All our Counsellors adhere to the BACP (British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists) code of ethics for Professional Ethics and Standards. Some therapists may also be members of, and regulated by, BPS (British Psychological Society), UKCP (United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy) or HCPC (Health and Care Professions Council). All the codes of ethics can be found in more detail on the website of each organisation: www.bacp.co.uk, www.bps.org.uk, www.psychotherapy.org.uk, www.hpcuk.org.

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Confidentiality

This is a particularly important aspect of the counselling relationship. Everything that is discussed within your therapy sessions is kept in the strictest confidence. SPRING Therapeutic Services will not provide any information to external parties such as solicitors, insurance companies and such like.

 

The only circumstance that SPRING Therapeutic Services must share information is when a court subpoena is issued. In the event that your Psychotherapist/Counsellor has any concerns about the safety of yourself, or of others, or if you make a disclosure of a safeguarding or criminal nature then your Psychotherapist/Counsellor has a responsibility to adhere to SPRING Therapeutic Services Adult Safeguarding Policy (a copy of this is available upon request).  Likewise, you are expected to keep communications between yourself and your Psychotherapist/Counsellor confidential, and you understand that all records of communication between client and therapist remain the property of and legally owned your Psychotherapist/Counsellor and/or SPRING Therapeutic Services. Verbatim material from therapy sessions should not be revealed publicly or to any third party anywhere as this could constitute a breach of law.

 

As members of their respective professional organisations, our clinical staff are required to have regular supervision and your Psychotherapist/Counsellor will need to discuss their work with their Supervisor on occasions. However, they will not disclose your name or anything that would enable you to be identified. Any information that a Supervisor receives is also treated as confidential and subject to the same ethical criteria as detailed above. 

If you are being treated by your Doctor for emotional difficulties, it is important that you inform him or her about your therapeutic intervention and vice versa. Your Psychotherapist/Counsellor will not confer with your Doctor without your knowledge and permission. If there is convincing evidence that you intend to harm yourself or others, your Psychotherapist/Counsellor will need to break confidentiality by informing your Doctor, or in serious cases the Police, emergency services, or other appropriate third party. Wherever possible, and if it is considered appropriate, you will be informed of this. 

Your Psychotherapist/Counsellor may keep brief notes after a session, which will be securely stored and you will be able to have access to this information upon request (please note that there will be a small fee for administrative purposes). For training purposes only, they might want to make an audio recording of your session for the purpose of monitoring their work, but this would only occur with your prior knowledge and permission. Again, this data is securely stored and destroyed after use.

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GDPR and Data Protection

To assist us in working effectively with you, SPRING Therapeutic Services keeps confidential records about all clients. These records are kept securely, are only seen by authorised SPRING Therapeutic Services personnel and may be used anonymously in the production of practice/national statistics. 

The records held by SPRING Therapeutic Services are subject to the Data Protection Act 1998 which gives clients the right to access personal data held about them. Some of this data may be classified as sensitive personal data which includes but is not limited to information concerning gender, sexuality, racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious beliefs, physical or mental health, relationships, sexual life, criminal proceedings and convictions. We can only use your sensitive personal data with your consent which we ask you to give by signing this form. 

Both personal and sensitive personal data is used by SPRING Therapeutic Services to provide the best possible service to you and to ensure that we continue to offer the highest possible standards in delivery of care to all our clients. As required by our professional bodies and insurers, personal records are kept for the period of seven years after which time they may be destroyed in accordance with guidelines on the destruction of sensitive information. 

Under the Data Protection Act 1998 clients have the right to make a subject access request in respect of personal information held by SPRING Therapeutic Services. If the application is in respect of couples or family counselling, the consent of all parties is required before any information can be released. Should you wish to make a subject access request please put this in writing to ‘Data Manager’, SPRING Therapeutic Services, enclosing a cheque for the sum of £20.00. We will also require proof of identity by seeing a copy of your passport or driving licence and proof of address by seeing a utility bill. Once we have this information, we will respond within 30 days. Your signed consent acknowledges that you fully understand and accept the subject access policy for records held by SPRING Therapeutic Services and also gives your consent to use of personal and sensitive personal data for the stated purposes.

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Adult Safeguarding

It is the responsibility of SPRING Therapeutic Services and each member of their staff (employed and self-employed capacity) to ensure the principles and duties of safeguarding adults are consistently and conscientiously applied, with the well-being of adults and children at the heart of all that is done within the organisation.  

Safeguarding adults from harm is a core duty of SPRING Therapeutic Services. The nature of services we provide mean it is likely that staff will have contact with adults at risk of abuse or neglect. This document provides guidance for staff to ensure the principles of safeguarding adults are embedded in all aspects of Spring Therapeutic Services practice.  

SPRING Therapeutic Services is committed to the aims of adult safeguarding…

• to prevent harm and reduce the risk of abuse or neglect to adults with care and support needs

• stop abuse or neglect wherever possible

• safeguard adults in a way that supports them in making choices and having control over their lives

• promote an approach that concentrates on improving life for the adults concerned

• raise public awareness so that communities, alongside professionals, play their part in preventing abuse 

• identify and respond to abuse and neglect 

• provide information and support in accessible ways to help people understand the different types of abuse, how to stay safe and what action needs to be taken to raise a concern about the safety or well-being of an adult 

• address what has caused the abuse or neglect  

 

To contribute to meeting these aims, we will…………

• Manage our services in a way which minimises the risk of abuse occurring  

• Work with adults to address their care and support needs and work with other agencies to end any abuse that is taking place

 

To achieve this, we will…………

• ensure all managers, employees (paid and unpaid) and students/trainees have access to and are familiar with this safeguarding adult policy, procedures to follow and their responsibilities within it  

• ensure concerns or allegations of abuse are always taken seriously 

• ensure The Mental Capacity Act 2005 is used to inform any decision making on behalf of adults at risk who are unable to make certain decisions for themselves

• ensure all staff receive training in relation to safeguarding adults at a level relevant to their role

• ensure that people using our services, and where relevant their relatives and friends, have access to information about how to report concerns or allegations of abuse

• ensure there is a named lead person to promote adult safeguarding awareness and practice within SPRING Therapeutic Services.

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For more information on these polices please contact us 

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Children and Young People

Confidentiality and Supervision

SPRING Therapeutic Services will provide the highest level of confidentiality possible according to the law and the Code of Ethics of PTUK and BACP. SPRING Therapeutic Services will not provide information to external parties such as solicitors, insurance companies etc. The only occasion that this would differ is if a court subpoena is issued – in this instance SPRING Therapeutic Services would have to provide information and evidence as requested by the subpoena.

 

Any clinical information that SPRING Therapeutic Services collect will be used for monitoring and review purposes, as part of the therapist’s supervision.  Any clinical information will remain confidential, and that no information that identifies you or your child will be used or disclosed. However, some situations could result in a disclosure requiring further action, such as;

• If your child is considered to be at risk from serious harm, then further professional advice/action may be required. This applies also if a child or young person discloses information whereby, they or someone else could be at risk of serious harm. Any child protection issues where a child could be at risk of harm or neglect must be reported to the appropriate authorities as required by the Children Act 1989.  Where possible, SPRING Therapeutic Services would seek to discuss any action required with parents/carers – however, there are certain circumstances where this would not be possible. 

• Any illegal activities and acts of terrorism must be disclosed to the police.

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SPRING Therapeutic Services therapists will make brief anonymised case notes at the end of all therapy sessions to review and monitor their therapy work; these are always kept in a locked, secure location and are destroyed after 7 years.

Please see SPRING Therapeutic Services full ‘Safeguarding Children’ policy for full information - this can be requested via email.

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Data Protection & Privacy 

I understand that any information or personal details SPRING Therapeutic Services collect about me, my child or family during counselling are confidential, and that neither my name, address, nor any other information that identifies me or my child will be released or published outside your organisation.

 

During therapy, SPRING Therapeutic Services will be recording information about your son or daughter but will not reveal your child’s name and address in any information shared with anyone else, unless it is for medical or legal reasons.  SPRING Therapeutic Services use all information in line with the Data Protection Act (please see SPRING Therapeutic Services Data Protection & GDPR Policy for full information).

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Complaints

In such circumstances that you are unhappy with the therapy or service provided, please in the first instance discuss this with the child/young person’s therapist. If unresolved, you can contact our team of Clinical Directors via email.

 

SPRING Therapeutic Services is happy to provide a copy of their ‘Complaint Policy’. Please request this via email.

 

SPRING Therapeutic Services and associated therapists are members of an accredited body, such as PTUK and BACP and as such are subject to their professional misconduct procedure.

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