Family Therapy Centre (referred to as “the Centre”) provides psychotherapy, workshops, assessments, and equine-assisted psychotherapy services. This document outlines our procedures for protecting personal information in compliance with relevant data protection regulations.
We collect personal information to facilitate the booking and administration of appointments, assessment and treatment planning, conducting workshops and evaluations, providing equine-assisted psychotherapy sessions, billing and insurance claims, and managing client safety and risk.
We collect the following personal information for the purposes mentioned above: name and surname, date of birth and age, residential address, contact information (e.g., phone number, email), occupation and employer, medical aid details, emergency contact information, and referring professional information (if applicable). For minors, we also collect parent/guardian names and contact information.
Personal information may be shared with medical aids for billing purposes, other healthcare professionals for referrals or collaborative treatment, and third-party service providers (e.g., booking and invoicing systems) under strict confidentiality agreements.
To ensure the security of personal information, we have implemented several measures. Client files are stored in locked cabinets accessible only to authorised personnel. Data is stored in secure, password-protected systems, and all electronic devices used for data storage and processing are secured with cybersecurity measures. Personal information is encrypted where necessary. All staff and third-party service providers sign confidentiality agreements to protect client information. Personal information is retained for the period required by law and then securely destroyed.
The Centre has appointed an Information Officer responsible for overseeing data protection measures and compliance with relevant regulations.
In the event of a data breach, affected individuals will be notified promptly, and the appropriate regulatory bodies will be informed as required.
All clients are required to sign consent forms acknowledging the Centre’s data protection practices and agreeing to the collection and use of their personal information as described.
Clients and regulatory officers may request access to the Centre’s data protection policies. These documents are stored securely and are available upon request from the Information Officer.
