Break through the ‘Stuck’ Phase with Hybrid Counselling & Coaching

Practice Name: Des Hope Counselling & Life Coaching
Data Controller: Des Hope
ICO Registration Number: ZC082423

This document ensures transparency regarding your privacy rights in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. The Information Collected

• Personal Identifiers: Name, date of birth, and contact details.
• Clinical Records: Factual, minimal session notes and assessment data.
• Financial Data: Records of payments for tax and audit purposes.

2. Why This Data is Needed

Data is processed for Contractual Necessity to fulfill our agreement and Legitimate Interest to ensure clinical safety and professional standards.

3. How Data is Protected

We use pseudonymisation to keep notes separate from contact details. Digital records are protected by two-factor authentication, and paper records are stored in a locked filing system.

4. Confidentiality & Sharing

Information is only shared during clinical supervision (anonymously), if there is a legal safeguarding obligation, or in the event of professional incapacity.

5. Data Retention

Records are retained for 7 years following the end of our work together, aligning with clinical benchmarks and insurance requirements.

6. Your Rights

You have the right to access, rectify, or request the erasure of your data, subject to legal retention requirements.

Practice: Des Hope Counselling & Life Coaching
Service Model: Hybrid Integrative Counselling & Life Coaching

By engaging with this service, you agree to the professional boundaries and practical arrangements outlined below.

1. The Nature of Service

This is a hybrid model focused on confidence, boundaries, and life direction. It is not a substitute for psychiatric care. Referrals will be discussed if your needs fall outside my professional competency.

2. Session & Attendance

• Duration: 50 minutes per session.
• Punctuality: Sessions start and end at the scheduled time. Late arrivals cannot be extended.
• Cancellations: A minimum of 48 hours' notice is required, or the full session fee remains payable.

3. Fees & Payments

Fees are payable 24 hours in advance via bank transfer. Rates are reviewed annually, and any changes will be communicated with one month's notice.

4. Communication & Privacy

Outside of sessions, communication is limited to administrative matters. To protect your privacy, I do not acknowledge clients first if we meet in public.

5. Concerns & Complaints

I aim for high ethical standards. If you have concerns, please raise them with me directly for informal resolution. If unresolved, a Formal Complaints Procedure involving a written submission and review is available upon request.

Data Controller: Des Hope
ICO Registration: ZC082423

This practice complies with GDPR requirements regarding the lawful processing and secure storage of personal data.

1. Data Retention Schedule

• Clinical Notes & Contracts: Retained for 7 years after the end of our work together.
• Financial Records: Retained for 7 years for HMRC audit purposes.
• Initial Enquiries: Deleted after 6 months if no intake occurs.

2. Security Measures

Notes are pseudonymised (stored separately from contact details). Digital data uses 2-factor authentication, and paper records are kept in a locked filing system.

3. Secure Disposal

Upon reaching the retention limit, physical records are cross-cut shredded and digital files are permanently deleted from all hard drives and cloud backups.

4. Clinical Will

In the event of practitioner incapacitation, a designated Clinical Executor is authorized to handle or destroy records in accordance with this policy to protect client privacy.

Lead Practitioner: Des Hope

This policy outlines the commitment to protecting the welfare of clients and the public through robust risk assessment and ethical action.

1. Limits of Confidentiality

Information remains private unless there is a legal requirement to disclose it or an immediate risk of serious harm to yourself or others. This includes obligations under the Children Act and Terrorism Act.

2. Risk Management

• Emergency Contacts: Clients are encouraged to provide emergency contact details to ensure safety during a crisis.
• Competency: Work will only proceed if it is safe and within the practitioner's scope of expertise.

3. Lone Working & Safety

Services are delivered in a secure, professional setting. The practitioner adheres to a Lone Worker Policy to ensure personal safety without compromising client anonymity.

4. Professional Accountability

While operating as an independent practice, I adhere to the universal ethical principles of Beneficence (acting in your best interest) and Non-maleficence (doing no harm).

Practitioner: Des Hope, MA
Status: Independent Private Practitioner

This statement provides transparency regarding the academic background and ethical framework that supports this practice.

1. Academic & Professional Foundation

My practice is grounded in a Master of Arts (MA), providing the theoretical and analytical depth required for complex interpersonal work. I have undergone a formal Credential Review to verify that my training meets the standards required to offer counselling and life coaching services to the public.

2. Professional Ethics & Oversight

• Clinical Supervision: I engage in regular, formal oversight with a qualified senior practitioner to ensure my work remains effective, safe, and accountable.
• Ethical Principles: I adhere to the universal helping principles of Beneficence (acting in your best interest) and Non-maleficence (operating within my limits of competence).
• Integrity: I maintain full transparency regarding my independent status and the specific scope of my hybrid service.

3. Legal & Operational Compliance

• Insurance: I hold comprehensive Professional Indemnity and Public Liability Insurance.
• Data Protection: I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and fully comply with GDPR standards.
• Governance: My practice operates under a formal Clinical Governance Framework covering risk management and client safety.

4. Scope of Practice

This service is specifically designed for adults focusing on confidence, boundaries, and life direction. I do not provide crisis intervention; if your needs fall outside this scope, I am committed to supporting a professional referral to the appropriate psychiatric or emergency services.