Who is responsible for your information?

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I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), reference ZC029260, and am responsible for the personal information I hold about you.

 

What information do I keep?

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I collect information needed to respond to enquiries and provide counselling safely and professionally. This may include your contact details, GP and emergency contact details, relevant health information, correspondence and brief clinical notes.

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Why do I keep it?

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I use your information to provide and administer counselling and to meet my professional, ethical and legal responsibilities. While you are enquiring about or receiving counselling, I process your information because it is necessary to provide this service to you. After our work ends, I have a legitimate interest in keeping appropriate records in case they are needed in relation to my professional practice, insurance or a complaint.

Information about your health or other sensitive information shared during counselling is given additional protection under data protection law.

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Confidentiality

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Our work is confidential, although aspects may be discussed in clinical supervision without unnecessary identifying information. Information may also be shared where there is a serious safeguarding concern or where I am legally required to do so. Where possible, I will discuss this with you first.

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How is my information stored and how long is it kept?

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Records are stored securely, either on paper or within password-protected business systems. Client records are kept for 7 years following the end of our work together and are then securely destroyed.

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Where relevant, personal information may also be processed through Wix when you contact me through my website, or through Meela if you access my services through their platform.

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For training clients who separately consent to recording, recordings may be securely stored in Google Workspace and transcribed using Otter.ai for training purposes.

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What are my rights?

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You have rights over your personal information, including the right to request a copy of information I hold about you. The right to have information deleted does not apply in every circumstance, and I may need to retain some information for professional, insurance or legal reasons.

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If you have questions, wish to exercise your rights or want to make a data-protection complaint, please contact me at info@eloisestapleton.com. You can also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office.

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What happens if you are unable to practise?

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If I become unexpectedly unable to practise through serious illness, incapacity or death, my clinical executor may access the contact information necessary to notify current clients and safely close my practice.

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Last updated: September 2026