Privacy Statement

Privacy Notice

Working Confidentially

Confidentiality is a fundamental part of the therapeutic relationship. During our initial consultation, we will have an opportunity to discuss confidentiality and its limits in as much detail as you need. Please feel free to raise any questions or concerns you may have about sharing information with me.

In order to work together, I will need to obtain and hold some information about you. Your privacy is important to me, and I take reasonable steps to protect the personal information you share.

Data Controller

Linsey Bailey-Rowles, Sole Trader, trading as Liberty Counselling Burnley, is the Data Controller responsible for the personal information collected and processed in connection with the services provided.

Contact details:

Email: linsey@libertycounsellingburnley.com

Website: www.libertycounsellingburnley.com

ICO Registration Number: ZB494121

How I Obtain Information About You

You may provide information about yourself by:

  • Completing forms on my website
  • Emailing me
  • Telephoning or texting me
  • Contacting me through social media messaging services
  • Speaking with me during consultations and sessions

I may also receive information through third-party organisations that you have used to contact me or access my services, such as:

  • Counselling Directory
  • Psychology Today
  • BACP Therapist Directory
  • Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
  • Other referral organisations

Where contact is made through my website or an online directory, I may also receive limited technical information such as your IP address.

What Information Do I Collect?

The information I collect may include:

  • Name
  • Address
  • Date of birth
  • Telephone number
  • Email address
  • Emergency contact details
  • GP details
  • Information relevant to your enquiry
  • Information shared during counselling or psychotherapy sessions
  • Attendance records
  • Payment and invoicing information

The majority of information I obtain is shared verbally during our work together or through communications such as email, telephone calls or text messages.

Why I Collect Your Information

I use the information provided to:

  • Respond to enquiries
  • Arrange and manage appointments
  • Provide counselling and psychotherapy services
  • Maintain contact during our work together
  • Meet professional, ethical and legal responsibilities
  • Maintain appropriate records of our work
  • Manage payments and invoicing
  • Protect you or others where safeguarding concerns arise

Legal Basis for Processing

Personal information is processed in accordance with UK data protection legislation.

The lawful bases relied upon may include:

  • Performance of a contract
  • Legitimate interests
  • Compliance with legal obligations
  • Vital interests where there is a serious risk of harm

Where information relating to health and wellbeing is processed, this is undertaken for the provision of therapeutic services and in accordance with relevant professional and ethical obligations.

Record Keeping

It is an ethical and professional requirement for me to keep appropriate records relating to our work together.

Where possible:

  • Contact information is stored separately from clinical records
  • Records are coded to help maintain confidentiality
  • Clinical notes do not routinely contain your full name
  • Attendance records are maintained

Where Information Is Stored

Contact information may be stored:

  • On a password-protected mobile phone
  • Within password-protected Google services
  • In secure email systems
  • In secure accounting or invoicing systems
  • In locked storage where paper records are held

My records are usually kept as handwritten notes. If information is stored electronically, appropriate measures are taken to protect and secure the information.

How Information May Be Shared

Information shared within counselling sessions remains confidential except where:

  • You provide consent
  • There is a safeguarding concern involving yourself or another person
  • There is a serious risk of harm to yourself or others
  • Disclosure is required by law
  • Information is requested by a Court Order
  • Emergency services need to be contacted
  • Information is discussed within professional clinical supervision

Where information is discussed in supervision, identifying details are anonymised wherever possible.

Online Therapy and Digital Communication

As my practice is delivered primarily online, I use digital systems to communicate with clients and provide services.

This may include:

  • Email communication
  • Telephone calls
  • Text messaging
  • Google Meet for online counselling and psychotherapy sessions
  • Google Workspace services for secure administration and communication

While I take reasonable steps to use secure systems and protect your information, electronic communication can never be guaranteed to be completely secure. By choosing to communicate via email, text message or online platforms, you acknowledge this limitation.

I recommend that you take appropriate steps to protect your own privacy, such as using password-protected devices and ensuring that you access online sessions from a private and confidential location where possible.

I only use information obtained through these platforms for the purposes of providing and managing my professional services.

Any third-party services used are expected to comply with applicable UK data protection legislation and maintain appropriate security measures.

What I Will Not Do With Your Information

I will not sell, share or use your personal information for marketing purposes.

Automated Decision Making

I do not use automated decision-making or profiling in relation to client care.

How Long Information Is Kept

Records are retained in accordance with professional, legal and insurance requirements.

For counselling and psychotherapy clients, records are normally retained for a period of seven years following the end of our work together unless a longer retention period is required by legal, insurance or safeguarding obligations.

When information is no longer required, it will be securely destroyed. This may include:

  • Shredding paper records
  • Deleting electronic records
  • Removing contact details from devices and systems

Your Rights

Under data protection legislation, you have rights relating to your personal information, including:

  • The right to access information held about you
  • The right to request correction of inaccurate information
  • The right to request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
  • The right to object to processing in certain circumstances
  • The right to lodge a complaint

Subject Access Requests will be responded to in accordance with legal requirements, and reasonable and proportionate searches will be undertaken to locate the information requested.

Data Protection Complaints

If you have any concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact me in the first instance so that I can attempt to resolve the matter.

If you remain dissatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

Information Commissioner’s Office

Website: www.ico.org.uk

Telephone: 0303 123 1113

Changes to This Privacy Notice

This Privacy Notice may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in legal, professional or organisational requirements.

This Privacy Notice is provided in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 where applicable.