Confidentiality

Your wellbeing is of prime importance for me. The support I offer is confidential although there are limits to this in accordance with BPS professional codes of conduct.
As part of my profession, I may discuss aspects of my work with a professional supervisor, although individuals are always anonymised.
This discussion centres on ensuring best practice and my supervisor is bound by an ethical code (BPS), and a commitment to confidentiality.

There are rare circumstances when personal information may be passed to someone outside the therapy room:

• There is a concern that you might be at risk of harm either to yourself or that you might harm others
• If you have given your permission to disclose information to a specific person or agency (e.g. your GP)
• Being liable to civil or criminal proceedings if the information was not disclosed

In such instances, I always make an effort to let you know of the need for such actions before they are taken and before I speak with your doctor, your key worker, social services, or the police.

I also keep records of our appointments in a secure paper-based form in my office.
These records are kept in accordance with professional practice guidelines and must be held for a statutory period after which they are shredded.
You have the right to see all notes and records that are kept about you under the Data Protection Act. In such circumstances, some notice is required.
I use pseudonyms when I write my notes. Your name and contact details will be stored in a separate file.

If for any reason you are not happy with the service provided, I will appreciate if you discuss this with me first.
If you wish to take the matter further and make a formal complaint about my services, you may do so through the BPS.