PRIVACY POLICY
This privacy policy sets out how Jesmond Therapy Centre uses and protects personal information that you provide to Jesmond Therapy Centre when attending the Centre, making an enquiry, using our services or using our website.
Jesmond Therapy Centre is committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information appropriately and securely. Any personal information that we collect will be used in accordance with this privacy policy and applicable data protection legislation.
CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY
Jesmond Therapy Centre may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. We encourage you to check this page periodically to ensure that you are aware of any changes.
This policy is effective from 24 May 2018 and was last updated in October 2026.
WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT ABOUT YOU?
When you provide us with information about yourself or, where relevant, another person or members of your family, this information may be used and stored by Jesmond Therapy Centre. The information we collect will depend on the reason you are contacting us or using Jesmond Therapy Centre.
We may collect personal information when you contact us about therapy, make a general enquiry, enquire about practitioner room use, book a CPD course or event, or purchase products or services from us.
This information may include:
your name;
job title, where applicable;
date of birth;
contact information, including your telephone number, email address and postal address;
payment, billing and transaction information relating to purchases, course bookings and other payments made to Jesmond Therapy Centre;
demographic information such as your postcode;
information you provide about the reason you are seeking therapy or therapeutic support;
information relevant to determining which therapeutic service or independent practitioner may be appropriate for you;
information relating to room use, CPD courses, or events; and
other information that you choose to provide to us in connection with an enquiry, booking or service.
Therapy enquiries may involve information concerning mental health or other sensitive circumstances. Some of this information may constitute special category personal data under data protection legislation and is subject to additional protections.
Where you make a payment to Jesmond Therapy Centre, including when booking a course or other service through our website, we may collect and process information relating to your payment and transaction.
Card payments are processed using our payment service provider, Square. Payment information may also be processed through or accessible within the systems used to operate our website and online booking facilities. We retain relevant transaction and payment records where necessary for administrative, accounting, legal and record-keeping purposes.
We also collect information when you provide feedback to us. Website usage information may be collected through cookies and similar technologies as explained below.
INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US FOR COUPLES, FAMILY AND CHILD OR YOUNG PERSON ENQUIRIES
Where an enquiry relates to couples or family therapy, one person may make the initial enquiry and may provide information about other people who may take part in therapy. Where an enquiry is made for a child or young person, information may be provided by a parent, guardian or other person with parental responsibility.
We ask that only information that is reasonably necessary for us to understand and respond to the enquiry is provided about other people. Where possible and appropriate, the person making the enquiry should ensure that the other person or people concerned are aware that the enquiry is being made and that information about them may be provided to Jesmond Therapy Centre.
As part of the referral process, we may use limited information about the wellbeing, health and reasons for seeking therapy of the people concerned to identify or check the suitability and availability of therapists within our network. Where information is shared with a potential therapist for this initial purpose, we will limit this to what is reasonably necessary to assess whether they may be suitable to support the enquiry.
For children and young people, we will consider consent and confidentiality according to their age, understanding and individual circumstances, including whether they are able to provide their own consent and whether consent from a person with parental responsibility is required. We may therefore need to obtain or confirm consent before an appointment can be arranged or before information is shared further.
For couples and family therapy involving adults, where required or appropriate, we may ask other participants to provide or confirm their own information or consent before further personal or sensitive information about them is used or shared as part of arranging or providing therapy.
We will handle information provided about other people in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection law.
HOW WILL WE USE THE INFORMATION ABOUT YOU?
We use personal information where necessary to respond to enquiries, administer our services and Centre, facilitate access to therapeutic services provided by independent practitioners, administer CPD courses and events, process bookings and purchases and meet our legal and safeguarding responsibilities.
Depending on the reason you have contacted us, we may use your information:
for internal record keeping and administration;
to respond to enquiries;
to communicate with you about an enquiry, referral, booking or service;
to help identify an independent practitioner who may be suitable to provide therapeutic services;
to make appropriate enquiries with potential independent practitioners about whether they have the relevant experience, professional scope, availability or capacity to consider a referral;
to facilitate the referral and matching process between prospective clients and independent practitioners;
to process CPD course and event bookings;
to administer purchases and payments;
for appropriate statistical and service analysis;
to help signpost you towards therapeutic services that may be relevant to your needs;
to investigate and respond to complaints;
to identify and protect individuals who may be at risk of harm;
to meet safeguarding responsibilities where appropriate;
to prevent and detect crime;
to establish, exercise or defend legal claims where necessary;
for appropriate record-keeping and archiving purposes;
to improve our services and training; and
where you have agreed to receive marketing, to provide information about courses, events, services or offers which may be of interest to you.
SAFETY AT THE CENTRE (CCTV)
For the purposes of safety, security, safeguarding and the protection of the premises, Jesmond Therapy Centre operates CCTV in selected communal areas of the Centre.
The CCTV covers the reception entrance area, the front door, the ground-to-first-floor stairwell and the small set of stairs leading to the first-floor. CCTV does not operate within therapy rooms or on the upper floor and is not used to monitor or record therapeutic sessions.
The CCTV records video footage only and does not record audio.
The lawful basis for processing CCTV footage is the legitimate interests of Jesmond Therapy Centre in maintaining the safety and security of the premises and individuals using the Centre, preventing and detecting crime, assisting with the investigation of incidents and supporting safeguarding responsibilities where appropriate.
Jesmond Therapy Centre has assessed the use of CCTV and considers it to be a necessary and proportionate measure which balances the safety and security needs of the Centre with the privacy rights and interests of individuals.
Access to CCTV footage is restricted to authorised personnel. Recordings will only be accessed or viewed where there is a legitimate reason to do so, which may include investigating security incidents, accidents, safeguarding concerns, complaints, unauthorised access, damage to property or other matters relating to the safety and security of the Centre.
CCTV footage is generally retained for approximately 30 days before being automatically overwritten. Footage may be retained for longer where it is required in connection with a specific incident, ongoing investigation, legal proceedings, insurance claim, safeguarding matter or another legitimate purpose. Where footage is retained for such a purpose, it will be kept only for as long as reasonably necessary.
Individuals have rights in relation to their personal data, including CCTV footage, subject to applicable exemptions and the rights of other individuals who may also appear in the footage. Requests relating to CCTV recordings, or questions about how CCTV footage is processed, should be made in writing to the Centre Director or Centre Manager.
Appropriate signage is displayed within the Centre to inform clients, visitors, practitioners, contractors and staff that CCTV is in operation.
REFERRAL MATCHING AND SHARING INFORMATION WITH POTENTIAL INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS
Jesmond Therapy Centre works with a network of independent practitioners who provide therapeutic services.
As part of responding to a therapy enquiry and trying to identify an appropriate practitioner, we may need to provide relevant information from an enquiry or referral to one or more potential independent practitioners.
This may be necessary, for example, to establish whether a practitioner has appropriate experience of the presenting issue, whether the enquiry falls within their professional scope of practice, whether they have suitable availability or capacity, or whether they would be willing and able to consider the referral.
Where information concerning health, wellbeing or other special category personal data needs to be used or shared with potential independent practitioners for this purpose, we will ensure that an appropriate lawful basis and condition for processing applies. Where we rely upon explicit consent, we will obtain this before using or sharing that information for the referral and matching process.
Consent may be provided in writing, electronically or expressly provided verbally. Where consent is provided verbally, we will make an appropriate record of that consent.
We will only share information that we consider relevant and proportionate for the purpose of establishing whether a practitioner may be suitable for the referral. Where possible and appropriate, we will limit the information provided and will not share more personal information than is reasonably necessary.
Where it is not necessary to identify an individual in order to establish whether a practitioner may be suitable, we will, where reasonably practicable, avoid providing unnecessary identifying information at that stage.
If a practitioner is identified as potentially suitable, further relevant information may be shared as necessary to facilitate the referral and arrange therapeutic services, subject to applicable data protection requirements.
Where we rely upon your explicit consent to process special category information, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing which took place before consent was withdrawn. However, where use of the relevant information is necessary for us to identify or approach a suitable practitioner, withdrawal of consent may mean that we are unable to continue with some or all of the referral-matching process.
WHO HAS ACCESS TO YOUR INFORMATION?
Access to personal information held by Jesmond Therapy Centre is limited to those who require access for appropriate business, administrative, referral, safeguarding, security or legal purposes.
We may share relevant personal information with independent practitioners where this is necessary to consider, arrange or facilitate therapeutic services, including during the referral-matching process described above.
Once an independent practitioner processes personal information for the purposes of providing their own professional services, they are responsible for that processing under their own privacy arrangements. You may ask the practitioner for information about how they collect, use, store and protect your personal information.
If you disclose information which leads us to believe that you or another person may be at risk of serious harm, particularly where a child or vulnerable person may be at risk, there may be circumstances in which information needs to be shared without consent in order to safeguard or protect those concerned, or where otherwise permitted or required by law.
We may also use third-party organisations and individuals who provide services to Jesmond Therapy Centre and who may process or have access to personal information in the course of providing those services. These may include:
our email marketing and communications provider;
our payment service provider, Square;
freelance IT support providers;
freelance website administrators and website support providers;
providers of software, hosting or other technical services; and
other professional, technical or administrative service providers where required.
Where a service provider processes personal information on behalf of Jesmond Therapy Centre, we require them to handle that information appropriately and in accordance with applicable data protection requirements.
We may also disclose personal information where required by law or where necessary in connection with safeguarding, the prevention or detection of crime, legal proceedings, regulatory requirements, insurance matters or the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims.
LAWFUL BASIS FOR PROCESSING YOUR INFORMATION
Jesmond Therapy Centre is a data controller in relation to the personal information that it collects and processes for its own purposes.
Depending upon the nature and purpose of the processing, we may process personal information under one or more lawful bases under Article 6 of the UK GDPR, including:
Legitimate interests – Article 6(1)(f): where processing is necessary for the legitimate interests of Jesmond Therapy Centre or another person and those interests are not overridden by your rights and interests. This includes the administration of therapy enquiries and JTC’s referral and matching process, including identifying and making appropriate enquiries with potential independent practitioners. It may also include operating and managing the Centre, maintaining appropriate records, investigating complaints and protecting our legitimate business and legal interests.
Contract – Article 6(1)(b): where processing is necessary to take steps at your request before entering into a contract or to perform a contract with you, for example in relation to certain bookings, courses, events, products or services.
Legal obligation – Article 6(1)(c): where processing is necessary for us to comply with a legal obligation.
Consent – Article 6(1)(a): where you have given consent to particular processing and consent is the appropriate lawful basis.
SPECIAL CATEGORY PERSONAL DATA
Certain information, including information concerning physical or mental health, is classed as special category personal data and receives additional protection under data protection legislation.
Where we process special category personal data, we must have both an appropriate lawful basis under Article 6 of the UK GDPR and a separate condition for processing under Article 9.
Where an individual provides their own health, wellbeing or other special category information as part of a therapy enquiry and that information is used or shared for JTC’s referral and matching process, our Article 6 lawful basis is legitimate interests under Article 6(1)(f) and our Article 9 condition is explicit consent under Article 9(2)(a).
Therapy enquiries, particularly couples and family enquiries, may also contain information about other people. Where we receive or process special category information relating to another person, we will consider the appropriate lawful basis and Article 9 condition according to the particular circumstances and will limit the information processed or shared to what is necessary and proportionate for the relevant purpose.
Where we rely upon explicit consent, that consent may be withdrawn at any time.
Where we rely upon legitimate interests, we consider the purpose and necessity of the processing and balance our legitimate interests against the rights and interests of the individuals concerned. We take account of the increased sensitivity of special category information and apply appropriate safeguards, including data minimisation.
INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS
Jesmond Therapy Centre facilitates access to therapeutic services provided by self-employed independent practitioners.
Jesmond Therapy Centre is responsible as a data controller for the personal information that it collects and processes for its own purposes, including information used to administer enquiries, undertake initial screening and referral matching, maintain Centre records and facilitate access to therapeutic services.
Independent practitioners are responsible as separate data controllers for personal information that they collect and process for the purposes of providing their own professional or therapeutic services.
The practitioner will be able to provide information about how they collect, use, retain and protect your personal information as part of their own privacy arrangements.
The fact that information has been passed to an independent practitioner does not necessarily mean that Jesmond Therapy Centre ceases to hold or process its own records relating to the enquiry or referral.
MARKETING
If you have consented to receive marketing communications from us, we may send you information about our services, CPD courses, events, products or other information which we think may be of interest to you.
There are several ways in which you may choose to opt in to receive marketing from us, including:
through an online form;
by providing consent over the telephone or in person;
by providing your details and marketing preferences to Jesmond Therapy Centre in writing; or
when booking a course or workshop where an appropriate marketing option is provided.
You have the right to withdraw your consent to marketing at any time.
If you no longer wish to receive marketing communications, you can email info@jesmondtherapycentre.co.uk or use the unsubscribe facility contained within our marketing emails.
We may retain limited information concerning your marketing preferences or withdrawal of consent so that we can maintain appropriate suppression records and ensure that we respect your preferences.
HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION?
We generally retain records containing personal information for seven years, unless there is a reason why a different retention period is appropriate.
Different retention periods may apply depending upon the nature of the information and the purpose for which it is held. For example, CCTV footage is subject to the shorter retention period described in the CCTV section of this policy.
Information may be retained for longer than our usual retention period where this is reasonably necessary in connection with a complaint, safeguarding concern, insurance matter, legal or regulatory requirement, ongoing investigation or legal claim.
Some information may also be retained for a shorter period where there is no longer a legitimate or legal reason for us to retain it.
Where personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or destroyed in accordance with our retention arrangements.
We may retain limited information concerning marketing preferences or withdrawal of consent for as long as necessary to maintain appropriate suppression records and ensure that we continue to respect your marketing preferences.
INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS
Some of the organisations or individuals that provide technology, IT, website, payment, communications or other services to Jesmond Therapy Centre may use systems, infrastructure or service providers located outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred outside the UK in circumstances to which the international transfer requirements of UK data protection law apply, appropriate steps will be taken to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that appropriate safeguards are in place where required.
You can contact us using the details below if you would like further information about how your personal information is protected where international processing or transfers are involved.
USE OF TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL TOOLS
Jesmond Therapy Centre may use technology and digital tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and AI-assisted software, to support appropriate administrative and business activities. This may include assisting with drafting and reviewing correspondence and documents, summarising or organising information, and other administrative tasks. Where these tools are used, Jesmond Therapy Centre will take appropriate steps to protect personal information and limit the information used to what is necessary and proportionate for the particular purpose. Where reasonably practicable, identifying information will be removed or minimised.
These tools are used to support our administrative activities and are not used by Jesmond Therapy Centre to provide therapy, make diagnoses or clinical decisions, or independently determine which practitioner an individual should be referred to.
Where the use of a technology or digital tool involves the processing of personal information, Jesmond Therapy Centre will consider the applicable data protection requirements, including the appropriate lawful basis and, where special category personal data is involved, the relevant additional condition for processing.
Where information is processed internationally in connection with the use of a technology service, appropriate steps will be taken in accordance with applicable data protection requirements. Jesmond Therapy Centre does not use these tools to make solely automated decisions about individuals which produce legal or similarly significant effects.
SECURITY
We are committed to ensuring that your personal information is secure.
We have appropriate physical, electronic and organisational measures in place designed to protect personal information against unauthorised access, loss, misuse, alteration or disclosure.
HOW WE USE COOKIES
Cookies are small files which are placed on your device when you visit a website. Cookies and similar technologies can be used to enable websites to function, remember preferences and provide information about how websites are used.
We may use cookies to understand how visitors use our website and to help us improve the website and our services.
Some cookies may be necessary for the operation of the website. Other cookies may require your consent, depending upon their purpose and applicable legislation.
Where consent is required, you can choose whether to accept those cookies and can change your preferences where the relevant facilities are available.
Your browser may also allow you to block or delete cookies. Blocking certain cookies may affect the functionality of the website.
Further information about the particular cookies used on our website and the choices available to you should be provided through our website’s cookie information and consent facilities where applicable.
LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES
Our website may contain links to websites operated by other organisations.
Once you follow a link to another website, that website will have its own privacy arrangements and Jesmond Therapy Centre does not control how that organisation processes your personal information.
We encourage you to review the privacy information provided by any external website that you visit.
CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
We may collect and process personal information relating to children and young people where they, or a parent, person with parental responsibility, guardian or another person acting on their behalf, contact us about therapeutic services.
How consent and personal information are handled will depend upon factors including the age and understanding of the child or young person, the nature of the service being requested and the circumstances of the enquiry.
Where appropriate, we may need to involve or obtain information or consent from a person with parental responsibility. There may also be circumstances in which a child or young person is able to provide their own consent, subject to applicable legal and professional requirements and their ability to understand the relevant decision.
Where special category information relating to a child or young person is to be processed or shared as part of the referral-matching process, JTC will consider who is able to provide the necessary consent in the particular circumstances before that information is shared.
We take particular care when handling the personal information of children and young people.
YOUR DATA PROTECTION RIGHTS
Depending upon the circumstances and the lawful basis on which we process your personal information, you may have the right to:
request access to the personal information we hold about you;
ask us to correct personal information which is inaccurate or incomplete;
ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances;
ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances;
object to certain processing of your personal information;
request the transfer of certain personal information to you or another organisation where the right to data portability applies; and
withdraw your consent at any time where we rely upon consent for processing.
These rights are not absolute and whether a particular right applies will depend upon the circumstances and the lawful basis on which your information is being processed.
You have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests in certain circumstances. You also have an absolute right to object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing purposes.
Where we rely upon your explicit consent under Article 9(2)(a) to process special category information, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing undertaken before consent was withdrawn.
If you wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, please contact us using the details below.
We may need to request information from you to confirm your identity before responding to certain requests.
COMPLAINTS ABOUT HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
If you have concerns about how Jesmond Therapy Centre has collected, used, stored, shared or otherwise processed your personal information, you can raise a data protection complaint with us.
You can do this by emailing info@jesmondtherapycentre.co.uk or by writing to the Centre Director or Centre Manager at:
Jesmond Therapy Centre
7 Holly Avenue West
Jesmond
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 2AR
We will acknowledge a data protection complaint within 30 days of receipt and will handle the complaint in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. We will take appropriate steps to consider and respond to the concerns raised and will provide information about the outcome of the complaint.
If you remain dissatisfied with how we have handled your personal information or your data protection complaint, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).
Further information is available from the Information Commissioner’s Office at www.ico.org.uk.
HOW TO CONTACT US
If you have any questions about this privacy policy, how we use your personal information, or the personal information we hold about you, please contact:
Jesmond Therapy Centre
7 Holly Avenue West
Jesmond
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE2 2AR
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This workshop introduces participants to a range of evidence-informed techniques, psychological insights and interventions drawn from compassion- and mindfulness-based approaches
A 3 weekend (Saturdays and Sundays) CPD course created specifically for trained and experienced therapists, seeking to add depth, theory, and practical skill in couple work.
A one day experiential workshop to help counsellors help their clients make sense of their spiritual experience and future journey.
A 3 weekend CPD course created specifically for trained and experienced therapists, seeking to add the theory and knowledge of relationship and couple counselling to their existing skill set. The 2025 programme has been updated and includes new material.
If you would like to join our Training Programme mailing list, please sign up using the form below.
Please Note: This is for people who are interested in our training courses only.
When we speak with you, if you go ahead in booking an appointment with one of our therapists, payment for your first session will be collected in advance on confirmation of your booking.
