COVID 19 Guidance for Clients and Supervisees
For all clients and supervisees who wish to attend sessions face-to-face will be able to do so until Government Guidelines state otherwise. We continue to follow the guidelines as outlined by The British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), PPS Professional Indemnity Insurance, and Government guidelines.
In addition to the verbal communications that we will have in your sessions regarding the possibility of returning to / or the beginning of in-person work, here is written clarification of how we will move forward should you wish to:
With regards to the current pandemic, we will be wiping down all door handles with antibacterial wipes prior to and after your arrival as well as providing hand sanitiser upon arrival and exit of the premises. Please use this once you have entered the building. Toilet facilities will also be cleaned in between each session. Our chairs will also be 2 meters apart as standard but if required we can distance these further. Please also bring your own drinks if required.
Should either of us present with symptoms of COVID-19 prior to the session (persistent cough, temperature, loss of taste and smell) or recognise that either of us have been exposed to COVID-19 in between then current Government and NHS guidance must be followed with regards to self-isolation and testing, and the session will take place online via Zoom.
If we (the therapist) have been exposed to the virus, then we will be required to provide the names and contact numbers of the people that we have been in contact with for the Track and Trace System. This will mean sharing your name and contact number but not the context in which our meeting has taken place, thereby maintaining confidentiality. This will not be compromised.
In the event of a second wave of the virus requiring lock-down, we will need to consider returning to online working, following Government and NHS guidance. If this should be the case, then we will be conducting online sessions from the privacy of our office in order to maintain confidentiality and a sense of continuity and consistency for you.
In circumstances where it is either not possible to continue with sessions online or it would be harmful to the therapeutic work for us to do so, then we (the therapist) will conduct a risk assessment and if Government and NHS guidelines permit we will continue to offer in-person therapy, taking the necessary precautions as outlined above. However, in such circumstances chairs will need to be distanced further and face-masks will be required. Where possible you will be advised to avoid public transport when coming to the sessions unless you can ensure that it is adequately safe for you to do so.
We place trust all our clients and supervisees to be honest and take care of their own health during and in between sessions, and to assess and manage their own risk. We will also do the same to ensure that the therapy room remains a safe place for all of the people who visit each day during the course of the work. For clients and supervisees who wish to work online then we are committed to supporting you in this way for the foreseeable future until you feel safe to return to in-person working if this is your preference.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns about the above or how risk is being managed.