COMPLAINTS ABOUT PERSONAL INFORMATION
A complaint about how I have collected, used, stored, secured, retained, corrected, disclosed or deleted personal information is a data-protection complaint.
Examples include concerns about:
Clinical, coaching or administrative records.
Emails, contact forms or WriteUpp messages.
Booking and payment information.
Health information or other special-category information.
Professional supervision.
A disclosure to another person or organisation.
Information retained after the work has ended.
The response to an access, correction, deletion or other data-rights request.
A suspected personal-data breach.
WriteUpp, Stripe or another service processing information on behalf of my practice.
How to submit a data-protection complaint
Please contact:
Vauna Beauvais
or use the contact form for complaints, situated on the bottom of the Privacy and Data Protection page (with Yellow Background)
Postal address: 1, Crown Barns, Wesrt Street, LU2 8EG
Please use the subject heading: ‘Data-protection Complaint’
Explain what happened, the personal information involved, the approximate dates and what outcome you would like me to consider.
You do not need to identify a particular law or use formal legal language.
What happens next
I will acknowledge a data-protection complaint within 30 days of receiving it.
I will take appropriate steps to investigate and respond. This may include reviewing records and communications, checking WriteUpp or another system, contacting a relevant processor, seeking professional or legal advice, and asking the complainant for clarification.
I will keep the complainant informed where an investigation is continuing or materially delayed.
I will communicate the outcome without undue delay and explain:
What I considered.
What I found.
Whether the complaint is upheld in full, upheld in part or not upheld.
Any action taken or proposed.
The reasons for the outcome.
The right to raise the concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Professional and data-protection complaints
A professional-service complaint and a data-protection complaint are not necessarily the same.
For example:
A concern about the content of a clinical record may involve both professional practice and data protection.
A concern about a therapeutic boundary may be principally a professional complaint.
A concern that information was sent to the wrong person may be principally a data-protection complaint and may also involve a personal-data breach.
Where a complaint raises both kinds of issue, I will identify the relevant parts and explain how they will be handled.
The general response times in this Complaints Procedure do not replace any specific legal time applying to a data-protection complaint or data-rights request.
Information Commissioner’s Office
A person may raise a data-protection concern with the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Using my internal complaints process does not prevent or remove that right.
Current information about approaching the Information Commissioner’s Office is available on its official website.
The Information Commissioner’s Office generally recommends raising the matter with the organisation first and retaining copies of the complaint, response and supporting documents.
No retaliation
A person will not be subjected to retaliatory treatment merely because they have:
Raised a data-protection concern.
Made a data-protection complaint.
Asked to exercise an information right.
Contacted the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Supported another person in raising a concern.
This does not prevent legitimate action relating to a separate matter such as safety, suitability, serious boundary concerns or unpaid fees.
Further information
My Privacy Notice explains how personal information is collected, used, disclosed and retained.
My Privacy and Data Protection page provides links to the main privacy documents, the data-protection complaints route, the Information Commissioner’s Office route and cookie preferences.
Privacy Notice:https://www.counsellingtherapyonline.com/privacy-policy
Privacy and Data Protection page: https://www.counsellingtherapyonline.com/privacy-and-data-protection
Vauna Beauvais. Counselling Therapy Online – Client Complaints Policy
This page contains information on the following:
Your rights to complain and pursue resolution: I encouraging you to open dialogue with me first, as many complaints stem from communication breakdowns or areas of concern of which i was unaware. Making me aware gives me the opportunity to work with you to resolve matters..
Formal Notification: If you consider that informal discussion has failed, how to submit a formal complaint in writing
Explicit Timelines: Committment to timeframes for acknowledging and responding to you.
Escalation Routes: Clear instructions on how to take the complaint directly to the UKCP if a resolution cannot be met
Our Commitment to You
I strive to provide a safe, ethical, and professional therapeutic environment. If you feel dissatisfied with any aspect of your therapy, or the services on offer, please let me know as soon as possible so we can address your concerns. Raising a complaint will never impact your standard of care, nor will you be charged for the time it takes to resolve it.
Step 1: Informal Discussion
If you feel comfortable doing so, I invite you to raise any concerns directly with me during our session or via email.
Many misunderstandings can be resolved quickly through open and honest communication. And, after initially raising your concerns we may find that it may or may not warrant communicating outside of your session time by agreement.
Step 2: Formal Written Complaint
If we cannot reach a resolution informally, or if you prefer not to discuss it with me directly, you can submit a formal complaint in writing.
Please send your complaint via email to vauna@protonmail.com or by post to 1, Crown Barns, West Street, Luton, Hertfordshire, LU2 8EG, England, UK.
To help me investigate fully, please include:
A clear description of what went wrong.
Relevant dates and times.
What outcome you hope to achieve.
Step 3: Acknowledgment and Timeline
I will acknowledge your written complaint in writing within 5 working days.
I will conduct a thorough review and issue a full written response within 21 working days.
If a complex issue requires more time to investigate, I will update you on the delay and provide a revised deadline.
Step 4: Independent Escalation
I am a registered member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) and adhere to their Ethical Principles and Code of Professional Conduct.
If you feel my internal process has failed to address your concerns adequately, you have the right to escalate your complaint directly to them.
You can contact the UKCP Complaints and Conduct Team on 020 7014 9955 or download a complaint form via the UKCP Complaints Page