I take your privacy seriously and am committed to handling your personal information carefully, confidentially and in accordance with UK data protection law. This notice explains what information I may collect, why I use it, how I keep it secure and what rights you have.

Who I am

I am Dr Penny Neild, operating as a sole trader and providing executive coaching, team coaching, workplace mediation, facilitated conversations and related professional services.

For the purposes of UK data protection law, I am the data controller for personal information I hold and process in connection with my business. Depending on the nature of organisationally commissioned work, the commissioning organisation may also have responsibilities as a data controller. Where necessary, the respective responsibilities for personal information will be clarified as part of the engagement.

Website: drpennyneild.com

Email: info@drpennyneild.com

Information I may collect

• your name and contact details;

• your job title, organisation and other relevant professional information;

• information you provide when making an enquiry or booking an initial conversation;

• information you choose to share during coaching, mediation, facilitated conversations or team coaching;

• correspondence, appointment and scheduling information;

• information required for invoicing and financial administration;

• feedback you choose to provide; and

• limited technical information generated when you use my website.

Where work is commissioned by an organisation, I may also receive information about you from that organisation, such as your name, role, contact details and relevant background information. I aim to collect only information that is necessary and relevant to the work.

Sensitive and special category information

The nature of coaching and mediation means that you may sometimes choose to discuss sensitive personal matters. This could include information about health, racial or ethnic origin, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, sexual orientation or other information classified as special category data under UK data protection law.

I will only process this information where there is an appropriate lawful basis and additional condition for doing so. I will not ask you to provide sensitive information unless it is relevant to our work, and you should not feel obliged to disclose information you do not wish to share.

Why I use your information

• to respond to enquiries and arrange initial conversations and appointments;

• to provide coaching, mediation, facilitated conversations or team coaching;

• to communicate with you and manage our professional relationship;

• to prepare invoices and maintain appropriate financial records;

• to fulfil contractual and legal obligations and protect legal rights where necessary; and

• to operate and improve my website and services.

The lawful basis I rely upon will depend on the circumstances and may include taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, performance of a contract, compliance with a legal obligation and my legitimate interests in running and administering my professional practice. Where special category information is processed, an appropriate additional condition under UK data protection law will also apply.

Organisationally commissioned work

Sometimes coaching, mediation, facilitated conversations or team coaching may be commissioned and paid for by an employer or another organisation. The commissioning organisation may provide me with limited personal information so that I can contact you or understand the context of the work.

I will aim to make the respective roles and confidentiality arrangements clear at the outset. Information you disclose in a confidential coaching or mediation conversation will not ordinarily be shared with the commissioning organisation without your knowledge and agreement, except where there is a legal requirement to disclose information or another clearly agreed exception to confidentiality applies.

Where themes, progress or outcomes are to be reported to a commissioning organisation, I will aim to agree in advance what information may be shared.

Notes and records

I may make brief working notes to support coaching, mediation or facilitation. These are kept securely and password-protected and are accessible only to me. Substantive coaching and mediation working notes will normally be securely destroyed following the end of the professional relationship or process once they are no longer required.

I may retain minimal administrative records, contracts, dates of appointments, invoices and payment records, and where appropriate a minimal record of the service or an agreed outcome, for longer where necessary for legal, tax, insurance or legitimate business purposes.

Confidentiality

Confidentiality is fundamental to my work. Information shared during coaching, mediation or facilitated conversations will normally remain confidential. There may be exceptional circumstances in which I am legally required to disclose information or where disclosure is necessary to address a serious and immediate risk of harm. Where reasonably possible and appropriate, I would seek to discuss this with you before making such a disclosure.

More detailed confidentiality arrangements may be set out in the agreement relating to the particular service being provided.

Website, booking and Google Workspace

My website is hosted using Squarespace, and appointment scheduling may be provided through Squarespace Scheduling/Acuity Scheduling. If you use the website or book an initial conversation, information you provide may therefore be processed through these services.

I use Google Workspace, including Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Meet, for business communications, scheduling, video meetings and administration.

These providers may process information on my behalf in accordance with their contractual and data protection arrangements. Where personal information is transferred outside the UK, appropriate safeguards required by UK data protection law will be used.

Payments and invoicing

I do not currently take payments directly through this website. Where a fee is payable, I will normally issue an invoice separately. Information necessary for invoicing, accounting and tax purposes will be retained for the period required by applicable legal and financial obligations.

Marketing communications

I do not currently operate a regular marketing mailing list. If I introduce newsletters or other direct marketing communications in future, I will provide appropriate information about how your details will be used and, where required, obtain your consent. You will be able to unsubscribe from marketing communications.

Cookies and website analytics

My website uses cookies and similar technologies necessary for the website to operate and, where you choose to allow them, for analytics and related purposes. Non-essential cookies are restricted until you make a choice. Further information is available in my Cookie Policy and through the website's Cookie Preferences controls.

How I protect and retain information

I take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access or disclosure, including password protection and appropriate security measures for the devices and online services I use. I do not sell your personal information.

I retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected and to meet relevant legal, regulatory, insurance and professional requirements. Different types of information may therefore be retained for different periods. Information that is no longer required will be securely deleted or destroyed.

Your rights

Depending on the circumstances, UK data protection law may give you rights to be informed about how your information is used; to access it; to have inaccurate information corrected; to request deletion or restriction in certain circumstances; to object to certain processing; to data portability in certain circumstances; and rights relating to automated decision-making.

To exercise a right or ask a question, contact info@drpennyneild.com. You also have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office if you are concerned about the way your personal information has been handled.

Changes to this notice

I may update this notice from time to time, for example if my services, systems or legal obligations change. The current version will be published on this website with the date of the latest update.