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.