Privacy policy
Confidentiality
I take confidentiality seriously and all information shared with me will be kept confidentially. However please note the following limits to confidentiality:
As with all professionals in the field, if I hear information that causes concern about an individual’s safety, or about illegal activities, I have a professional obligation to inform partnership services.
All Clinical Psychologists work under supervision. This means that I may discuss aspects of our work together with my supervisor. This helps to ensure the highest possible standards of care to you and your family. Identifying information is not included in these discussions. Please be assured that as the clinical supervisor is also bound by professional codes of conduct, your information will remain confidential.
Who is responsible for your information
I am the data controller for the information I hold about you and your child. I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office, registration number ZA102055.
Who has access
Access is limited to me, the Assistant Psychologist who works under my supervision to support data management and for Autism assessments, the Occupational Therapist working with me. All are bound by confidentiality obligations and written data protection agreements. I use third-party services to deliver the service, including the online assessment platforms and AI assisted tools described. These providers act on my instructions under written contracts and cannot use your information for their own purposes.
Information storage
I store your name, address, telephone number, email address, GP name and other personal information you may give me. I also write notes of our sessions. Typed anonymised notes and any reports written on your behalf are kept on a password protected computer. Written information about you is stored in a locked filing cabinet. All records are kept until your child’s 25th birthday or their 26th birthday if they were 17 at the conclusion of the work. Any emails and texts are destroyed within a year.
Use of digital tools
I use secure, professional software, including some AI-assisted tools, to help manage assessment information always with identifying details removed first. These tools support admin tasks only, they play no part in clinical decisions which are always mine alone. If you'd prefer I don't use these for your child just let me know it won't affect their care.
Online assessment platforms
Some questionnaires and tests are administered through secure online platforms provided by the test publishers. To use these I need to register your child’s details, typically name and date of birth, and where questionnaires are sent to you or to school, email addresses.
· Pearson Clinical (Q-interactive and Q-global). Used for cognitive and neuropsychological assessment, including the WISC and WAIS.
· MHS (Multi-Health Systems). Used for Conners questionnaires.
Both companies act on my instructions under written data protection agreements and cannot use your child’s information for their own purposes. Their own privacy information is available at pearsonclinical.co.uk and mhs.com.
Although I am happy to discuss issues via email and many clients choose to do this, it is important to be aware that information sent over the internet, e.g. via email, cannot be guaranteed to be secure, error-free or protected from access by third parties. Therefore I cannot guarantee the confidentiality or security of any information you send to me over the internet. It is recommended therefore, that information relating to issues you consider confidential is communicated via post, on the phone or in person. If you would like me to send copies of reports or letters to you electronically these will be password protected.
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 by legal reasons, I will provide this information to you within a month of your request. You also have the right to ask me to change any information that I hold that is incorrect and to delete any information that I hold about you unless it is required for legal/business tax purposes.