Privacy Policy

Introduction

Dusk Glow Psychology Services Ltd ("we", "our", or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information with care and respect. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect information when you use our services or visit our website.

We are registered with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) and comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you contact us or use our services, we may collect the following personal information:

• Name and contact details (email address, postal address)
• Date of birth and age
• GP details and medical history where relevant
• Information about your mental health, wellbeing concerns, and therapeutic goals
• Session notes and clinical records
• Payment and billing information
• Emergency contact information
• Any other information you choose to share with us

Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information including:

• IP address and browser type
• Pages visited and time spent on our website
• Referring website addresses
• Device information and operating system

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• Providing psychological therapy, coaching, and related services
• Maintaining clinical records in accordance with professional standards
• Communicating with you about appointments and services
• Processing payments and maintaining financial records
• Complying with legal and regulatory obligations
• Improving our services and website functionality
• Conducting anonymous research and service evaluation
• Responding to enquiries and providing customer support

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: You have given explicit consent for us to process your personal information for specific purposes, particularly regarding sensitive health information.
• Contract: Processing is necessary to fulfil our contractual obligations to provide you with services.
• Legal Obligation: Processing is required to comply with legal or regulatory requirements.
• Legitimate Interests: Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests, such as improving our services, provided this does not override your rights and interests.

Confidentiality and Professional Standards

As a healthcare provider, we adhere to strict professional confidentiality standards. Information shared during therapy or coaching sessions is treated as confidential and will not be disclosed to third parties except in the following limited circumstances:

• Where you have given explicit consent
• Where there is a serious risk of harm to yourself or others
• Where required by law or court order
• Where necessary to prevent or detect serious crime
• For clinical supervision purposes (with identifying information minimised)

We will always discuss confidentiality with you at the start of our work together and inform you of any situations where we might need to share information.

How We Store and Protect Your Information

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encrypted data storage and transmission
• Secure password-protected systems
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls limiting who can view your information
• Staff training on data protection and confidentiality
• Secure disposal of physical and electronic records

How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes outlined in this policy and to comply with our legal and professional obligations.

Clinical records are retained for a minimum of seven years following the end of treatment, in accordance with professional guidelines from the British Psychological Society and Health and Care Professions Council. For clients under 18, records are retained until their 25th birthday or for seven years after treatment ends, whichever is longer.

Financial records are kept for seven years in accordance with HMRC requirements. Website analytics data is typically retained for 26 months.

Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share your information with the following third parties only when necessary:

• Clinical Supervisors: For quality assurance and professional development, with identifying details minimised
• IT Service Providers: Who help us maintain secure systems for storing clinical records and website data
• Payment Processors: To process payments securely
• Legal and Regulatory Bodies: When required by law or professional regulations
• Healthcare Professionals: With your consent, such as your GP or other treating professionals

All third-party service providers are carefully selected and required to maintain appropriate security standards and confidentiality.

Your Rights

Under data protection law, you have the following rights:

• Right of Access: You can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Right to Erasure: You can request deletion of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can ask us to limit how we use your information.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your information in a portable format.
• Right to Object: You can object to certain types of processing, including direct marketing.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw this at any time.

Please note that in some cases, professional and legal obligations may limit these rights. For example, we are required to retain clinical records for specified periods even if you request deletion.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond within one month of receiving your request.

Cookies and Website Analytics

Our website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and help us understand how visitors use our site. For detailed information about the cookies we use and how to manage them, please see our Cookies Policy.

Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third-party sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external websites you visit.

Children's Privacy

Our services are primarily designed for adults. When working with clients under 18, we obtain appropriate parental or guardian consent and ensure their rights are protected in accordance with data protection law and professional guidelines.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any significant changes will be communicated to active clients directly. The "last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when the policy was most recently revised.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your personal information, please contact us:

Dusk Glow Psychology Services Ltd
42 Deansgate
Manchester M3 2AY
United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]

Complaints

If you believe we have not handled your personal information properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Website: www.ico.org.uk