Last updated: 30 August 2026
Psychiatry.co.ke respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect information when you visit our website, create an account, contact a professional, make a booking, submit a listing, or otherwise use our services.
This policy is guided by the Constitution of Kenya, the Data Protection Act, 2019, applicable data-protection regulations, and other relevant Kenyan laws governing digital and health information.
1. Who We Are
Psychiatry.co.ke is an online directory and information platform that helps people find mental-health professionals and services in Kenya.
For purposes of applicable data-protection law, Psychiatry.co.ke is the data controller for personal data collected and managed through this website, except where a listed professional, healthcare provider, payment provider, or other third party independently determines how personal data is processed.
Questions about this policy may be submitted through our Contact page.
2. Information We May Collect
Depending on how you use the website, we may collect:
Information You Provide
- Your name, telephone number, email address, and location;
- Account details and login information;
- Appointment and booking information;
- Messages, enquiries, feedback, and reviews;
- Payment and transaction information;
- Professional qualifications, registration details, photographs, biographies, services, fees, and practice information submitted by listed providers;
- Information supplied when you contact us or request support; and
- Any other information you choose to provide.
Sensitive Personal Data
Information about a person’s physical or mental health is sensitive personal data. We only request or process health-related information where it is necessary for an identified service and where a lawful basis exists.
Please avoid placing confidential clinical information in public reviews, general search fields, provider listings, or forms not specifically intended for secure health communication.
Information Collected Automatically
When you visit the website, we may automatically collect limited technical information, including:
- Internet Protocol address;
- Browser and device type;
- Operating system;
- Pages visited and time spent on the website;
- Referring website;
- General location derived from technical information; and
- Cookie and consent preferences.
More information is available in our Cookie Policy.
3. How We Use Personal Data
We may use personal data to:
- Operate, secure, and maintain the website;
- Create and manage user or provider accounts;
- Display and administer professional or service listings;
- Facilitate appointment requests and bookings;
- Process or confirm transactions;
- Enable communication between users and providers;
- Respond to questions, complaints, and support requests;
- Verify providers and reduce fraud or misrepresentation;
- Send service-related notices and booking information;
- Improve the website and understand how it is used;
- Maintain records required for legal, accounting, or regulatory purposes;
- Investigate misuse, security incidents, or violations of our terms; and
- Comply with applicable law and lawful requests from public authorities.
We will not use personal data for a purpose that is incompatible with the reason it was collected unless permitted by law or after providing an appropriate notice.
4. Lawful Bases for Processing
Depending on the circumstances, we may process personal data based on:
- Your consent;
- The need to provide a service or fulfil an agreement with you;
- Compliance with a legal obligation;
- Our legitimate interests in operating, securing, and improving the platform, where those interests do not override your rights;
- Protection of your or another person’s vital interests; or
- Another lawful basis recognised under Kenyan law.
Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before consent was withdrawn.
Sensitive personal data, including health information, will only be processed where the additional requirements of Kenyan law are satisfied.
5. Mental-Health and Emergency Information
Psychiatry.co.ke is not an emergency-response service. The website should not be used to report an immediate risk of suicide, violence, serious deterioration, or another medical emergency.
In an emergency, contact local emergency services or attend the nearest appropriate health facility.
Where permitted by law and reasonably necessary to protect life or prevent serious harm, relevant information may be disclosed to an appropriate healthcare provider, emergency service, or lawful authority.
6. Provider Listings and Independent Professionals
Mental-health professionals and organisations listed on Psychiatry.co.ke may operate independently. When you contact, book, or receive care from a provider, that provider may separately collect and process your personal or health information.
Independent providers are responsible for their own professional duties, clinical records, confidentiality requirements, privacy notices, and compliance with applicable law.
Users should review the provider’s privacy and service information before sharing confidential health information.
7. Payments
Payments may be processed through third-party payment providers. We may receive transaction details such as payment status, amount, reference number, and date.
Complete card, mobile-money, or banking credentials may be collected and processed directly by the relevant payment provider rather than stored by Psychiatry.co.ke. Payment providers process information in accordance with their own privacy policies and legal obligations.
8. Cookies and Analytics
We use essential cookies to operate and secure the website. With your permission, we may also use functional, analytical, or advertising cookies.
You can accept, reject, or customise optional cookies through the cookie-consent controls. You may also manage cookies through your browser.
Please read our Cookie Policy for further information.
9. When We May Share Information
We may share personal data only where reasonably necessary with:
- Professionals or service providers selected or contacted by you;
- Website hosting, technical-support, communication, analytics, and security providers;
- Payment processors;
- Professional advisers, auditors, or insurers;
- Regulators, courts, law-enforcement agencies, or other authorities where disclosure is legally required;
- A successor organisation in connection with a lawful merger, restructuring, or transfer of the platform; or
- Another party where you have authorised the disclosure.
Service providers acting on our behalf must only process personal data for authorised purposes and must apply appropriate safeguards.
We do not sell confidential health information.
10. International Data Transfers
Some service providers may process or store information outside Kenya. Where personal data is transferred outside Kenya, we will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that appropriate safeguards required by Kenyan data-protection law are applied.
Sensitive personal data transferred outside Kenya will receive the additional protection required by law.
11. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including legal, accounting, security, dispute-resolution, and regulatory requirements.
Retention periods may depend on:
- The nature and sensitivity of the information;
- Whether your account or listing remains active;
- The purpose for which the information was collected;
- Applicable professional or legal record-keeping requirements; and
- The risk associated with continued retention.
When information is no longer required, we will delete, anonymise, or securely dispose of it where reasonably practicable.
12. Data Security
We use reasonable administrative, organisational, and technical measures intended to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, alteration, disclosure, or misuse.
These measures may include access controls, secure authentication, backups, encryption where appropriate, software updates, monitoring, and restrictions on staff or service-provider access.
No internet-based service can guarantee complete security. Users should use strong passwords, protect their login details, and notify us if they suspect unauthorised account access.
13. Personal-Data Breaches
Where a personal-data breach occurs, we will assess the risk and take appropriate steps to contain and investigate it. Where required by Kenyan law, we will notify the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner and affected individuals within the applicable period.
14. Your Data-Protection Rights
Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to:
- Be informed about how your personal data is used;
- Request access to personal data held about you;
- Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
- Object to certain processing;
- Request deletion of personal data that is no longer lawfully required;
- Request restriction of processing in appropriate circumstances;
- Receive certain personal data in a portable format where applicable;
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent; and
- Not be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing where the decision has significant legal or similar effects, subject to lawful exceptions.
We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request. Some requests may be limited where retaining or processing information is required by law or necessary to protect another person’s rights.
Requests may be submitted through our Contact page.
15. Complaints
If you are concerned about how we process personal data, please contact us first so that we can review the matter.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with Kenya’s Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (ODPC) through its official communication and complaints channels.
16. Children’s Privacy
The website may contain information relevant to children’s mental-health services. A parent or legal guardian should normally make enquiries or bookings for a child unless applicable law permits otherwise.
We do not knowingly collect a child’s personal data without appropriate authority, consent, or another lawful basis. If you believe a child has submitted personal information improperly, please contact us so that we can review and take appropriate action.
17. Marketing Communications
We will only send promotional communications where permitted by law. You may withdraw consent or unsubscribe using the method provided in the message or by contacting us.
Service messages concerning accounts, security, transactions, or appointments are not marketing communications and may still be sent where necessary.
18. Third-Party Websites
The website may contain links to providers, payment services, social-media platforms, maps, or other third-party websites. We do not control those parties’ privacy practices.
Please review the privacy policy of any external service before submitting personal information.
19. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, technology, or legal obligations change. The revised policy will be published on this page with a new “Last updated” date.
Where a change materially affects how we process personal data, we will provide additional notice where reasonably necessary or legally required.
20. Contact Us
For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, contact Psychiatry.co.ke through the Contact page on this website.
Data controller: Psychiatry.co.ke
Country: Kenya