Confidentiality and Data Protection Policy
Our Psychologists and Counsellors respect your right to privacy and offer a confidential service. Only in certain rare circumstances will any personal information about you be passed to anyone outside Erko Psychology.
These circumstances are where:
• you have given your permission for the counsellor to disclose information to a specific person or agency (e.g. your psychiatrist or GP)
• you, the psychologist, or someone else is in serious danger
• the psychologist would be liable to civil or criminal proceedings if the information were not disclosed
• The psychologist will normally encourage you to personally pass on information to the relevant person or agency. If there is no indication that this has happened or is likely to happen, or if the crisis or danger is significantly acute, the psychologist may pass on the information directly. Consent to disclose information will be sought from you if possible.
Record keeping
A record of your appointments with the psychologist/counsellor is kept in a secure paper-based form at our offices. These records are kept in accordance with professional practice and must be held for a statutory period of time (7 years for adults and, for children and young people, until they are 25) then shredded. Under the Data Protection Act you have the right to see all notes and records that are kept about you. If your file includes a letter or additional information from another service, e.g. your doctor, consent from this person needs to be obtained before the contents of the correspondence is disclosed because data protection is also granted to third parties. If you wish to see your file please speak to your psychologist or counsellor. In most cases some notice is required.
Professional Standards
Psychologists at Erko Psychology adhere to the British Psychological Society (BPS) Code of Ethics and Conduct. Counsellors adhere to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy.
In line with both Ethical Frameworks psychologists and counsellors receive supervision from a supervisor who is independent of Erko Psychology. In this process your identity is protected.
Evaluation and Feedback
For the purpose of developing best practice in the Erko Psychology you will be invited to complete an evaluation form. Your co-operation with this is greatly appreciated. If you are unhappy about the service you are receiving it is helpful and important to raise this with your psychologist or counsellor directly.
If you wish to take the matter further and make a formal complaint about Erko Psychology or your psychologist or counsellor, you may do so through the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or the BACP.