Privacy Notice of Steven Bye at:

SB Counselling

Studio SO4, Elm Road Studios, Elm Road, Bristol, BS7 8RJ

I am committed to safeguarding and protecting your information. If I ask you for any information it will only be used according to this privacy statement and with your best interest in mind. This statement confirms how I use and protect any information that you give to me whilst using this service.

I may change this policy from time to time, in line with legislation, and whilst we are still working together I will provide you with notice of any change. If we have ceased working together and you would like a copy of my up to date privacy policy I will provide one on request. I will also update my website www.sb-counselling.co.uk and would advise that you check that from time to time to be aware of any changes if you so wish. This policy is effective from 1st March 2025.

For the purposes of Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation 2016, Steven Bye is the data controller of the above address.

YOUR DATA

Information I collect: I store your name, telephone number, email address and other personal information that you provide to me. I may also make brief notes of our sessions that I feel will be useful to your sessions.

How I store information: I keep brief written notes recording the themes of our therapy sessions. These are stored in a locked filing box and are destroyed seven years after your therapy sessions end unless agreed otherwise. Your contact and appointment details will be kept for seven years after your therapy sessions end and then destroyed unless agreed otherwise. Any emails, texts, whatsapp, messenger messages or other communications will be deleted at any time but not later than 90 days after receipt unless they form a part of your notes or are needed for income tax purposes in which case they will be kept for seven years. Your telephone number will be stored on a mobile phone used specifically for my counselling work, under your first name and the initial of your surname. I will periodically (every 12 months) delete client names and numbers that I am no longer working with. If I change my phone then all your details will be deleted. I use a digital diary to organise my appointments, in this I use only your first name.

How I use this information: I will use your contact details to engage in my work with you according to my contract with you including contacting you about appointments, keeping records such as appointments, running and maintaining my business. I also keep brief notes of therapy sessions in order to support me in offering you therapy. I will not use contact information or your session notes for any purpose other than in this notice and my contract. If for any reason I am asked to provide a report of the sessions – e.g. at your request, then this will be sent to you, password protected for your approval before it is provided to the person requesting it. It will also be stored for a period of 7 years.

Your Rights and Access to information: You have the right to ask to see any information that I hold about you. Unless prevented from doing so for legal reasons, I will provide this information to you within a month of your request. I am happy to look at this in session. You also have the right to ask me to change or delete any information that I hold about you that is incorrect, I will do this except for any information I need to hold for legal purposes.

Complaints: If you wish to complain about how I hold your data in any way then in the first instance please contact me Steven Bye who is the data controller of SB Counselling at the above address. If you have any further concerns which are not addressed then you should contact Information Commissioners Office at http://ico.org/concerns/handling/ or 0303 123 1113.

Breaches: I will report any data breach to the Independent Commissioner, BACP and to yourself within 72 hours if it becomes apparent that any data is stolen. My data protection registration reference is ZA589941.

Contact: If you wish to contact me with questions, concerns, complaints or a request for your information then please contact me at the address above.

Dated 1st March 2025