This statement confirms how I, Kenny McCarthy of www.kennymccarthy.com use and protect any information that you give to me when you use this website and my services.

I am committed to safeguarding and protecting your information. If I ask you for any information then it will only be used according to this privacy statement.

I may change this policy from time to time in line with legislation. This policy is effective from 15^th May 2023.

By continuing to use my website www.kennymccarthy.com you are accepting and consenting to the practices described in this policy.

Any changes to this policy will be on this page and if relevant you will be notified by email.

For the purpose of Data Protection Act 1998 and General Data Protection Regulation 2016 Kenny McCarthy is the data controller of the address www.kennymccarthy.com 

How I use information

I use information in order:

• To carry out contracts between yourself and me and provide you with the services that you request from me
• To administer my website
• To enable improvements to the website
• To keep the website safe and secure
• To keep records such as client hours
• To run and maintain my business ie for financial records
• To let you know of changes to my service

Information collected

Currently this website doesn’t use any analytics software like Google Analytics (GA) but I reserve the right to use analytics in future. GA collects data to look at the number of people using the site and how they find it and how they journey through the website. It also records your IP address which can personally identify you. Google do not give me access to this.

You may also give me information such as your name, address and telephone number by completing the form on my site or by contacting me by telephone or email.

Where necessary to act in your best interests I may need to process information, that is sensitive in nature such as health information. In some circumstances I may need to share this information with a third party such as a GP. I would advise that you do not share personal sensitive information on my website but if you choose to do so, then you will be allowing me to process it as part of my services to you.

Cookies

My site doesn’t currently use cookies.

How I store information

If you contact me via my ‘Contact Me’ form, no data will be stored by the website or passed to any third party. All data will be transferred and stored within the European Economic Area.

How you transmit data onto my site is at your risk and I cannot guarantee the safety of this. Once I have received your data then I have procedures and security to ensure I do my best to safeguard your information and prevent unauthorised access.

My website is protected by SSL so that the email content is encrypted before being sent over the internet.

Storage

I will store information for no longer than 7 years. Some information such as texts may be deleted immediately. My computer is password protected to ensure the safety and protection of your information. 

I keep brief notes recording the themes of our sessions. These are stored in a locked filing cabinet and destroyed 7 years after your counselling sessions end unless agreed otherwise.  Your contact and apointment details will be kept for 7 years and then destroyed unless agreed otherwise. Any emails, texts, whatsapp messages or other communications will be deleted immediately after receipt unless they form part of your notes or are needed for income tax purposes in which case they will be kept for 7 years as above. Your telephone number will be stored on my mobile phone under your initials or first name only until your sessions end at which point it will be deleted. If I change telephones then your details will be deleted on the old phone. All electronic information will be securely deleted by a specialist software programme. 

Access to information

You can request access to the personal information that I hold on you and except in limited circumstances when I am not permitted to do so for legal reasons, I will provide this information to you within one month.

If you feel that any information that I hold about you is inaccurate then you are able to ask me to update your information. If you want me to delete your information then please do so in writing and I will endeavour to do so unless I need to keep it for legal or internal business purposes. 

Contact

If you wish to contact me with questions, concerns, complaints or request for your information then please contact me through the websites contact form.

Data Protection Registration Number: ZB546578