Privacy Policy
Fitzgerald’s Counselling
Last updated: 23-06-2026
Fitzgerald’s Counselling respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and protect personal data when you visit our website, contact us, make an enquiry, book counselling sessions or use our counselling services.
This policy is written to help you understand what information we collect, why we collect it, how it is used, and what rights you have.
1. Who we are
Fitzgerald’s Counselling is a counselling practice led by Jayne Chugg, providing counselling support for individuals, children, young people, couples and families in Plymouth and the wider Plymouth area.
For the purposes of data protection law, Fitzgerald’s Counselling is the data controller for the personal information we process.
Contact details:
Fitzgerald’s Counselling
Plymouth and the wider Plymouth area
Telephone: +44 7921 074633
Email: jayne@fitzgeraldscounselling.co.uk
Website: fitzgeraldscounselling.co.uk
2. The information we collect
The information we collect depends on how you interact with us.
We may collect and process the following types of personal information:
Information you provide when contacting us
This may include:
- Your name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Preferred method of contact
- Information you include in a contact form, email, text message or phone enquiry
- Basic information about the support you are looking for
- Any accessibility needs or preferences you choose to share
Information relating to counselling services
If you become a client, we may collect additional information required to provide counselling safely and appropriately. This may include:
- Contact details
- Emergency contact details, where appropriate
- GP or relevant professional contact details, where appropriate
- Session notes
- Information about your wellbeing, personal circumstances, relationships, family situation or mental health
- Information about risk, safeguarding or safety where relevant
- Payment records
- Appointment information
Some of this information may be classed as special category data under UK data protection law because it may relate to health, mental health, family circumstances, sexuality, trauma, abuse, disability, neurodiversity or other sensitive personal experiences.
Website and technical information
When you visit our website, limited technical information may be collected automatically, such as:
- IP address
- Browser type
- Device type
- Pages visited
- Date and time of visit
- General website usage information
- Cookie preferences
This information helps us keep the website secure, understand how visitors use the site and improve the website experience.
3. How we collect your information
We may collect personal information when you:
- Fill in a contact or enquiry form
- Email, call or message Fitzgerald’s Counselling
- Book or attend counselling sessions
- Provide information during an initial consultation
- Use the website
- Interact with any social media links or pages connected to the practice
- Make payment for sessions
- Ask for information, support or follow-up contact
We only collect information that is relevant and necessary for the purpose for which it is being used.
4. Why we use your information
We use personal information for the following purposes:
- To respond to enquiries
- To arrange an initial consultation
- To assess whether counselling may be appropriate
- To provide counselling services safely and professionally
- To manage appointments
- To keep appropriate counselling records
- To communicate with clients
- To process payments and maintain accounting records
- To meet legal, ethical, safeguarding and professional obligations
- To protect the safety of clients, children, vulnerable adults or others where required
- To improve the website and services
- To handle complaints, disputes or professional enquiries
We do not sell your personal information.
5. Lawful basis for processing personal data
Under UK data protection law, we must have a lawful basis for using personal information.
Depending on the circumstances, we may rely on one or more of the following lawful bases:
Contract
We may process your information where it is necessary to provide counselling services, arrange appointments, communicate with you or manage the counselling relationship.
Consent
We may rely on consent where you have chosen to provide information or have agreed to a specific use of your data. You can withdraw consent where consent is the lawful basis, although this may not affect processing that has already taken place.
Legitimate interests
We may process limited information where it is necessary for legitimate business or professional purposes, such as responding to enquiries, managing records, improving services, protecting the website or maintaining professional standards.
Legal obligation
We may process or retain information where required by law, including tax, accounting, safeguarding, court orders or other legal requirements.
Vital interests
In rare circumstances, we may use or share information where it is necessary to protect someone’s life or safety.
6. Special category data
Counselling may involve processing sensitive personal information, including information about mental health, physical health, trauma, abuse, relationships, sexuality, neurodiversity, disability or family circumstances.
Where special category data is processed, we do so only where there is a lawful basis and an additional condition under UK data protection law. This may include:
- Providing health or social care-related support
- Establishing, exercising or defending legal claims
- Explicit consent, where appropriate
- Safeguarding or protecting vital interests where necessary
Sensitive information is treated with particular care and is only used for appropriate counselling, professional, safeguarding or legal purposes.
7. Confidentiality
Confidentiality is central to counselling.
Information shared with Fitzgerald’s Counselling is treated as private and confidential. However, there are some limited situations where confidentiality may need to be broken, including where:
- There is a serious risk of harm to you or someone else
- A child or vulnerable adult may be at risk
- There is a legal requirement to disclose information
- A court order or other lawful authority requires disclosure
- There is a professional or ethical duty to act
- Information relates to terrorism, money laundering or other serious legal obligations
Where possible and appropriate, Jayne would aim to discuss any disclosure with you before it is made. However, this may not always be possible where urgent safety or legal concerns are involved.
8. Counselling records and session notes
Fitzgerald’s Counselling may keep brief counselling records and session notes. These are used to support safe and ethical practice, maintain continuity of care and meet professional responsibilities.
Records are kept securely and are not shared unless there is a valid professional, safeguarding or legal reason to do so.
Session notes are kept separate from general contact information where possible.
9. Children and young people
Fitzgerald’s Counselling may provide counselling support for children and young people.
Where a child or young person uses the service, personal information may be collected from the young person, parent, guardian or relevant professional. Information is handled carefully and in line with safeguarding responsibilities, confidentiality principles and the young person’s age, understanding and best interests.
Parents or guardians may be involved where appropriate, but counselling also respects the young person’s privacy and therapeutic space, subject to safeguarding and legal duties.
10. Who we may share information with
We do not share personal information routinely. However, in limited circumstances, information may be shared with:
- Your GP or another healthcare professional, where appropriate and usually with your knowledge
- Emergency services, where there is serious risk or immediate danger
- Safeguarding authorities, where a child or vulnerable adult may be at risk
- Professional supervisors, in an anonymised or limited form, to support ethical practice
- Professional bodies, insurers or legal advisers, where necessary
- Accountants or payment providers, for financial records
- IT, website or email providers who help operate the website and communication systems
- Law enforcement, regulators or courts where legally required
Where third-party providers are used, reasonable care is taken to ensure they handle personal information securely.
11. Professional supervision
Counsellors may discuss aspects of their work with a qualified professional supervisor. This is standard counselling practice and helps maintain safe, ethical and effective support.
Where cases are discussed in supervision, information is usually anonymised or limited as far as possible.
12. How long we keep information
We only keep personal information for as long as necessary.
Typical retention periods may include:
- Enquiry information: up to 12 months where no counselling relationship begins
- Client records and counselling notes: usually up to 7 years after counselling ends
- Records relating to children and young people: may be kept for longer, typically until the young person reaches adulthood plus a further retention period
- Financial and payment records: usually 6 years for tax and accounting purposes
- Safeguarding or legal records: as long as necessary in line with legal, ethical or professional requirements
These periods may vary depending on the circumstances, professional guidance, insurance requirements, safeguarding concerns or legal obligations.
When information is no longer needed, it will be securely deleted, destroyed or anonymised.
13. How we keep your information safe
Fitzgerald’s Counselling takes reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure or alteration.
Security measures may include:
- Password-protected devices and accounts
- Secure email and website systems where possible
- Limited access to records
- Secure storage of counselling records
- Careful handling of paper records, where used
- Regular review of what information is kept
- Deleting or destroying information when no longer needed
No method of electronic communication is completely risk-free. Please avoid sending highly sensitive information through website forms or email if you are concerned about privacy. You can share fuller details during a consultation or session.
14. Website contact forms
If you use a contact form on the website, the information you submit is used to respond to your enquiry.
Please only include information you feel comfortable sharing. You do not need to explain everything in your first message. A brief message asking for a consultation is enough.
Website form submissions may be processed by the website hosting provider or email system in order to deliver your message.
15. Cookies and analytics
The website may use cookies or similar technologies.
Cookies are small files stored on your device. They may be used to:
- Make the website work properly
- Remember cookie preferences
- Improve website security
- Understand how visitors use the website
- Improve website performance
Strictly necessary cookies may be used because they are required for the website to function.
Analytics or marketing cookies should only be used where appropriate consent has been given. You can usually manage cookies through the website cookie banner, browser settings or device settings.
If Google Analytics, Meta Pixel or similar tools are added in the future, the privacy and cookie information should be updated to explain this clearly.
16. Links to other websites
The website may include links to external websites, including crisis support services, professional directories, social media platforms or other resources.
Fitzgerald’s Counselling is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites. You should read the privacy policy of any external website you visit.
17. Social media
Fitzgerald’s Counselling may have a presence on social media platforms such as Facebook.
If you contact or interact with Fitzgerald’s Counselling through social media, your information will also be processed by the relevant social media platform according to its own privacy policy.
Please avoid sending highly sensitive personal information through social media messages.
18. Payments
If you pay for sessions, payment information may be processed through bank transfer, cash records or another agreed payment method.
Fitzgerald’s Counselling may keep payment records for accounting, tax and administrative purposes. We do not collect or store full card details unless a secure payment provider is used, in which case that provider will process payment information under its own privacy terms.
19. Your rights
Under data protection law, you have rights in relation to your personal information.
These may include the right to:
- Be informed about how your data is used
- Access the personal information held about you
- Ask for inaccurate information to be corrected
- Ask for information to be erased in certain circumstances
- Ask for processing to be restricted in certain circumstances
- Object to processing in certain circumstances
- Request transfer of information in certain circumstances
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
- Complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office
Some rights may be limited where professional, legal, safeguarding, insurance or confidentiality obligations apply.
20. Accessing your information
You can ask for a copy of personal information held about you by contacting:
jayne@fitzgeraldscounselling.co.uk
We may need to confirm your identity before responding to a request.
Requests will normally be handled within one month, unless the request is complex or an extension is permitted by law.
21. Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information is handled, please contact Fitzgerald’s Counselling first so the concern can be looked into.
You can contact:
jayne@fitzgeraldscounselling.co.uk
You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office:
Information Commissioner’s Office
Website: ico.org.uk
Telephone: 0303 123 1113
22. Updates to this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in the law, professional requirements, website features or how Fitzgerald’s Counselling operates.
The latest version will be published on the website with the updated date shown at the top.
23. Contact
For any privacy questions, data requests or concerns, please contact:
Fitzgerald’s Counselling
Email: jayne@fitzgeraldscounselling.co.uk
Telephone: +44 7921 074633
Location: Plymouth and the wider Plymouth area