Confidentiality

As the clinician, I am committed to maintaining confidentiality and protecting your privacy. This means that, with a few exceptions, everything you share in the clinical space will remain private. However, there are legal and ethical circumstances in which confidentiality may need to be broken. These include:

  1. Risk of Harm to Yourself or Others:
    If you disclose an intention or plan to harm yourself and are considered to have lost orientation to time, place or person or an intention to seriously harm another person, I am legally and ethically required to take appropriate action to prevent harm. This may include informing other healthcare professionals, social services or, in extreme cases, contacting emergency services or the police.
  2. Child Protection and Safeguarding:
    If you share information of an intention that suggests a child (under 18) or a vulnerable adult is at risk of abuse, neglect, or harm, I have a legal duty to report this to the appropriate safeguarding authorities.
  3. Terrorism:
    Under UK law, I am obligated to report any information that suggests involvement in or support for terrorism-related activities to the relevant authorities.
  4. Serious Criminal Activity:
    If you disclose involvement in or plans to commit serious criminal activities (e.g., murder, serious assault), I may need to break confidentiality and report this to the police.
  5. Court Orders or Legal Requirements:
    If I am required to provide information or evidence in court, such as in criminal or family law cases, I must comply with the legal request. In these cases, I will only disclose the information that is strictly necessary for the legal proceedings.
  6. Supervision:
    I engage in regular clinical supervision, which is a process where I discuss my work with a qualified supervisor. This is done to ensure I am providing the best care possible. During supervision, I will not disclose your personal details unless it is necessary for risk management or ethical considerations.

If you have any questions or concerns about confidentiality, please feel free to ask at any time.

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