Privacy, Data Use & Complaints

Client information & your rights

Last updated: 1 July 2026

Your privacy matters, and so does your trust. This notice explains what personal information I collect, why I collect it, how it is kept safe, and the rights you have over it. It is written to comply with the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

Who is responsible for your data

Georgie McMinn ("I", "me") is the data controller for the information you share with this practice. You can reach me by email at georgiemcminn@gmail.com for any questions about your information.

What I collect

Enquiry details — the name, email address, phone number and message you provide through the contact form or by email or phone.
Client records — if we begin working together, I keep brief, secure notes relating to your sessions, and the contact details needed to arrange them.
Insurance details — where you are using Bupa or another insurer, the reference or membership details needed to process your claim.

The website does not use advertising cookies or third-party tracking.

Why I use it, and the legal basis

To respond to your enquiry and arrange an introductory call — on the basis of taking steps at your request before entering into a contract.
To provide counselling and keep the records required for safe, professional practice — on the basis of the provision of health and social care, with appropriate safeguards for this special-category data.
To meet legal, insurance and professional-body obligations where these apply.

Confidentiality. Everything you share in sessions is held in strict confidence. There are only very limited legal and safeguarding exceptions — for example where there is a serious risk of harm — which I will explain fully before we begin.

The website contact form

This site is hosted on Netlify, and the contact form is processed using Netlify Forms. When you submit the form, the details you enter are transmitted securely and delivered to me by email. Netlify processes this submission on my behalf as a data processor. Basic anti-spam checks are applied to protect the form from automated abuse.

How long I keep it

Enquiries that do not lead to ongoing work are kept only as long as needed to respond, and then deleted. Client records are retained in line with professional guidance — typically for a defined period after our work ends — and then securely destroyed.

Who I share it with

I do not sell your information or share it for marketing. It may be shared only where necessary: with your insurer if you are claiming, with my clinical supervisor in anonymised form as part of safe practice, or where I am required to by law.

Keeping it secure

Personal information is stored securely, with access limited to what is necessary. Digital records are protected with appropriate technical measures, and paper notes, where kept, are stored securely.

Your rights

You have the right to ask me to:

see the information I hold about you;
correct anything that is inaccurate;
delete information, where there is no overriding reason to keep it;
restrict or object to certain uses of it;
receive a copy in a portable format.

To exercise any of these, please contact me using the details above. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you have concerns about how your data is handled.

Changes to this notice

I may update this notice from time to time. The date at the top shows when it was last revised.

Data Protection Complaints

How to raise a data protection concern

I am committed to protecting your personal information and handling it in accordance with UK data protection legislation. If you have any concerns about how your personal information has been collected, stored, used, shared or managed, you have the right to make a data protection complaint.

Step 1 — Contact me directly

Please get in touch with as much information as possible about your concern so it can be investigated appropriately.

Georgie McMinn
Email: georgiemcminn@gmail.com

Your complaint will be acknowledged within 30 days of receipt. I will make appropriate enquiries, keep you informed of progress where necessary, and provide a full response outlining the outcome without undue delay.

Step 2 — If you remain dissatisfied

If you are unhappy with the outcome, you have the right to raise your concern with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent authority for data protection and information rights.

Complaints Procedure

Raising a concern about the counselling service

I am committed to providing a professional, ethical and supportive service. If you have any concerns about any aspect of the service you have received, I encourage you to discuss them with me directly in the first instance wherever possible.

Step 1 — Contact me

Georgie McMinn
Email: georgiemcminn@gmail.com

I will acknowledge your complaint within 5 working days and aim to respond fully within 20 working days, though more complex matters may take longer to investigate. I will make every effort to resolve concerns fairly, openly and respectfully.

Step 2 — If you remain dissatisfied

If, following the complaints process, you remain dissatisfied with the outcome, you may contact my professional body:

National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS)
ncps.com