Cathy Sparkes works as an independent practitioner offering counselling, supervision and coaching. Information about Cathy Sparkes can be found at: www.cathysparkes.co.uk
This privacy policy sets out how Cathy Sparkes uses and protects any information that you give her when you use her services. Cathy Sparkes is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should she ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified, you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement. Cathy Sparkes reserves the right, at her discretion, to make changes to any part of this privacy policy. She suggests that you regularly check this document to ensure that you continue to be comfortable with the measures that she is taking to protect your privacy. This policy is effective from 25th May 2018.
By visiting www.cathysparkes.co.uk you are accepting and consenting to the practices described in this policy. By continuing to use the site, you are agreeing to her use of cookies as described below.
UK Data Protection Law and EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR):
Data Protection Law lays down wide-ranging rules, backed up by criminal sanctions, for the processing of information about identifiable, living individuals. It also gives individuals certain rights in relation to personal data held about them by others. For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998 (the Act), the Data Controller is Cathy Sparkes, TW11. Cathy Sparkes is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as Data Controllers.
The lawful basis for processing personal information:
The lawful basis for processing and storing personal information is one of ‘legitimate interest’ (under article 6 of GDPR). Cathy cannot adequately deliver a quality service to you without processing your personal information. As it is both a necessity for her service delivery and of benefit to you, she has a legitimate interest to process and store your data.
Data relating to an individual’s health is classified as ‘Special Category Data’ under section 9 of the GDPR. The regulations specify that health professionals who are ‘legally bound to professional secrecy’ may have a lawful basis for processing this data. Counsellors are legally bound to keep client information confidential and it is under this condition that she processes and stores personal information.
What Cathy Sparkes collects:
Cathy may require basic information which identifies you as an individual (“Personal Information”), such as your name, email address and phone number, in order to enable you to take advantage of particular services that are offered – for example when you send an email enquiry, become a regular client/supervisee/coachee. She will only use such Personal Information for the purposes of providing the information or services which you have requested, or for other purposes set out in these Terms. She may collect the following information in verbal or written form:
- Basic personal information
- Contact information, including email address and telephone number(s);
- Company or organisation
- Information pertinent to fulfilling her services
With regard to each of your visits to the website, she does not collect any information from her visitors and the only reason that it leaves cookies (small text files) on your computer is because it has been created in WordPress.
The website contains links to other internet sites of interest, which are outside her control and are not covered by this privacy policy. Once you use these links to leave the site, Cathy Sparkes cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide through any such linked websites. Please exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.
What Cathy Sparkes does with the information she gathers:
Cathy Sparkes gathers information for the purpose of:
- Internal record keeping
- Management and administration (e.g. accounting)
- Sending promotional emails about new services and other information which she thinks you may find interesting
- For clinical audit to assess and improve her service
If you do not wish Cathy Sparkes to make use of your Personal Information in this way, please email [email protected].
She uses your information:
- To communicate with you to fulfil the contracts entered into between you and www.cathysparkes.co.uk and to provide you with the information and services that you request from her
- To operate her business efficiently including financial records
- To notify you about changes to her service
- As part of her efforts to keep the site safe and secure
Security and Data Storage:
Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although she will do her best to protect your personal data, she cannot guarantee the security of your data transmitted to the site; any transmission is at your own risk. Once she has received your information, she will use strict procedures and security features to try to prevent unauthorised access. Personal data is held electronically in a password-protected format and/or in paper form stored in a locked filing cabinet. Personal data will be held until such time as the contract is terminated. For therapy clients, all personal information will then be retained for a further 7 years before being destroyed. For supervisees and coachees all personal information will be destroyed immediately.
Disclosure of Information
All of Cathy Sparkes’ dealings with you and any information that she has about you is confidential except when she may have a legal obligation to share, such as terrorism, money laundering and radicalisation.
Access to Information
You can request access to the personal information that Cathy Sparkes holds about you. She will provide this except in the limited circumstances in which she is legally or professionally permitted not to. You may request amendments to the personal information she holds about you that is inaccurate or out-of-date. If you request that she deletes your personal information, she will take all reasonable steps to do so unless she needs to keep it for legal, auditing or internal business purposes.
Controlling your personal information:
Cathy Sparkes will not distribute your personal information to third parties unless she has your explicit permission or are required by law to do so.
With your consent through the signed privacy notice, she may use your personal information to send you promotional information about www.cathysparkes.co.uk and other information related to your industry.
You may request details of personal information which she holds about you. If you would like a copy of the information held on you, please contact Cathy Sparkes directly via email: [email protected]
Concerns or Complaints:
If you believe that any information Cathy Sparkes is holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, or have any other data protection related issues or queries, please contact Cathy Sparkes [email protected] . She will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.
If you are concerned that Cathy Sparkes has breached a privacy law or code binding on her, please send an email marked “Urgent” to [email protected]. She will aim to respond in a reasonable time (normally 24 hours). Cathy Sparkes will manage your complaint and give you additional information about how it will be handled.
You have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) if you believe Cathy Sparkes has not handled your request in an appropriate manner. For information on contacting the ICO please see their website: www.ico.org.uk