Student Counselling Confidentiality and Data Protection


This document outlines our responsibility and practices in respect of information on clients and explains our policies on confidentiality and data protection.
Confidentiality
The Counselling Service will not pass on personal information about a client (including information on attendance) to anyone outside the Service subject to the following exceptions:
  • Where a member of the Counsellingstaff has the express consent of the client to disclose the information or data
  • Where a member of the Counselling would be liable to government, civil or criminal court procedure if the information was not disclosed
  • Where a member of the Counselling staff believes the client is likely to harm themselves or others
In any of these circumstances, the counsellor will normally encourage the client to pass on information to the relevant person/agency. If there is no indication that this has happened, and if the crisis or potential/actual harm is sufficientlyhigh risk, the counsellor will extend confidentiality to the relevant professionals without consent. However, consent to disclose information will be sought from the client, if at all possible.
Consultation
In line with their professional requirement, counsellors discuss their work with a consultant or supervisor external to the Service. In this process, the identity of the client may be revealed but any notes made by the consultant or supervisor are anonymised and held securely. The purpose of consultation/supervision is to help the counsellor toreflect on their work. The counsellor may also discuss individual clients with other counsellors as part of weekly peer supervision meetings held in private meeting rooms. Very brief summary notes are made during these meetings by the chair of the meeting (usually the Head of Service) in the form of eg JT at risk of suicide, counsellor asked for guidance. These notes are also held securely.
Liaison and correspondence
With the permission of the client it may be appropriate for the counsellor to liaise with or write to a third party, for example, personal tutor, GP or the Consultant Psychiatrist for the counselling service. In the case of telephone calls, the purpose of the call will be discussed with the client prior to the call. Permission will not be required from the client if they are at risk of harm to themselves or others.
Record Keeping and Data Protection
It is usual practice for counsellors to keep records on clients and their sessions for up to six years. Counselling notes record background information and the issues raised and worked on in the sessions. These will vary in length and detail. Points of concern are also noted. All notes are kept safely under lock and key or, more commonly, held on a secure server within a confidential encrypted data base protected by both password and key code.
Access to notes
Under the Data Protection Act, clients have a right of access to all notes kept on them. If those notes contain references to other individuals these may not be available to the client, as protection is also granted to third parties. It will be important not just to show the notes to the client, but for the counsellor to talk to them about what their file contains and why. Some notes are in shorthand and may need explaining.
If a client's file includes a letter or additional information from the person responsible for their clinical care, usually their GP or psychiatrist, consent from the relevant practitioner must be obtained before the correspondence is disclosed.
If a client wishes to see their file, they should ask their counsellor giving two weeks' notice.
Security
All notes and records are kept securely locked within the Service or in electronic form within the secure,encrypted database described above.
In line with legal requirements, counselling notes are kept for 6 years. After this time they are destroyed by shredding or deleted from the database.
Codes of ethics
The counsellors adhere to either the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Code of Ethics and Practice or the British Psychological Society Code of Ethics and Practice. Copies of this are available from the Service.