I keep the contact details clients have given me in paper format in a locked box for seven years as is the current industry standard recommendation.
 

I do not share this information unless the client has given their consent to me requesting further support from another health professional, such as a GP. If a client is at risk of causing serious harm to himself / herself or another, and I believe he /she would benefit from further support, I will speak to his / her GP or other health practitioner about my concerns to try to access available support for him / her. I will always seek to discuss this with the client first and obtain consent.

In rare cases I may be ethically unable to keep the pledge of confidentiality, for example if the client is involved in criminal activity such as distributing illegal drugs, fraud, money-laundering, sexual activity involving children or involved in terrorist plots. Where a client discloses or describes to me such involvement I am bound to break confidentiality to share this information with the relevant authority.

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The contact number the client has given is stored on my mobile phone for the duration of the therapeutic work under his/her initials or a shortened name. Once sessions have ended I delete the client’s number from my phone.

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Where the client has contacted me by email, his or her email address is stored on my computer for the length of our therapeutic work.