Privacy Policy

To  provide counselling services, your counsellor will collect and securely  store personal information including your contact details, GP details,  and relevant information you choose to share during assessment and  counselling sessions.

Brief  factual notes of each session will be maintained as part of professional  record keeping. Notes are kept securely, treated as confidential, and  may be discussed anonymously within professional supervision in  accordance with ethical and professional requirements.

Information shared during counselling will remain confidential unless:

• You provide consent for information to be shared;
• Disclosure is required by law or court order;
• There is a risk of serious harm to yourself or others;
• Safeguarding concerns arise involving a child or vulnerable adult.

Counselling  records will normally be retained for seven years following the end of  counselling, after which they will be securely destroyed. Records may be  retained for longer where required by law, safeguarding obligations,  insurance requirements, or legitimate professional reasons.

You  have the right to request access to information held about you, request  correction of inaccurate information, and exercise your rights under UK  GDPR. Requests should be made in writing to your counsellor.

In  the event of a personal data breach that is likely to pose a risk to  your rights and freedoms, appropriate action will be taken in accordance  with UK GDPR requirements.

Counselling  services accessed through Branch Academy are provided by independent  counsellors. The counselling contract exists between the client and the  individual counsellor and not with Branch Academy.

Each counsellor  is independently responsible for their professional practice, record  keeping, confidentiality, insurance, supervision, and compliance with  legal, ethical, and professional requirements.