Privacy Policy

PRIVACY POLICY

The General Data Protection Register (GDPR) is concerned with the personal information about you that North Worcestershire Bereavement Support (NWBS) collects, stores and shares.

PERSONAL INFORMATION NWBS WILL COLLECT:

Name

Address

Date of birth

Telephone number(s)  

Email address - only if necessary for remote working

Brief details of bereavement or loss

Medical conditions relevant to counselling

HOW NWBS WILL STORE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION:

DOCUMENTS HELD:

Referral sheet which includes details listed above.

Counselling contract.

GDPR agreement/Privacy Statement

Counselling session notes.

STORAGE METHODS:

Paper written notes, referral sheet and contact details will be stored in locked filing cabinets/filing boxes.

NWBS volunteer Counsellors will store your contact number/email address on their phones for the duration of the counselling work. This allows the Counsellor to contact you in case of emergencies.

None of your personal information will be stored on NWBS website or Facebook.

HOW NWBS PROCESS AND SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

SUPERVISION

All NWBS Counsellors have monthly group supervision with the NWBS Supervisor (a maximum of 3 volunteers and NWBS Supervisor per group).  In order to protect your privacy and anonymity the supervisor will not know you personally or professionally and you will not be mentioned in group supervision by your name.  Counsellors in group supervision will refer to the content of your sessions verbally when it is helpful to the counselling process.  The Supervisor will not have any access to any of your contact details, name or address.

THERAPEUTIC WILL:

The NWBS co-ordinator acts as Therapeutic Executor for NWBS Counsellors and has access to your contact details.  This is so that you will be contacted in the event of your NWBS Counsellor having any unexpected circumstances which would prevent them from being able to continue with the contracted bereavement counselling.

EMERGENCIES:

If your health is in jeopardy, with your consent, the NWBS Counsellor may share your contact information with a healthcare professional.   

LEGAL ISSUES:

In certain circumstances (as set out in your contract) the NWBS Counsellor may need to contact the Police authority without first seeking your permission.

If your counselling records are subpoena by a court of law NWBS may need to make the notes of your counselling sessions available to the Court.

ERASING YOUR INFORMATION:

When your counselling contract is ended NWBS Counsellors will erase all electronic copies of your personal information and any correspondence within one month.  NWBS will keep written information for six years past the end of your counselling contract.  This is so that NWBS have a reference of our work.  After six years all written information will be shredded.

YOUR RIGHTS

To be informed what information NWBS holds about you.

To see the information NWBS holds about you.

To rectify any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.

To withdraw consent to NWBS co-ordinator and volunteer Counsellor using your personal information. In this case we would no longer be able to provide a counselling service to you.

To request your personal information be erased, though NWBS can decline whilst the information is needed for NWBS to provide a counselling service that is lawful and competent.