top of page

Privacy Policy

RB Turner Counselling and Psychotherapy

Last updated: August 2026

1. About this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how RB Turner Counselling and Psychotherapy, operated by R Barnett-Turner, collects, uses, stores and protects personal information.

It applies to information collected through this website, when you contact me about counselling, when you become a client, and when counselling services are provided.

I respect your privacy and am committed to handling your personal information responsibly and in accordance with applicable UK data protection legislation.

This Privacy Policy should be read alongside my Terms & Conditions, Cookie Policy and, where applicable, the Individual Counselling Agreement.

2. Who is responsible for your information?

The person responsible for your personal information is:

R Barnett-Turner
Trading as: RB Turner Counselling and Psychotherapy
Email: rbturnercounselling@gmail.com

If you have any questions about how your personal information is handled, please contact me using the email address above.

3. What personal information may I collect?

Depending on how you interact with me and whether you become a client, I may collect and process information including:

Contact and identification information

  • Name

  • Email address

  • Telephone number

  • Information needed to arrange appointments

  • Other information you choose to provide when making an enquiry

Counselling and therapy information

If you become a client, I may process information relevant to providing counselling and psychotherapy, including:

  • Information discussed during counselling sessions

  • Brief clinical notes

  • Information relating to your psychological or emotional wellbeing

  • Information relevant to your therapeutic needs

  • Information relating to safeguarding where relevant

  • Information needed to assess whether counselling remains appropriate

Some of this information may constitute special category data, including information concerning your mental or physical health. Special category data receives additional protection under UK data protection law.

Administrative information

I may also process information relating to:

  • Appointments

  • Payments and invoices

  • Cancellation or rearrangement of appointments

  • Correspondence with you

  • Your counselling agreement

  • Data protection requests or complaints

4. How do I receive your information?

Information may be provided directly by you, for example when you:

  • contact me by email or telephone;

  • complete an enquiry or contact form;

  • arrange an appointment;

  • provide information during counselling;

  • complete the Individual Counselling Agreement; or

  • communicate with me about your therapy.

In some circumstances, information may also be received from another person or organisation where this is appropriate, necessary and lawful, for example in relation to safeguarding or where disclosure is required by law.

5. How do I use your information?

Your personal information may be used to:

  • respond to enquiries;

  • arrange and manage counselling appointments;

  • provide counselling and psychotherapy;

  • maintain appropriate clinical records;

  • communicate with you about your appointments and therapy;

  • process payments;

  • assess whether counselling remains appropriate;

  • meet professional, ethical and legal responsibilities;

  • manage safeguarding concerns where necessary;

  • deal with complaints;

  • comply with legal obligations; and

  • protect the safety and wellbeing of clients and others where necessary.

I will only use your personal information for purposes that are appropriate, lawful and relevant to the service I provide.

6. Lawful basis for processing

UK data protection law requires me to have a lawful basis for processing personal information.

Depending on the circumstances, processing may be necessary for:

  • taking steps at your request before entering into a counselling arrangement;

  • providing and managing the counselling service;

  • complying with legal or professional obligations;

  • protecting vital interests or safety where appropriate; or

  • other lawful purposes permitted under UK data protection legislation.

Where I process information concerning your health or other special category information, an additional condition under UK data protection law is required. The specific lawful basis and special category condition depend on the circumstances and purpose of the processing.

7. Confidentiality

Information discussed during counselling is treated as confidential.

There are, however, circumstances in which information may need to be disclosed, including where:

  • there is a serious concern about your safety or the safety of another person;

  • there are safeguarding concerns;

  • disclosure is required by law or a Court of Law; or

  • there is another legal or professional obligation to disclose information.

Where appropriate and safe to do so, I will endeavour to discuss any proposed disclosure with you first.

Further information about confidentiality is contained in the Individual Counselling Agreement.

8. Professional supervision

As part of my professional practice, I undertake regular clinical supervision.

Relevant aspects of clinical work may be discussed within supervision for the purposes of professional support, ethical practice and maintaining appropriate standards of care.

Information is discussed confidentially and, wherever possible, identifying details are removed or altered. Your identity will not normally be disclosed unnecessarily.

9. Safeguarding and information sharing

I have professional responsibilities relating to safeguarding and the prevention of harm, abuse and neglect.

Where there is a significant concern about someone's safety or welfare, it may be necessary to share relevant information with an appropriate professional, organisation or authority.

Information will only be shared where there is an appropriate legal, professional or safeguarding basis for doing so and, where possible and safe, this will be discussed with you first.

10. Who may receive your information?

Your personal information will not routinely be shared with third parties.

Information may be shared where necessary and lawful with:

  • professional supervisors;

  • relevant healthcare or other professionals where appropriate;

  • emergency services or safeguarding organisations where necessary;

  • legal or regulatory authorities where legally required; or

  • service providers who process information on my behalf, such as secure practice-management or technology providers.

Any sharing will be limited to information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

11. Practice-management and technology providers

I use third-party services to support the administration and delivery of counselling services.

These may include:

Kiku – used as a practice-management system for securely managing relevant client and clinical information.

Zoom and/or doxy.me – may be used to provide online counselling sessions.

Online counselling sessions are not recorded.

These providers have their own privacy policies and terms relating to their services. Where appropriate, I will take reasonable steps to ensure that service providers used in connection with your information provide appropriate security and data protection.

12. Email and electronic communication

I may use email and other agreed forms of electronic communication to:

  • arrange or rearrange appointments;

  • provide appointment information;

  • respond to enquiries;

  • communicate about practical matters relating to counselling; and

  • deal with administrative matters.

Please be aware that electronic communications may carry risks that cannot be completely eliminated.

For your privacy, I recommend that you avoid including detailed or highly sensitive therapeutic information in ordinary emails unless necessary.

13. How your information is stored and protected

I take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.

Clinical and administrative records are stored securely.

Your information may be stored electronically using password-protected and/or secure practice-management systems.

I will only retain personal information for as long as it is necessary for the relevant purpose and in accordance with my retention arrangements and applicable legal and professional requirements.

14. How long is your information kept?

Clinical records will be securely retained for up to seven years after therapy ends, after which they will be confidentially destroyed.

Administrative information may be retained for different periods where required for legal, accounting, professional or other legitimate purposes.

Where different retention periods apply, these will be determined according to the nature and purpose of the information and applicable requirements.

15. Your data protection rights

Depending on the circumstances, you have rights under UK data protection law, including the right to:

  • ask for a copy of the personal information I hold about you;

  • ask for inaccurate information to be corrected;

  • ask for certain information to be deleted;

  • ask for processing to be restricted in certain circumstances;

  • object to certain processing; and

  • receive or request transfer of certain personal information in a structured format where the right to data portability applies.

These rights are subject to legal exceptions and do not apply in every circumstance.

If you wish to exercise a data protection right, please contact me at:

rbturnercounselling@gmail.com

I may need to verify your identity before responding to a request.

16. Requests for access to your information

You can request access to the personal information I hold about you.

Requests should be made in writing using the email address above.

I will respond in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.

17. Cookies and website technologies

This website may use cookies and similar technologies.

Some cookies may be necessary for the website to function correctly. Other cookies, such as analytics or similar technologies, may require your consent before they are used.

Further information about the cookies used on this website and how you can manage your preferences is provided in the separate Cookie Policy.

18. Links to other websites

This website may contain links to external websites.

I am not responsible for the privacy practices, content or security of external websites. If you follow a link to another website, you should review that website's privacy policy.

19. Children's information

My counselling service is primarily provided to adults unless otherwise agreed.

If personal information relating to a child or young person is processed, additional considerations and safeguards may apply.

20. Complaints about data protection

If you have concerns about how I have handled your personal information, please contact me first at:

rbturnercounselling@gmail.com

I will consider and respond to your concern in accordance with applicable requirements.

You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) if you believe that your personal information has been handled unlawfully.

Information about making a complaint is available from:

Information Commissioner's Office
Website: https://ico.org.uk/
Telephone: 0303 123 1113

21. Changes to this Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes to my services, the way information is processed, professional requirements or applicable legislation.

The latest version will be published on this website together with the date it was last updated.

22. Contact

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your personal information is handled, please contact:

R Barnett-Turner
RB Turner Counselling and Psychotherapy
Email: rbturnercounselling@gmail.com

Last updated: August 2026

bottom of page