Privacy Notice
1. Introduction
Sadie Jean Therapy is committed to protecting your privacy and handling personal information responsibly, securely and in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.
This Privacy Notice explains how personal information is collected, used, stored and disclosed when you make an enquiry, use this website, or engage in psychotherapy with me.
For the purposes of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, I act as the data controller in relation to personal information processed through my private practice.
Sadie Jean Therapy
1 Hill Street
Edinburgh
EH2 3JP
Email: sadie@sadiejeantherapy.com
2. Personal information I may collect
The information I collect will depend on the nature of our contact and the services provided. It may include:
· your name and contact details
· date of birth, where relevant
· emergency contact details
· appointment and scheduling information
· payment and invoicing information
· correspondence by email, telephone or contact form
· information relevant to therapeutic assessment and ongoing clinical work
· brief clinical notes
· information relating to health, wellbeing, relationships, family circumstances, personal history and other matters discussed during therapy
Information disclosed during psychotherapy may include special category personal data under UK data protection law, including information relating to physical or mental health, sexuality, racial or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, or other sensitive personal circumstances.
I seek to collect only information that is relevant, proportionate and necessary for the provision of a safe, ethical and professional psychotherapy service.
3. Purposes for which personal information is processed
Personal information may be processed for the purposes of:
· responding to enquiries
· arranging and managing consultations and appointments
· providing psychotherapy and related therapeutic services
· communicating with clients in relation to their therapy
· maintaining appropriate clinical and administrative records
· processing payments and maintaining financial records
· meeting professional, ethical, legal and insurance obligations
· managing safeguarding concerns and risks to safety where necessary
· administering and operating the private practice
Personal information is not sold to third parties and is not used for unrelated commercial marketing purposes.
4. Lawful basis for processing
Personal information is processed only where there is a lawful basis for doing so under UK data protection law.
Depending on the circumstances, this may include processing that is necessary:
· to take steps at your request prior to entering into a therapeutic agreement
· for the performance of the therapeutic agreement between us
· to comply with a legal obligation
· for the legitimate interests of operating a safe, ethical and professionally managed psychotherapy practice, provided those interests do not override your rights and freedoms
Where special category personal data is processed, an additional lawful condition will be relied upon as required by Article 9 of the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.
5. Confidentiality
Information disclosed during psychotherapy is treated as confidential and handled with a high degree of care.
There are limited circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be breached. These may include situations involving:
· a serious or immediate risk of harm to you or another person
· safeguarding concerns relating to a child or vulnerable adult
· a legal or regulatory requirement to disclose information
· a valid court order or other compulsory legal process
Where lawful and appropriate, I would seek to discuss any proposed disclosure with you before information is shared.
Any disclosure will be limited to information that is relevant and necessary in the circumstances.
6. Clinical supervision
Regular clinical supervision forms part of my professional and ethical practice.
Clinical material may be discussed with a suitably qualified supervisor for the purposes of maintaining the quality, safety and integrity of the therapeutic work.
Identifying information is omitted wherever possible and, where this is not possible, is limited to the minimum necessary. Clinical supervision is conducted within a confidential professional framework.
7. Clinical records and retention
I maintain brief clinical records in relation to therapeutic work. These may include factual information relating to attendance, significant clinical themes, risk or safeguarding matters, and information necessary to support continuity and quality of care.
Clinical records are stored securely and access is restricted. Where practicable, identifying information is stored separately from clinical material.
My professional indemnity insurance is provided by Holistic Insurance Services. In accordance with the record-keeping requirements of my insurance policy, records relating to adult clients are retained for a minimum of five years from the date of treatment.
Where the client is under 18, records are retained for a minimum of five years after the client’s 18th birthday, in accordance with the insurer’s requirements.
At the end of the relevant retention period, records will be securely destroyed or permanently deleted unless there is a legitimate professional, legal, safeguarding or regulatory reason to retain them for longer.
Retention periods are kept under review in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.
8. Sharing of personal information
Personal information is not routinely disclosed to third parties.
Where necessary for the operation of the practice, limited personal information may be processed by carefully selected service providers, which may include:
· email and communications providers
· appointment and administrative systems
· payment and accounting services
· website hosting and contact-form providers
· secure data storage services
Where third-party service providers process personal information on my behalf, reasonable steps are taken to ensure that appropriate confidentiality, security and data protection arrangements are in place.
Personal information may also be disclosed where required by law or where disclosure is necessary in connection with safeguarding or serious risk.
9. Email and electronic communication
Email and electronic messaging may be used for administrative communication, including enquiries, appointment arrangements and changes to scheduled sessions.
While reasonable precautions are taken to protect confidentiality, ordinary email and electronic communications cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Clients are therefore advised not to include highly sensitive or detailed clinical information in routine electronic correspondence unless necessary.
10. Website enquiries
Where you submit an enquiry through this website, the information provided will be used for the purpose of responding to your enquiry and, where appropriate, arranging an introductory consultation or therapy appointment.
You are encouraged not to provide unnecessary sensitive personal or clinical information through the initial contact form.
Where an enquiry does not result in an ongoing therapeutic relationship, the information will be retained only for as long as reasonably necessary for administrative and professional purposes before being securely deleted.
11. Website cookies and analytics
This website may use cookies and similar technologies in order to operate effectively, maintain security and, where applicable, understand how visitors use the website.
Essential cookies may be used where necessary for the functioning of the website.
Where non-essential cookies, analytics or similar technologies are used, appropriate information and consent mechanisms will be provided in accordance with applicable law.
Further information may be provided through the website’s cookie notice or cookie settings.
12. Data security
Appropriate technical and organisational measures are used to protect personal information from unauthorised access, accidental loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
These measures may include secure electronic systems, password protection, access controls, appropriate device security and secure storage arrangements for clinical and administrative records.
Access to personal information is limited to those who have a legitimate need to access it.
13. International data transfers
Where a technology provider stores or processes personal information outside the United Kingdom, reasonable steps will be taken to ensure that an appropriate lawful mechanism and suitable safeguards are in place for the transfer and processing of that information.
14. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis relied upon, you may have the right to:
· request access to personal information held about you
· request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
· request erasure of personal information in certain circumstances
· request restriction of processing in certain circumstances
· object to certain forms of processing
· request the transfer of certain personal information
· withdraw consent where consent is relied upon as the lawful basis for processing
These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal, professional or regulatory limitations.
Requests relating to personal information should be made using the contact details set out above.
15. Complaints
If you have concerns about the way your personal information has been handled, please contact me in the first instance so that the matter can be considered and, where appropriate, resolved.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office, the UK supervisory authority for data protection.
Further information is available at ico.org.uk.
16. Changes to this Privacy Notice
This Privacy Notice may be amended from time to time to reflect changes in legal requirements, professional standards, technology, insurance requirements or the operation of the practice.
The most current version will be published on this website.
Last updated: September 2026