TERMS & CONDITIONS

Confidentiality

The information you share with us is strictly confidential and treated with respect within Links. Your details are passed onto a counsellor from Links who will carry out an assessment with you. At assessment stage, both you and your counsellor can discuss the suitability of counselling at this current time to treat your presenting symptoms or issues. Where third party professionals exist to support you, it may be appropriate for Links Counselling Service to ask for professional input about the safety and appropriateness of counselling for you. At no time do we agree to offer counselling as an intervention if it is deemed unsuitable. However, Links Counselling Service will collaborate with you to ensure that you get the best form of support to address your current needs. 

Confidentiality may be broken in the following scenarios:

  • There is a risk of you harming yourself or being harmed

  • There is a risk of another person being harmed

  • There is a risk of a serious crime being committed

All counsellors discuss their work with a clinical supervisor, however identifiable information is with-held and supervisors are also bound by confidentiality. 

 

Emergency Contact

In case of an emergency we may need to contact your next of kin, if details are provided, if not, your GP will act as your emergency contact.

If GP details or emergency contact information is with held, Links reserve the right to refrain from offer you counselling, as it is not safe or ethical to provide counselling without a key contact responsible for your wellbeing and health. 

 

Contributions

Links Counselling Service is a community-based charity that provides professional support to all members of our community, therefore we are willing to work within each person’s budget to make counselling accessible. However, in order to make the counselling available we rely on donations from each of our clients towards the ongoing work of Links Counselling Service as well as promoting self care by investing in your ongoing progression towards better mental health. Where people’s financial situation is causing a lot of stress and a small donation would keep you from making a referral, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that you get the support you need.

See here for more details.

 

Cancellations

You are required to give at least 24 hours’ notice (where possible) of any cancellation of an appointment or a £5 administration fee may be charged. Links Counselling will give the same notice of cancellation (where possible). If you cancel 2 appointments in a row you will be placed back on our waiting list.

 

Data Rights

Any data submitted onto our referral form will be safely secured and stored within our centralised database and cloud. All information is gathered for the purpose of contacting you and arranging an assessment. Submitting a registration form does not mean you are automatically a client of Links Counselling Service. If you do not become a client of Links Counselling Service we will hold no other additional information about you. 

By submitting a registration form you are giving Links Counselling Service consent to contact you via the method of contact you have provided. Links Counselling Service will not share your details with any unauthorised third party and will keep all data confidential. 

 

Data Sharing

When you submit your referral form to Links Counselling Service, you are agreeing that we can contact the most appropriate representative of your GP surgery, who holds medical and clincial responsibility and oversight for your mental health and wellbeing. In many instances data will be shared on a ‘need to know’basis about your referral for counselling, an evaluation of the benefits of counselling and an assessment of ongoing needs, if appropriate. It is regarded as good and ethical practice to share this confidential information with your GP surgery to enhance the quality of care that you receive. Any data shared will be GDPR compliant. 

 

See our Privacy Notice here.