Privacy Policy 

(Updated February 2026)

This privacy policy sets out how Anna Cooke (Independent Occupational Therapist, SomaWise) uses and protects your information and personal data that you share with us. 

The policy covers the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). 

Anna Cooke (Independent Occupational Therapist, SomaWise) committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.

Anna Cooke (Independent Occupational Therapist, SomaWise) reserves the right, at its discretion, to make changes to any part of the website, the Information or these Terms. 

Anna Cooke (Independent Occupational Therapist, SomaWise) may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. It is important you check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.

The data controller is Anna Cooke (Independent Occupational Therapist, SomaWise)

E-mail: info@somawise.uk

How we get the personal information

Most of the personal information we process is provided to us directly by you for the following reasons:

When you contact us through the website, by telephone, post, email or through any other means

When you complete and return our documents e.g. any initial questionnaires or forms

When you use our services

The type of personal information we collect

We may require basic information which identifies you as an individual (“personal information”), such as your name, email address and phone number, in order to enable you to take advantage of particular services that we offer, for example when you send us a question / request from our “Contact” page or if you request further information about a specific service. We will only use such Personal Information for the purposes of providing information which you have requested, or for other purposes set out in these Terms.

We currently collect and process the following information:

Name of client, (and parents/carers as applicable) 

Address of client

Telephone / mobile number of client (or parents/carers as applicable) 

Email address of client (or parents/carers as applicable)

Date of birth of client

Gender of client

Educational placement of client and contact details (as applicable)

Local authority email and telephone details of caseworkers/manager (as applicable)

Medical/health information and history (including diagnoses) of client which is pertinent to occupational therapy assessment and treatment.

Bank details of commissioners (e.g. client, parent/carer, local authority) following payment for occupational therapy services.

Why we collect and process the personal information.

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the lawful bases we rely on for processing this information are:

The client or person with parental responsibility has given consent to the processing of his or her young person’s personal data for the purpose of occupational therapy assessment and or treatment. You are able to remove your consent at any time. You can do this by contacting info@somawise.uk 

Collecting and processing the personal information is necessary in order to carry out occupational therapy services commissioned e.g. assessment or treatment. Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation to which the data controller is subject. 

Anna Cooke (Independent Occupational Therapist, SomaWise) is registered with the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) to process this data. 

Registration number: ZB895515

How will the information be used?

The information will be used for the delivery of occupational therapy services. The information will only be shared with other relevant professionals (e.g. other professionals directly involved with the client’s therapy treatment) after consent is provided by the client or those with parental responsibility. 

The information may be used when managing accounts for the business.

Will the data collected be shared with any third parties?

For the purposes of the occupational therapy assessment and/or treatment, clinical information will be shared with third parties (e.g. educational placements, local education authorities) only after the client has given consent or consent from those with parental responsibility is obtained. 

WPS Online Evaluation System for the collection, processing and scoring of standardised clinical questionnaires. The client’s name, date of birth, name of educational placement (as applicable) and sensory processing information in addition to the parent’s/teacher’s name and email addresses are collected for this purpose. Access to the account is password protected and the website is GDPR compliant.

Q-global/Pearson Clinical for the collection, processing and storing of standardised clinical questionnaires. The client’s name, date of birth, diagnoses and sensory processing information in addition to any relevant caregiver name and email addresses are collected for this purpose. Access to the account is password protected and the website is GDPR compliant.

WriteUpp is a cloud-based practice management software designed specifically for clinics and healthcare professionals. WriteUpp has appropriate measures and protections in place to comply with their responsibilities as a “data processor”. Anna Cooke (Independent Occupational Therapist, SomaWise) uses WriteUpp to record clinical notes following consultation, assessment or intervention/treatment sessions, to store personal data relating to the client. 

SomaWise website: initial contact is made through this website and sent to Anna Cooke’s business email account. No personal information is stored on the website.

Royal College of Occupational Therapy Independent Practitioner Profile page: initial contact is made via email through this website. A copy of the enquiry is kept on this website.

Social media: you may choose to “like” or “follow” my SomaWise business social media accounts/pages on Facebook or Instagram. Facebook and Instagram are GDPR compliant. No personal information is collected or stored on social media. Initial contact is carried out via email or phone.

During my professional clinical supervision, I may discuss my caseload anonymously which is essential in order to comply with my professional standards and ethics as set by The Royal College of Occupational Therapy (RCOT) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). No personal data or identifiable information will be shared during my clinical supervision.

How will the information be stored?

All information collected will be stored securely.

Paper documentation will be stored in a locked filing cabinet.

Electronic documentation will be stored on a password protected computer, iPad or mobile

phone on a password protected cloud storage system.

Electronic documentation will be stored on WriteUpp practice management software.

Photos or videos (taken with consent only) are taken/stored on a password protected computer, iPad, mobile phone on a password protected cloud storage system.

Google Workspace calendar where only initials are used.

How long will the data be stored?

For clients who receive Occupational Therapy Assessment and/or treatment legally data must be stored after the client is discharged for a seven-year period.

For children, the seven-year person starts after their 18th birthday, so data will be stored until the client is 25 years old.

For Clients who enquire but do not receive Occupational Therapy Assessment and/or treatment the enquiry data will be stored for three months and then permanently deleted.

Your data protection rights

Under data protection law, you have rights including:

Your right of access - You have the right to ask us for copies of your personal information.

Your right to rectification - You have the right to ask us to rectify personal information you think is inaccurate. You also have the right to ask us to complete information you think is incomplete.

Your right to erasure - You have the right to ask us to erase your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to restriction of processing - You have the right to ask us to restrict the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to object to processing - You have the the right to object to the processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.

Your right to data portability - You have the right to ask that we transfer the personal information you gave us to another organisation, or to you, in certain circumstances.

You are not required to pay any charge for exercising your rights. If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you.

Please contact us at info@somawise.uk if you wish to make a request. 

How to complain

If you have any concerns about our use of your personal information, you can make a

complaint to us at info@somawise.uk 

You can also complain to the ICO if you are unhappy with how we have used your data.

The ICO’s address:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire

SK9 5AF

Helpline number: 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk