What tools do I need to run my practice?One of the most frequently asked questions I get when people are thinking about setting up in private practice for the first time is what tools do I need to run my practice? So today, I'm going to be talking through the tools that I think are essential for setting up in private practice in 2022, and also some tools which are not essential, but are pretty nice to have, and make your experience and your client’s experience that little bit better. Every tool that I mention is linked to, so I hope you're going to find it a really useful reference guide if you're just getting set up in private practice. 
Essential tools for setting up a private psychology practice. So what are the essentials for getting set up in private practice? 
 
GDPR Compliant Cloud Storage: The first thing that you need to consider is getting some secure cloud storage that is GDPR compliant. This is where you can store all your documents relating to your practice and your clients. The one that I have tried and tested is https://drive.google.com (Google Drive), which comes as part of the Google workspace. Very cheap, very affordable, and very good in my experience, and if you use it correctly, it is GDPR compliant. You will need to check their help documentation to make sure that you are using it in a compliant way, but they have thought all of that through for you, and I can vouch for it being very, very good, so I do recommend https://drive.google.com (Google Drive). There are other options out there; I know Microsoft do a similar suite, and iCloud also have options as part of the Apple network. I haven't tried either of those and I don't know about their compliance, so I am recommending Google Drive, but do your research. So long as you've got some secure cloud storage, then you're all good. 
Practice Management Software: The second thing you need to think about is practice management software. I'm a big advocate for this. This is the stuff which allows you to keep track of all your appointments, invoice your clients, store your notes, your reports, and track any communication that you have with clients. It makes the day to day running of your practice much smoother, and helps you come across as professional to clients and prospective clients, which ultimately allows you to make more money. It also takes all the worry out of things like freedom of information requests, and any legal requests you might get for access to your notes, because everything is there, under your client’s record, whenever you need it, at the click of a button. I really wouldn't be without mine. In fact, I believe in this so much, that this is the one company that I have an affiliate link for. I've got an affiliate link for https://writeupp.com/default.aspx?refid=7168 (WriteUpp), which is a private practice management software, which I personally have used for a very long time, and really rate. And it's the only company I've ever had an affiliate link for. So if you click on the link through to https://writeupp.com/default.aspx?refid=7168 (WriteUpp), I get a small amount of money from them, because I referred you to them, and I don't do that for any other company. I just really wish that more psychologists and therapists got practice management software from the beginning of their practices, because I see so many people really bogged down in admin, and really stressed by getting their appointments muddled up, not being able to find their notes, not knowing how to secure things, and how to store things in a GDPR compliant way, and they really don't need to be. Practice management software, like https://writeupp.com/default.aspx?refid=7168 (WriteUpp), starts at about £20 a month, and it takes all of those worries away. The other thing that you can do through practice management software is get your clients to sign consent, terms and conditions, therapy contracts, all of that stuff within the software.