Minds Wellness Solution Centre – Privacy Notice

Your privacy is important to us. This document explains how Minds Wellness Solution Centre collects, stores, and uses your personal data during and after your therapeutic relationship with us.

1. Who We Are

Minds Wellness Solution Centre operates as a professional counselling and hypnotherapy practice.  We serve clients from UK and Overseas. For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), we are the Data Controller of your personal information. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) under registration number 00014279257.

2. The Information We Collect

We collect and process the following information:

• Personal Identifiers: Your name, date of birth, address, telephone number, email address, and emergency contact details.
• Special Category Data: Brief, anonymised clinical notes regarding your sessions. These may include sensitive information about your health, lifestyle, history, or relationships, which are necessary to provide effective counselling.

3. How We Get the Information and Why We Have It

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you so that we can deliver safe, professional counselling services.

Under the UK GDPR, the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

• Contractual Obligation: To fulfill the counselling agreement established between the practice and the client.
• Legitimate Interests: To manage the wellness centre effectively and maintain accurate professional records.
• Special Category Condition (Health): Processing is necessary for the provision of health or social care treatment.

4. Storage of Information

Data is stored securely to protect client confidentiality:

• Digital Records: Electronic notes and contact details are stored on encrypted, password-protected devices and backed up to secure, GDPR-compliant cloud services. Unique codes are used rather than full names on clinical notes to ensure anonymity.
• Paper Records: Physical documents, such as signed agreements, are stored in a locked, fireproof filing cabinet. The key linking a client code to personal details is kept in a separate, secure location.

5. Data Retention (How Long Data is Kept)

To comply with professional indemnity insurance requirements (Everywhen) and the UK Statute of Limitations, data is retained for the following periods:

• Adult Clients: Clinical notes and contact details are kept for 7 years following the final session.
• Minor Clients: Clinical notes are kept for 7 years after the client reaches age 18 (until their 25th birthday).
• Financial Records: Invoices and receipts are kept for 6 years to comply with HMRC tax requirements.

Once the retention period expires, digital records are permanently deleted, and paper records are securely shredded.

6. Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Discussions within counselling sessions at Minds Wellness Solution Centre are strictly confidential. Information is not shared with third parties unless:

• Legal compulsion occurs (e.g., via a court order or under specific legislation such as terrorism or money laundering laws).
• There is a perceived risk of serious harm to the client or another person.
• Work is discussed with a professional clinical supervisor, in which case client identity remains completely anonymous.

7. Data Protection Rights

Under data protection law, clients have rights including:

• The right of access: The right to request copies of personal information held by the centre.
• The right to rectification: The right to request the correction of inaccurate information.
• The right to restriction of processing: The right to request a restriction on how personal information is used in certain circumstances.

Note on the "Right to Erasure" (Right to be Forgotten): Because clinical records must be maintained for legal defense and insurance purposes, session notes are generally not deleted upon request until the required retention period has passed.