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Privacy Policy for Dr Denise Ratcliffe, Consultant Clinical Psychologist

 

This privacy policy explains how I, Dr Denise Ratcliffe, collect, use, store and protect your personal data when you use my website, contact me, or receive therapy or psychological services from me. It is written to comply with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

 

Who I Am (Data Controller)

For the purposes of data protection law, I, Dr Denise Ratcliffe, am the data controller responsible for your personal data.

 

What Personal Data I Collect

Depending on how you interact with me, I may collect:

  • Contact details: name, email address, phone number, postal address.

  • Appointment and billing information: booking details, payment records, invoices, and health insurance details where relevant.

  • Special category (health) data: clinical notes, assessment information, and details you share with me in the course of therapy, including information about your mental and physical health. This is sensitive data with additional legal protections.

 

How I Collect Your Data

  • Directly from you — for example, when you email or phone me, complete a contact form, or attend sessions.

  • From referrers, with your consent — for example, a GP, or health insurer who refers you to me.

 

Why I Process Your Data (Lawful Basis)

I rely on the following lawful bases under the UK GDPR:

  • Contract (Article 6(1)(b)) — to provide therapy services you have engaged me to deliver, and to manage bookings and payment.

  • Health/social care purposes (Article 9(2)(h), read with the Data Protection Act 2018) — to process special category health data for the purpose of providing psychological therapy under the responsibility of a registered health professional.

  • Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)) — for example, to comply with HCPC regulatory requirements, safeguarding law, or a court order.

  • Vital interests (Article 6(1)(d) / Article 9(2)(c)) — in rare situations where disclosure is necessary to protect your life or someone else's.

  • Consent (Article 6(1)(a) / Article 9(2)(a)) — where I ask for your explicit agreement, for example to record a session or to contact a third party such as your GP.

 

Who I Share Your Data With

I do not sell or rent your personal data. I may share limited information with:

  • My clinical supervisor, for the purposes of professional supervision — discussed on an anonymised or pseudonymised basis wherever possible.

  • Your GP or other healthcare professionals, where there is a safeguarding concern, a risk to life, or with your consent.

  • Health insurers, where you are using insurance to fund therapy, limited to information necessary to process your claim.

  • Third parties where required by law — for example, a court, statutory agency, or regulator (including the HCPC).

 

How Long I Keep Your Data

Clinical notes and related records are kept for 7 years from the end of therapy, in line with professional guidance, and then securely destroyed.

Billing and invoicing records are kept for as long as required by HMRC (currently 6 years) for tax purposes.

 

How I Protect Your Data

  • Clinical notes are stored securely, whether in a locked physical location or in encrypted/password-protected digital systems.

  • Access to your records is limited to me (and, where relevant, an administrative assistant or IT support acting under a confidentiality agreement).

 

Cookies and Website Analytics

My website uses essential cookies required for the site to function.

 

Your Rights

Under UK data protection law, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal data I hold about you.

  • Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.

  • Request erasure of your data, though this may be limited by my professional and legal obligations to retain clinical records.

  • Restrict or object to certain processing of your data.

  • Request a copy of your data in a portable format, where applicable.

  • Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, please email contact@drdeniseratcliffe.co.uk.

You also have the right to raise a concern with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's data protection regulator, at ico.org.uk or by calling 0303 123 1113.

 

Automated Decision-Making

I do not use automated decision-making or profiling in relation to your personal data.

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Changes to This Policy

I may update this privacy policy from time to time, for example to reflect changes in the law or how I work. The version on my website is always the current one. This policy was last updated on 13th August 2026.

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Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, please contact me at contact@drdeniseratcliffe.co.uk.

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