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Service Description & Scope of Practice

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Service Description

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This service offers non-clinical talking therapy and emotional support via online video sessions.

The work is reflective, relational, and exploratory in nature, and is intended to provide a supportive space to talk, think, and make sense of personal experiences.

This service does not provide medical, psychiatric, or clinical treatment, and does not diagnose mental health conditions.

Clients may have existing diagnoses or be receiving medical or clinical care elsewhere. Engagement with this service is complementary and should not be considered a substitute for NHS, private, or emergency mental health services.

 

Scope of Practice

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This service commonly supports individuals with:

• Stress, overwhelm, and emotional difficulty

• Relationship and interpersonal issues

• Identity, self-esteem, and life transitions

• Grief, loss, and change

• Meaning, purpose, and personal reflection

The focus is on understanding experience rather than diagnosing or treating conditions.

Exclusions

This service is not suitable for individuals who are experiencing:

• Acute mental health crisis

• Active suicidal intent or immediate risk to life

• Unmanaged psychosis

• Situations requiring urgent clinical or medical intervention

Where appropriate, clients may be encouraged to seek support from NHS services, their GP, or other relevant professionals.

 

Informed Consent Policy

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Purpose of Informed Consent

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Informed consent ensures that clients clearly understand the nature, limits, and boundaries of the service before beginning work together.

By engaging in this service, clients confirm that they understand and agree to the following:

Nature of the Service

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• This is a non-clinical talking therapy service

• No diagnosis, treatment, or clinical intervention is provided

• The work is exploratory and supportive, not medical

 

Client Responsibility

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• Clients are responsible for deciding whether this service is appropriate for them

• Clients agree to seek appropriate external support if they are in crisis

• Clients agree to be open about any significant changes in their circumstances that may affect the suitability of the service

 

Confidentiality & Its Limits

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All sessions are treated as confidential, except where disclosure is required by law or where there is serious concern about:

• Risk to the client’s life or the life of another person

• Abuse or neglect of a child or vulnerable adult

 

These limits are explained fully in the Confidentiality Policy.

 

Consent

 

Consent is provided by:

• Signing the consent form, and

• Continuing to engage in sessions after having had the opportunity to ask questions

 

Consent may be withdrawn at any time.

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Safeguarding & Risk Escalation Policy

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Duty of Care

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While this is a non-clinical service, a duty of care is taken seriously. Safeguarding refers to situations where there is significant concern for the safety or wellbeing of a client or others.

Safeguarding Concerns May Include:

• Disclosure of imminent risk of self-harm or suicide

• Disclosure of abuse involving a child or vulnerable adult

• Situations where a client appears unable to keep themselves safe

Procedure if Risk Arises

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If a safeguarding concern arises, the following steps may be taken:

1. The concern will be acknowledged openly and calmly

2. The client will be encouraged to seek appropriate external support (e.g. GP, NHS services, trusted person)

3. If risk appears immediate, the client will be advised to contact emergency services

4. Sessions may be paused or ended if the service is no longer appropriate

 

Limits of the Service

• This service does not provide crisis support

• Ongoing risk management is outside the scope of this work

The intention of this policy is to ensure safety while remaining clear about the limits of the service.

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Confidentiality & Data Protection Policy (GDPR)

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Confidentiality

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Sessions are confidential and are not shared with third parties without client consent, except in the following circumstances:

• There is a serious risk to the client or another person

• There is a safeguarding concern involving a child or vulnerable adult

• Disclosure is required by law

Where possible, confidentiality will be discussed with the client before any action is taken.

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Data Collection

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The following data may be collected:

• Contact details

• Session dates and times

• Brief session notes

 

Sessions are not recorded.

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Data Storage

• All data is stored securely and accessed only by the practitioner

• Digital data is password-protected

• Data is kept only for as long as necessary and in line with GDPR requirements

 

Clients have the right to:

• Request access to their data

• Request correction of inaccurate data

• Request deletion of data, where legally appropriate

 

This service is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

 

Session Boundaries & Cancellations Policy

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Session Structure

• Sessions are typically 50 minutes in length

• Sessions take place via secure online video

 

Communication Outside Sessions

• Contact outside sessions is limited to practical or administrative matters

• This service does not offer therapeutic support between sessions

• Email or messaging should not be used for crisis communication

 

Cancellations & Missed Sessions

• At least 24 hours’ notice is required for cancellations or rescheduling

• Sessions cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice may be charged in full

• Missed sessions without notice are charged in full

 

Late Arrivals

• Sessions will end at the scheduled time, even if the client arrives late

These boundaries are in place to provide clarity, consistency, and safety for both client and practitioner.

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Complaints & Concerns Procedure

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Raising a Concern

If a client has a concern or complaint, they are encouraged to raise it as early as possible.

 

Concerns can be raised by:

• Email, or

• Discussion during a session (if appropriate)

 

Procedure

1. All concerns will be acknowledged within 5 working days

2. The concern will be considered carefully and responded to in writing

3. Where possible, resolution will be sought through open discussion

 

Further Action

If a concern cannot be resolved directly, the client may be signposted to:

• Mediation services, or

• A relevant professional or ethical body (if applicable)

 

Raising a complaint will not affect a client’s right to be treated respectfully and fairly.