Arise Psychology aims to be as clear as possible about how and why we use your personal data so that you can be confident that your privacy is protected. This policy describes the data that Arise Psychology collects, when you use our service, and how it is used and stored. This data includes personal information as defined in the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2016 [and the subsequent UK Data Protection Bill that was enacted in 2018].
Arise Psychology uses the information we collect in accordance with all laws concerning the protection of personal data, including the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR 2016. As per these laws, myself, Dr Soad Nasr of Arise Psychology is the data processor and controller, and I am registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ref ZB709635). If your questions are not fully answered by this policy, please contact Dr Soad Nasr at Arise Psychology. If you are not satisfied with the answers, I am able to give, you can contact the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk.
This privacy policy describes how I, Dr Soad Nasr at Arise Psychology, protects and makes use of the information you provide me. If you provide, or are asked to provide, information when contacting me, it will only be used in the ways described in this privacy policy. This policy is updated from time to time and was last updated on 25th June 2024. If you have any questions about this policy, please email soad@arisepsychology.co.uk.
Who am I?
I am Dr Soad Nasr, a Clinical Psychologist trading under the name ‘Arise Psychology’. I deliver independent psychological therapy to adults and young adults. I am registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
What data do I gather and why?
I have a legitimate and lawful interest in collecting your personal data and use it to provide health care treatment – this is a requirement of my regulatory body, The Health and Care Professions Council. I collect the following information to enable me to work with you safely and effectively.
• Name and address
• E-mail address
•Telephone number
• Date of birth
• GP details
• Emergency Contact details
During the course of initial contact and then subsequent therapy, I will inevitably also collect a significant amount of other personal data relevant to assessing and treating your presenting psychological difficulties and these will be in the form of clinical notes.
How I use this data
Collecting this data helps me:
• Contact you to set up appointments
• Communicate with you about on-going scheduling of appointments
• Keep an accurate record of your therapy sessions that inform your treatment
• Invoice for services rendered
• Communicate (when necessary and agreed with you) with relevant third parties to support your treatment and manage risk
Managing the data I hold about you.
Any personal information I hold about you is stored and processed in line with The Data Protection Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679) adopted on 27th April 2016 and enforceable from 25th May 2018. Your data will be kept for the full duration of your status as a client with Arise Psychology. When you cease to be a client, your data will be kept for a minimum period of seven years, and a maximum period of ten years in accordance with Medical Council guidelines. I will only store your personal information for as long as it is required. Basic contact information held on my mobile phone will be deleted within 6 months of the end of therapy sessions.
Security
I will always hold your information securely:
• All client files and therapy notes are kept securely in a locked filing cabinet.
• Any electronic information I hold about you such as your Therapy Contract, will be encrypted and password protected.
• Any information you send me on email is similarly stored securely and password protected.
• Access to your personal information is restricted on a ‘need-to-know’ basis only i.e. for those concerned directly with your care and with your account.
To prevent unauthorised disclosure or access to your information, I have implemented strong physical and electronic security safeguards. In the unlikely event of a data protection breach we will notify the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) so that their procedures can be followed. We will also notify all individuals whose data may have been accessed to alert them to the breach and any potential risks.
Data accuracy
Should, during the course of your contact with me, any personal data be subject to change e.g. if you move, change GPs, change your name or telephone number etc., I would be grateful if you could notify me at the earliest opportunity so that I can ensure our records are up to date. Please contact Dr Soad Nasr, if you wish to update the accuracy of the personal data we hold about you.
Your Rights
All individuals who are the subject of personal data held by Arise Psychology are entitled to:
• Ask what information is held about them and why.
• Ask how to gain access to a copy of the information held about them.
• Ask for your information to be amended if you believe it is incorrect.
• Ask to be informed how I am meeting its data protection obligations.
If you would like to request a copy of the data I hold about you, this is called a ‘subject access request’ under the Data Protection Act and the General Data Protection Regulation. Subject access requests should be made in writing or email to Dr Soad Nasr at Arise Psychology. I will aim to provide the relevant data within 30 days of receiving the request. We will always verify the identity of anyone making a subject access request before handing over any information.
Who might I share personal information with?
I hold the information about my clients in confidence, and this means I will not normally share your personal information with anyone else. However, there are exceptions to this when there may be need for liaison with other parties. For example, in exceptional circumstances when there is need-to-know information for another health provider, such as your GP or crisis services, when there are concerns of risk of harm to yourself or someone else. I may also be obliged to share your personal information when disclosure is in the public interest, to prevent a miscarriage of justice or where there is a legal duty, for example a court order. I will discuss such a proposed disclosure with you unless I believe that to do so could increase the level of risk to you or someone else.
Another example of when I may share your personal information with a third party is in the case that you have been referred by a health insurance provider or are claiming through a health insurance policy or fund. In this case I may share appointment schedules with that organisation for billing purposes. I may also share information with such an organisation to provide treatment updates. If you would like me to share information about your treatment with any other outside organisations that are involved in your care, I will require your written consent.
Complaints or queries
I always try to meet the highest standards when collecting, storing and using personal information and so take any queries or complaints I receive about this very
seriously. If you have any queries or wish to make a complaint about how your personal data is being handled you can either contact me directly (soad@arisepsychology.co.uk) or raise your complaint with he Information Commissioners Office (ICO) at www.ico.org.uk/concerns/ or telephone: +44 (0) 303 123 1113