INFORMATION FOR CLIENTS
Psychotherapy is an important commitment which needs a clear framework. The following outlines the basis of our work together and provides useful information about our work together. Please read carefully.
SESSIONS
• We agree to work at a specific time and day.
• Individual sessions last for 50 minutes.
• Please be on time for your appointment.
• If you begin late, I will not be able to offer an extended session.
• If you log on early, you may need to wait to log into Zoom or in the online waiting room
PAYMENT OF FEES
• The fee will be paid at least the day before each session
• The fees will be reviewed annually in September.
• Payments can be made by bank transfers or by Paypal account to:
PAYPAL - mrmatthewbenjamin@gmail.com
COMMITMENT TO SESSIONS AND CANCELLATION
• Notice of at least one week is required if you are unable to attend a session or have planned a break.
• If you need to reschedule a session in short notice, I have limited flexibility but would try to offer you an alternative time. This is not guaranteed and would need to be taken within 2 working days prior to, or 2 working days following the original session. Sessions cancelled outside of these terms will be charged for the full session fee.
• I will inform you of my holidays, please see the bottom of this page.
CONTACT
• Contact between sessions should be only for the purpose of arranging/rearranging appointments. If you do need to contact me outside our sessions, I can be reached during office hours on 0207 870 3428 or by email: info@matthewbenjamintherapy.com. Emails, and telephone messages will be responded to within office hours as soon as possible.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Information that you share with me remains private and confidential except in the following circumstances:
• If your safety, or safety of others, is at risk.
• I regularly discuss my work with my clinical supervisor. This is standard practice and helps me to work well with you. Names or any other identifying information is never shared, and my supervisor is bound by the same code of ethics that I am.
• In the event that I am unable to practice due to accident or sudden incapacity, a qualified colleague will contact you to enquire about your wish for further therapy.
• If I am compelled by a court of law to disclose notes/information about you.
• Non-payment of fees resulting in legal action.
I abide by the European Association of Transactional Analysis code of ethics and the UK Council for Psychotherapy Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Conduct
Should any of these points be unclear or cause concern, please raise them in our session.
HOLIDAY/LEAVE
I will inform you of any intended leave well in advance. Please do the same.
DIGITAL POLICY
Please read the separate page HERE on my digital policy, highlighting the area of working online.
GDPR – PRIVACY NOTICE
In line with European General Data Protection Regulations, I am obliged to share the following information regarding how your data is protected:
• Client name
• Postal Address
• Date of birth
• Phone number
• Email address
• GP details
What I do with this information:
The information you give when we contract to work together is transferred to a computer system where it is encrypted and stored securely. Any paper records are safely shredded.
Email addresses and telephone numbers of current clients are stored securely on my telephone which is backed up on the computer system. Both of these devices are password protected. Only information which would be needed to contact you, for example about appointments, is stored in this way. Both my phone and computer system are used exclusively by me. Your information will be deleted after our work has come to an end, subject to tax law requirements.
Names and telephone numbers of current clients are shared with my Professional Executor in line with good practice in the profession. This person would contact you in the event of my death or incapacitation, and I unable to contact you myself. These details are kept in an encrypted cloud-based password protected account, and are updated regularly and deleted when necessary.
I will use your telephone number, email or postal address to contact you regarding appointments or to reply to you if you make contact with me. I will never share your data with a third party unless obliged to do so by a court of law. In this unlikely event, I would inform you first.
I will only retain your personal data for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes I collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.
By law I have to keep basic information about my clients (including Contact, Identity, Financial and Transaction Data) for six years after they cease being customers. Once the retention period expires, Personal Data will be deleted.
If you are not happy with any aspect of how I collect and use your data, you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), the UK supervisory authority for data protection issues (www.ico.org.uk). I would be grateful if you would contact me first if you do have a complaint so that I can try to resolve it for you.