Confidentiality

It is important that you feel safe in therapy and build a trusting relationship with your psychologist/psychotherapist. What is said in your sessions is confidential but there are some specific limitations to this because your treating clinician is legally bound to disclose information in certain circumstances. These are:

• If there is real concern that a person in therapy might cause harm to themselves or someone else. We would always discuss the issue of external disclosure with you should such an issue arise.
• If there is evidence that a person is involved in terrorist activity.
• If your sessions are being funded by your private health insurer or a solicitor, then we are required to provide them with basic details regarding your sessions – we can discuss this in more detail at your first session.
• Your psychologist/psychotherapist will receive ongoing clinical supervision, which enables them to maintain the quality of the therapy. This means that they discuss with their supervisor different aspects of their clinical work. During supervision, they only reveal the first names of clients. Their clinical supervisor is also bound by the same rules of confidentiality and qualified disclosure.

Safeguarding

To ensure that our clients are safe in our care, all our clinicians:

• Are trained in adult and child safeguarding.
• Have all been checked to an Enhanced Level with the Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) – previously the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB).
• Carry professional indemnity insurance.

Clinical Record Keeping

Your psychologist/psychotherapist will take notes either during or after sessions as they are required to keep a legal record of the contact they have had with all clients. Their clinical notes also enable them to reflect on the work they are doing with you. All our clinical records are stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In certain circumstances, clinical notes can be requested by a Court and the psychologist/psychotherapist is required to make their notes available on such a request. If this were to occur in your case, your psychologist/ psychotherapist would endeavour to discuss such a request with you before making any information available. You may request to see or have a copy of the clinical notes taken by your psychologist/psychotherapist: please discuss this during your session if this is an issue for you.

Our Complaints Procedure

We endeavour to provide a high level of commitment and care to our clients but on rare occasions things might go wrong and you may feel that it is necessary to complain about the service that you have received. This procedure sets out Halliday Quinn Limited’s approach to the handling of any complaints:

• Firstly, your psychotherapist/psychologist’s clinical practice is regulated by the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC). They may also abide by a further Code of Ethics such as that of the British Psychological Society. This means they practice with respect, competence, responsibility and integrity. You can contact the HCPC directly for advice or if you wish to lodge a formal complaint. You can look at the HCPC website for further details regarding their complaints procedure.

• Complaints regarding your psychotherapist/psychologist’s practice must be received in writing within six months from the date on which the event took place. Halliday Quinn Ltd will acknowledge the complaint, in writing, within the period of five working days beginning with the day on which the complaint was made or, where that is not possible, as soon as reasonably practicable.

• Halliday Quinn Ltd will ensure the complaint is properly investigated within a period of two weeks beginning with the day on which the complaint was received or, where that is not possible, as soon as reasonably practicable. The complainant will be given a written statement of the investigation and its conclusions.

• All complaints will be treated in the strictest confidence.

• We are required to keep a record of all complaints and copies of all correspondence relating to complaints, but such records must be kept separate from client’s clinical records.

• If you have any further queries or concerns, then do not hesitate to discuss them with your psychotherapist/psychologist during your session.

Data Protection/GDPR

Under the General Data Protection Regulation 2018, Halliday Quinn Limited is legally required to inform you of the lawful basis on which it controls and processes any personal information that it may have about clients and patients. You are also entitled to know what data about you Halliday Quinn Limited has, and the purposes for which it is used. Please let us know if you have questions about any of the above and we will be happy to try and resolve any concerns you may have. Ultimately, the GDPR 2018 is designed to protect your privacy and to ensure good practice. Full documents are available to download below for your reference.

Documents

Data Protection Policy

Security Policy

Data Request Policy

Privacy Statement

Privacy Notice - Psychotherapy

Privacy Notice - Medicolegal Psychotherapy

Privacy Notice - Medicolegal