Skip to content

Privacy Policy

Privacy notice

  1. Introduction

Daniel Winstanley is registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) (ICO registered number ZA300694).

If you have any queries about this privacy notice or about any aspect of my data management, please contact me counselling@danielwinstanley.co.uk.

I will update this privacy notice regularly to ensure it continues to comply with the latest regulations and best practice. This privacy notice was last amended on 4 October 2020.

How I use your information

a) Enquirers, clients, and former clients

The main legal basis I use for processing potential clients’, clients’, and former clients’ personal information is a combination of contract and legitimate interest.  That is, in order for me to be able to fulfil my responsibilities as a counsellor, I will need to record personal information about you.  This may include personally identifiable information such as:

  • Age.
  • Address.
  • Mobile phone number 
  • Email address
  • GP details
  • Session summary


I take my commitment to safeguarding your personal information very seriously.

How I will store your personal information:

  • Mobile telephone: If you text me, or agree to me sending you a text.
  • Email: Your email address and correspondence will be stored in my business email account by nature of you contacting me. For ease of use and compatibility, communications will not be sent in an encrypted form unless you require it and give me permission to communicate with you in that way – please feel free to ask if you need more information. Email, unless encrypted, is not a fully secure means of communication. Whilst I endeavour to keep my systems and communications protected against viruses and other harmful effects, I cannot bear responsibility for all communications being virus-free.
  • Electronic: I will record notes of assessment information (relevant medical information and aspects of your personal social and family history), and each subsequent therapy session under an identifying code. This information will be retained in separate locations (keeping your name and contact details apart from the notes) in double password-protected files which has virus protection software installed, and backed up online. These notes will be brief factual record of the session. As with your personal information, any notes will be held for a period seven years after the cessation of counselling except where I agree with you to retain them for longer or where I believe that it is in my best professional interests to do so.
  • Bank account: Your name will appear on my bank account statements which are password protected online.
  • Paper: Any paper notes or bank statements will be kept under lock and key in a secure location.

I will hold onto the information above for seven years past the end of our working together. This is so that I have a reference of our work should you return, and to comply with standards of good practice. 

I may make information from these notes available to legitimate third parties under the following conditions: 

  • Receipt of a request from you or your representative, and where the release of the notes is not judged by me as likely to cause you significant harm or harm to another person
  • Where there is a specific legal requirement for me to do so
  • Where there is an ethical duty for me to do, for example to avoid serious harm to yourself or another person, including the safeguarding of children or vulnerable adults.
  • Your contact details alone will be shared in exceptional circumstances with my supervisor or other named agent in the event that I am incapacitated so that they can contact you to explain the situation. The details of this arrangement are set out in my professional will.


b) Visitors to my website and social media platforms

When someone visits my website I may use a third party service, Google Analytics, to collect standard internet log information and details of visitor behaviour patterns. I do this to find out things such as the number of visitors to the various parts of the site, so I can improve my website. This information is only processed in a way that does not identify anyone. I do not make, and do not allow Google to make, any attempt to find out the identities of those visiting our website.

Google Analytics Privacy Notice: https://policies.google.com/privacy/partners?hl=en-GB&gl=uk

My website is built using WordPress and hosted by IONOS.

WordPress Privacy Notice: https://automattic.com/privacy-notice/

IONOS Privacy Notice: https://www.ionos.com/terms-gtc/terms-privacy/

Like most websites my site uses cookies to help the site work more efficiently – for more information visit www.allaboutcookies.org. My website may from time to time use cookies and log files:

  • for statistical analysis
  • to understand user behaviour
  • to administer the site
  • to tailor the information presented to a user based on their preferences,
  • and to improve the user experience.

Any information gathered by our use of cookies is compiled on an aggregate, anonymous basis. You can set your browser not to accept cookies, and the above website tells you how to block cookies from your browser. However, in a few cases some of my website features may not function as a result.

If you fill in a form on my website, that data will be temporarily stored on the web host before being sent to me.

Where I provide links to websites of other organisations, this privacy notice does not cover how that organisation processes personal information. I encourage you to read the privacy notices on the other websites you visit.

I have a presence on various social media platforms, in order to raise awareness of issues of interest and to promote my services. Currently I have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. To find out how these companies use your data and how you can control the way they use your data please refer to their privacy policies, which should be available on their websites.

 Please do not use social media to communicate with me about clinical matters. Although you are welcome to “like” or “follow” these profiles, please be aware that this constitutes a public communication and may compromise your privacy. I do not add clients or former clients as “friends” or “contacts” as this could compromise professional boundaries.

If you engage with me via these platforms I will not usually collect or store your personal data. Where I am collecting personal data for future use, I will let you know and provide you with details about the intended use.

Your Rights  

You have the right:

  • To be informed what information I hold
  • To see the information I hold about you (free of charge for the initial request).
  • To rectify any inaccurate or incomplete personal information.
  • To withdraw consent to me using your personal information

To do this please either ask me or submit a request by writing. I will endeavour to provide you with the information requested within four weeks. If I become aware of a situation where your personal information may have accidently or maliciously been obtained by a third party I will notify you within three days.

I try to meet the highest standards when collecting and using personal information, and I take any complaints about this very seriously. I encourage you to let me know if you think that my collection or use of information is unfair, misleading or inappropriate. I also welcome any suggestions for improving my procedures. If you are still unhappy you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioners Office.  

This privacy notice does not provide exhaustive details of all aspects of my collection and use of personal information. However, I am happy to provide any additional information or explanation needed. Please send any requests for this to counselling@danielwinstanley.co.uk.

Social media & sharing icons powered by UltimatelySocial