Counselling Service Professional Support Policy

Policy Statement and Code of Practice

Our aim is to provide a professional, accessible and confidential counselling service to students and staff who experience emotional or psychological problems which inhibit their personal development and academic performance. In an attempt to carry out this aim we have set the following objectives:

• To operate a service that conforms ethically to The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and British Association for Counselling and the Codes of Ethics and Practice, and specific confidentiality code which is communicated to each client when they first use the service.
• To provide initial appointments as soon as possible.
• Through appropriate design of publicity and accommodation (including reception, waiting and counselling areas) to encourage equality of access and promote a sense of welcome and privacy for all.
• To contribute to University staff development by offering training and support to staff members.
• To contribute to the Student Services Department efficiency and effectiveness and promote personal development by providing support and training.

Professional support policy

Approach

We seek to maintain high standards in our professional practice and our ethical approach. Quality enhancement of the counselling work, the training requirements and support needs of staff, and accountability for our practice, form the basis for our professional support arrangements. We seek to put protection for the privacy of our users, discretion over their access to the service and confidentiality of material they bring to us, at the centre of our thinking and our processes, in line with best practice within the counselling profession.

Code of Ethics and Policy on Confidentiality

We work to the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy 'Ethical Framework for good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy', copies of which are available on request. Everything you have put in the Initial Appointment Form, and the content of all counselling sessions is confidential. Under all normal circumstances, nothing will be revealed to anyone outside the service without your express permission.

In very rare circumstances we reserve the right to break confidentiality. These are only where there appears to be a serious risk to your own or to other s safety, or if we are made aware of serious illegal activities. Even in these circumstances we would normally seek to speak to you first before contacting anyone else. Please ask if you have any questions on this policy.

Liaison with Academic Departments or Colleges

If your work is being affected by personal problems it may be helpful for your counsellor to liaise with your tutor, director of studies or other person within the university. Given our commitment to confidentiality, we would only make such a contact with your agreement - let the counsellor know if you would find this helpful.

Liaison with GPs and Mental Health Services

All students should be registered with a Linden Hall doctor and it is often helpful if you inform them that you are seeing a counsellor at the Harper Adams. (If it is appropriate, we can liaise with or make referrals to relevant services and individuals in the community.) We can also arrange psychiatric assessments within the service. Your counsellor would discuss this with you if this seems the best way forward.

Evaluation

We are engaged in an extensive evaluation of people's experience of the Service, and to aid this will be sending you (usually by email) a questionnaire: this will normally be sent out after the end of counselling. Respondents can chose whether to reply anonymously or not. Responses will be stored on a database separate from others used in the Service, and will comply with the provisions of the Data Protection Act. No responses will be used in a way that identifies individuals.

Data Protection Act 1998

The Service works under the terms of the Data Protection Act. The factual data you put on the Initial Interview Form, and the dates on which you attend for counselling are stored in a computer database. We use this data to compile anonymous statistics about the use of the service. Your counsellor will also keep notes on your meetings to help them in their work with you. More information is available if required.

Conclusion

This note is intended to be open and transparent with our clients about the balance we seek to establish between respecting their privacy and the confidentiality of the counselling work, and making sure that counsellors have opportunities to de-brief on how the counselling has impacted on them, how to improve their practice including keeping it safe, and to contribute to the knowledge base of the counselling profession.

We welcome comments, suggestions and queries from our users; these can be sent to Bryony Hancock, Student Services Manager, Harper Adams University College, Edgmond, Shropshire TF10 8NB