Our Privacy Statement
The Southmead Project takes privacy very seriously and we want everyone to feel comfortable with how personal information that is shared with us is used or processed (including collecting, recording organising, storing, sharing or destroying data). We are committed to being transparent about why we need your personal data and what we will do with it. We ensure that all of the Southmead Project team (including staff, volunteers and trustees) adhere to keeping personal information strictly confidential.
Information we collect from you and sharing with third parties
When you visit our website, contact us or complete any of our forms you may be asked to provide certain information about yourself, including your name and contact details. The Southmead Project will hold information that you give to us in order that we can contact you and provide an answer to a query you have asked or to provide the service you have requested. The data is needed so that we can provide high quality care and support. By law, we need to have a lawful basis to process your personal data (under GDPR 2016 and DPA 2018). We process your special category data because it is necessary due to social security and social protection law, and to provide and manage mental health services.
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​If you have given explicit consent, we may use your information to contact you by post, phone, e-mail or text message to let you know about other services that we offer that may be of interest to you; for your views on our services; for research purposes; or to notify you of any important changes or developments to our services. You may withdraw this consent at any time by contacting us.
​We hold notes of counselling sessions to facilitate the counselling process and only essential details will be recorded, which will be stored securely. Any information used for statistical, reporting, research or advertising purposes will be completely anonymised. All information shared between a client and his or her therapist is confidential and no information will be shared with a third party without written consent from the relevant person. We may also process your data with your consent (under Article 6.1.A of the GDPR). If we need to ask for your permission, we will offer you a clear choice and ask that you confirm to us that you consent. We will also explain clearly to you what we need the data for and how you can withdraw consent at any time.
The only exception to this is when there is a serious risk of harm to the client or someone else, or if there is a court order or other legal requirement to share. We are legally and ethically required to report this to the most suitable agency. We need specific data so that we can provide you with high quality care and support. This is collected from or shared with you or your representative, or third parties (organisations such as the health care system (hospitals, GP’s, support workers, and other health and care professionals), the Local Authority, your family or friends (with your permission), organisations that we have a legal obligation to share information with, and the police or other law enforcement agencies (if we have to by law or court order)). A client will always be informed prior to any action being taken or sharing of information to the relevant bodies, unless to do so would put a person at risk.
Security and data retention
We store relevant personal information in line with data protection laws (GDPR 2016 and DPA 2018) and ensure that it is password-protected where necessary. Some of your information might also be kept in paper records, which are securely locked away.
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​All the information provided is for the purposes of therapeutic benefit, to support funding aims and/or research goals. We will keep information safe from unauthorised access, unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction or damage. We will retain your information for 7 years or as long as the law requires. It will then be safely destroyed.
Your rights to access, update or delete your information
You can request to access information held about you, amend it if there are inaccuracies, or, if it is not a legal requirement to keep it, ask to have it deleted. Please see your data protection rights here:
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Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.
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Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.
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Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.
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Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
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Your right to object to processing - You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
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Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.
You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.
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For full details on how to access your data or to give any feedback on how we are performing, please contact the Southmead Project on 0117 9506022, admin@southmeadproject.com or 165 Greystoke Avenue, BS10 6AS.
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If you feel we are not processing your information fairly and lawfully, you can report a concern to the Information Commissioner’s Office: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. ICO Helpline number: 0303 123 1113. ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk