safeguarding reason to do so, and where possible I will limit any sharing to the minimum information necessary.

There are some limits to confidentiality. I may need to share information if:

I believe there is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else
there is a safeguarding concern involving a child, vulnerable adult or person at risk
I am required to do so by law, court order or legal process
disclosure is necessary to prevent or detect a serious crime
there is a medical emergency and information is needed to protect life
I need to consult my clinical supervisor, while protecting your identity as far as possible

Where possible and appropriate, I would aim to discuss this with you before sharing information. However, I may not be able to do so if this would increase risk, prejudice safeguarding action, undermine the purpose of the disclosure, or would otherwise not be possible.

Supervision

Like other ethical therapists, I use clinical supervision to support safe and effective practice.

In supervision, I may discuss aspects of client work to support safe and effective practice. I aim to minimise identifying detail where possible and appropriate, and my supervisor is also bound by confidentiality and professional standards.

Optional contact about events and workshops

If you have given explicit consent, I may contact you about workshops, groups, or community events related to maternal mental health and wellbeing.

This consent is entirely optional and can be withdrawn at any time by contacting me. Choosing not to consent will not affect your counselling.

AI tools

I do not record, transcribe or use AI tools to process therapy sessions.

I may use digital tools for general practice administration, writing, planning or education. Where I do, I aim to avoid putting identifiable client material into tools that are not appropriate for confidential clinical information, and I take data protection and confidentiality into account when choosing how to use those tools.

Your rights

Under UK GDPR, you have the right to:

· Access your personal data

· Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data

· Request erasure of your data (where legally appropriate)

· Request restriction of processing

· Object to processing

· Withdraw consent at any time

· Request data portability

· Make a complaint to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

How to raise a concern or complaint

If you have a concern about how I have handled your personal information, you can make a data protection complaint by contacting me using the details in this notice. I will acknowledge your complaint within 30 days and take appropriate steps to look into it without undue delay.

Please include:

your name
what your concern is about
what you would like me to look into
how you would prefer me to respond

I will investigate your complaint as appropriate, keep you informed where necessary, and tell you the outcome without undue delay.

If you are not satisfied with my response, or if you would prefer to contact the UK regulator directly, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Website: www.ico.org.uk

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Updates to this Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice may be updated from time to time. The most recent version will always be available on my website.