GDPR Compliance: Terms & Conditions and Data Protection

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Terms & Conditions / Therapeutic Agreement.  

1. Petercarter.uk (PC) operates from, and under UK law, and within the codes of ethics & professional standards set by the College of Sex and Relationship Therapists (No.4168 ), UK Nursing and Midwifery Council (No.85D0812e), and Information Commissioner's Office (No.ZA841429). PC holds Enhanced DBS status and Professional Liability Insurance. 
2. Psychosexual and Relationship Therapy is a specialised form of talking therapy. It never involves touch. PC offers men, individual, focused sex therapy that aims for specific, measurable changes. This is often shorter-term therapy, targeting present-day challenges. PC does not offer open-ended, long-term, or generic psychotherapy, couple therapy, or urgent care / crisis interventions. 
3. Contact is limited to formal online therapy sessions. 
4. You agree to pay one session in advance. Late or no payment halts therapy and at PC discretion, may terminate therapy. In the event of non-payment, or if you do not attend (‘DNA’) without notice, or follow-up discussion within 48 hours of session time, PC reserves the right to offer your session to a waiting list client, and PC cannot guarantee availability of ongoing work should you wish to resume.  
5. Missed sessions, and cancellations less than 24 hours in advance will still be charged the full fee.  
6. An initial assessment process of 1-2 sessions is routine. After every sixth session, a review of working together will take place.  
7. During sex therapy, intimate topics are discussed, but you will never be asked to do anything sexual in-session. Language, resources, and relevant images of a sexual nature are integral to the work.  
8. PC incorporates different elements of intervention, tailored to best meet your needs, including Eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Trauma-Focused ACT, Internal Family Systems (IFS-Informed) & drawing on relevant fields of evolutionary science, polyvagal theory, attachment theory, and inhibitory learning theory. Limitations: People are individuals. There are no one-size fits all – hence different therapy approaches. People are hugely complex individuals and as with all talking therapies, there is no cast-iron guarantees. 
9. A commitment to prioritise and attend sessions is required. This means protecting the time you have identified to commit to therapy, planning-ahead, and arriving to sessions on time. It will not be possible to extend the length of your session if you arrive late.  
10. Please be in a comfortable upright sitting position where your feet can be placed flat on ground.  A high back chair is ideal. You agree not to use drugs or alcohol before sessions, or to smoke / vape during sessions. Sessions will not take place if you arrive under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed medication.   
11. Therapy is an active process. Using skills between sessions is beneficial. Please bring a paper and pen to sessions. You will gain more from therapy if you keep a journal in which you write memories, feelings, and impressions as they come to you. Once you establish the habit of using your journal it’s easy to add details as your memory becomes more active - which it surely will.  
12. Confidentiality, supervision and note keeping: Therapy involves the disclosure of sensitive and personal information. To protect your right to privacy, the things you disclose to PC will remain confidential. PC is bound by the ethics & professional standards of the accrediting organisation (COSRT), which includes responsibility to manage your information in line with GDPR. There are situations in which PC can break confidentiality with, or without your consent, including: 
13. Where you give consent for confidentiality to be broken and information to be shared. 
14. Where PC is compelled by a court of law. 
15. Where the information is of such gravity that confidentiality cannot be maintained. This includes instances in which PC considers you or others to be in imminent danger, safeguarding concerns, acts of terrorism, or where withholding information means PC may break the law, or breach codes of ethics. 
16. As part of ethical practice, supervision is part PC professional duty of care to you and is required to seek regular consultation with an accredited supervisor. The supervision consultation process is protected by confidentiality, is verbal and PC will use your first name only.  
17. If PC was to encounter an emergency and unable to contact you personally, your name and email contact details are shared with the professional supervisor above, who will then inform you about any changes. No other personal information would be shared. 
18. Therapy involves discussion of sensitive personal information (known as ‘Special Category’ data) such as gender, ethnicity, and relationship status. PC will keep brief notes from sessions to help keep track of topics & themes covered. Notes are kept in a locked cabinet and all information is retained for seven years. After this, electronic information is deleted, and paper records shredded.   
19. General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR): You have the following rights: 
20. To be informed what information is collected and how it is stored. 
21. To see information, I hold about you. 
22. To rectify any inaccurate or incomplete personal information. 
23. To withdraw consent to me using your personal information. 
24. To request your personal information be erased (if appropriate). 
25. To cancel this agreement at any time without further cost.  
26. Data breaches: All breaches will be reported immediately to the person responsible for data protection (PC). If the breach is likely to result in a high risk of adversely affecting individuals’ rights and freedoms, PC will notify the ICO within 72 hours and inform those individuals without undue delay. A record of any personal data breaches will be kept. 
27. Complaints: Your feedback on the process will be asked for at the end of each session and if you feel unhappy with any aspects of the treatment being offered, please try to communicate this verbally. In the event of you being unhappy with the service you receive, please discuss this with PC. If you feel unable to do so, or do not receive satisfactory resolution, then you have the right to complain to the accrediting / professional body, the COSRT.