Data and Record Keeping
At your first session, before therapy commences, data will be collected and terms and conditions will be discussed. Your privacy is taken seriously and all data is held securely and confidentially, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. Data collected includes: name, address, date of birth, doctor details, contact details, emergency contact, medical details and if you are seeing other professions. Where personal or doctor details are not provided therapy will be stopped until the information is provided. Brief notes will be recorded after each session e,g, main issues, strategies undertaken. Notes will be kept for the duration specified for insurance requirements and then securely destroyed.
Confidentiality
As each person has a unique and individual problem(s), no therapy or intervention can be guaranteed to succeed. Where the therapist believes that working with the client would not be in their best interest or require GP consent, she will advise the client and where appropriate refer on. The therapist will usually ask for client’s permission to speak to other’s (e.g. GP). Confidentiality may be broken / contact with other professionals made, without agreement if: the therapist believes there is a serious risk of harm to client or others, a child protection issue, or to prevent a serious criminal act or when ordered by a court of law.
If such situations do arise, the information disclosed will be confined to what is strictly necessary and, wherever possible, the client will be consulted before a disclosure is made.
The therapist receives regular supervision, peer support and continuous personal development and training therefore cases may be discussed in other professional settings but identities of clients are kept confidential. Disclosures in the public interest, based on the common law, are made where this is essential to prevent a serious and imminent threat to public health, national security, the life of the individual or a third party, or to prevent or detect serious crime.
Communication
To uphold confidentiality, communication outside of booked therapy sessions will be kept to a minimum, this is especially the case where a contract has not been signed and agreed to. My preferred communication is via email. I usually respond back to emails within 48 hrs in working hours, however please be mindful that I may have a full days of clients work, be attending training or on leave of absence. I will respond back at my earliest convenience.
Crisis Support or Emergencies
I am unable to offer crisis intervention, for any immediate concerns contact your GP, A&E or local Crisis Team for support.
Clients Wellbeing & Readiness
Client agrees to let therapist know if there are any changes to medication/medical conditions or other issues, especially those which may have an effect on the therapeutic intervention. It is the responsibility of the clients to seek GP approval if they are under medical treatment. Therapies are to compliment GP treatment. For certain medical conditions treatment may be stopped until GP / Consultant approval has given. Please ensure that you have not been drinking alcohol of taking drugs before any session when they may be still in your body.
Attending Sessions/Remote Sessions
Clients are responsible for attending at the time of their session. Arriving late will result in a shorter session. Each session lasts 50 mins, unless agreed otherwise. On occasions where a client is late for a session the therapist will usually wait up to 20 minutes, however the session will not be extended beyond the original ending time. Clients take responsibility for attendance of their therapy sessions or/and engaging in the therapy process. Clients have the autonomy to leave the therapy process at any time. It is the client’s responsibility to enquire about availability and it is often advisable to book session in advance, Julie can’t not be held responsible if sessions are unavailable. If attended a face to face session please arrive as close to your appointment time, early arrival may interrupt another client’s appointment. If attending remotely please set up the video conferencing (if appropriate) ahead of the start of the session (instructions will be sent) and find a place where you are unlikely to be disturbed. Head phones for video conferencing and telephone sessions can be useful for better sound quality and confidentiality. Do not record any part of the session or let anyone listen to or record any part of the session (unless prior agreed by Julie).
Payments
Fees charged are for therapist’s time, training and experience. Non-attendance, re-scheduling or cancellation of a booked appointment without 48hrs notice will result in the full fee being due for payment. On occasions where fees haven’t been paid in advance and 48 hrs notice is not given of a cancellation, an invoice will be sent to you via email or post after 7 days of non-payment. Bookings of further appointments will require payments to be settled and a payment received to secure a further session. Fees are shown on the company website. (www.symmetrytherapy.co.uk) and are subject to regular review and change.
Package-Booking
Package bookings are to be paid for in full at the start of the first therapy session. Where a pre-paid session is not attended, cancelled or re-scheduled without the required 48hrs notice, fees are non-refundable or transferable. If you wish to book a further session this will incur the appropriate additional payment. Gastric Band Package is typically completed within 8 weeks for effectiveness, where sessions haven’t been taken within a period of 14 weeks the package will expire. Other package bookings and gift vouchers will expire after 6 months duration. Where packages or vouchers have expired no refund or part refunds are available.
Working with Young People
Written parental/guardian consent is usually required when working with anyone below the age of 16 years, unless in exceptional situations and when the young person is deemed as having Gillick competency (level of maturity).
Clients from Employee Assistance Programmes & Affiliate Work
Terms and conditions can vary for the clients that I see via Employee Assistance Programmes. Terms and conditions will be discussed thoroughly before and during your first session. EAP schemes are responsible for setting their own terms and conditions and the collecting and storage of client data.
Session Recordings
Sessions are confidential and are not to be recorded.
On the rare occation that client and therapist have agreed upon recording part of a session, then the recording this is for your own use and we do not guarantee that the recording will be audible, fully intact, or usable. We will not be responsible for nor issue replacements for defective or damaged recordings. Recording’s are for the client’s own use only and are not permitted to be distributed to others.
Endings
Therapy endings are usually agreed together following a piece of work, however in the unlikely event that terms and conditions are not adhered to, clients are not respectful of the therapist or therapist’s time or in situations where the therapists feels that client would benefit seeing another professional, the continuation of the therapeutic relationship will be reviewed. Clients can end therapy at any time.
Feedback
I welcome feedback following sessions. Any feedback received will be kept confidential, unless permission is given to share anonymously.
If you have any queries please contact me on julie@symmetrytherapy.co.uk