Confidentiality
The service that is offered is confidential. This confidentiality extends to phone calls, emails and of course the sessions themselves.
Whilst the clinic room is based within Chelsea and Westminster Hospital I do not share information with the hospital. No details will appear on your medical records. To meet standards set by The British Psychological Society and for insurance purposes, some records of your treatment will be kept, but these records are confidential and not shared unless I have a concern about your safety or the safety of others – please see below*. |
*Limits of confidentiality
I will not discuss clients or their details in any way with any other person except for the below exceptions.
Professional Supervision All clinical psychologists use supervision, as required in our code of conduct so that we maintain good standards of clinical practice. I have regular supervision with another qualified psychologist and I discuss clients in these supervision sessions. This duty of confidentiality extends to my supervisor also. Risk If any clients, adult or child, disclose information to me that indicates that either they or another person is at risk of serious harm, it is my duty to share this information with a relevant third party (e.g. next of kin if under 16, GP, Social Services, Children’s Services). As far as possible I would aim to discuss this with you first and would endeavour not to share information without your knowledge. If in an extreme case it was not possible to discuss this with you I would always let you know what information had been shared and with whom. |
Other Professionals
If another healthcare professional has referred you to us, it is standard practice that I might send that professional a copy of any assessment or closing reports that you may choose to have. However, if you do not wish me to do so, this can be discussed if you choose to have a report.
If I am working with a child or young person, it can sometimes be beneficial for me to share some information with other professionals involved in the child’s life, for example, a medical professional or their school. I will ask for your consent before I share this information and it is usual to agree beforehand what information will be shared. |
Children and Parents
An important part of my work with children and adolescents involves creating a safe space where they feel able to talk freely and honestly away from other members of the family.
The content of all therapy sessions with all clients, including children, is confidential. As outlined above, I always explain the limits of confidentiality to the young person in the first meeting. With younger children, this often involves exploring their understanding of confidentiality and risk. However, parents are usually involved in their child’s treatment and are often key in aiding their child’s path to recovery. My suggestion is that parents are present when their child meets me for the first time, even if only for part of the session. Once therapy begins, towards the end of a session, I always ask the child or young person what information they feel would be useful for their parents to know and what information they are happy to share with their parents. Parents are often invited to join the final 10 minutes of a session and this agreed information is then shared. Any techniques or strategies discussed will always be explained to parents/carers to help them further support their child outside of therapy sessions. If you have any questions about any of the above, do please feel welcome to ask me. |