All MakingWays Practitioners are registered with the HCPC (as is a legal requirement to practice) and operate under their regulations. This is a summary outlining how your personal data, details, and records will be processed in line with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) implemented from 25 May 2018.
The summary below explains why confidential information is held and how it is protected:
- To help us provide you with the best possible care, there is data that will be collected which includes an initial registration form.
- Keeping records of appointments is an important part of the care you will receive. Brief session notes are necessary for facilitating effective treatment and needed for any reports. This is also required by HCPC, the governing body.
- All confidential information, including initial registration forms, session notes, and questionnaires, are securely stored in a locked filing cabinet.
- All electronic confidential information, including initial registration forms, will be password protected and stored on a password-protected computer.
- Practitioners are expected to maintain confidentiality at all times, which means your information or details will not be shared with or passed onto any third party or organization. Unless there are exceptional circumstances, such as the risk of harm to yourself or others. In this instance, our professional obligation requires us to contact other services, such as GP or police, without your permission. This would first be discussed with you, where possible.
- All confidential information sent by Practitioners from MakingWays via email will be password protected, with the password sent separately.
- All electronic devices, such as computers, laptops, and phones, used to access stored information are password protected.
- All enquiries made via the website are sent securely via email. Once a MakingWays Practitioner has contacted you, your initial email will be deleted. Likewise, any further email correspondence via email will be regularly deleted. If any information provided via email is required for clinical purposes, it will be transferred and stored on a password-protected document.
- A subject access request (SAR) can be made for copies of your records. If you require these records, please discuss this request with your Practitioner, who may need to discuss this with the governing body (HCPC).
- Mental health records are subject to special legislation (e.g. records must be kept for the minimum period of 7 years, after this period they will be deleted/destroyed).
- Requesting for information held about you to be deleted would need to be discussed on a case by case basis and, where possible, in correspondence with the HCPC.