Privacy Policy

General
We are committed to responsible data management and subscribe to the principles of the current data protection legislation in the United Kingdom. We are committed to maintaining the privacy of our users and maintaining the security of any personal information received from them. If you contact the Centre or register for any of our Services you may be asked to provide basic personal information which will be kept securely and in complete confidence. If you visit the Centre for a consultation you may be asked to complete forms which will aid us in providing you with the best possible form of therapy.

No Information provided by you will ever be made available for sale or use by third parties. The information is used solely for accurate clinical assessment and therapeutic evaluation and contact with you if you become a member of the Centre. If you do not become a member of the Centre, your information will only be used by us to compile completely anonymous data about how many people contact us and for general clinical profiling. Your identity and circumstances will never be revealed to any third party.

Summary of Confidentiality Policy
Our psychotherapists provide confidential treatment. This means that your therapy will not be discussed with anyone. But there are some important legal and professional limits to confidentiality.

Professional practice requires that therapists discuss their work with a clinical supervisor who can monitor their practice and ensure that it continues to be of high quality. Group members’ treatments discussed in this confidential setting are never spoken about beyond that.

The law also places certain obligations on psychotherapists:

In the event of a claim or legal dispute, psychotherapists may be required to provide copies of their case notes or to appear in person when ordered to do so by a Judge.

Psychotherapists are legally obliged to report the following to the appropriate authorities:

Current child abuse including paedophilia.
Threats of deliberate harm against the life of another person or to one-self.
Threats to commit terrorist acts.

Psychotherapists are obliged by their registering bodies to abide by their codes of ethical practice.

Ethical practice includes, for example:

Not exploiting clients emotionally, sexually or financially. Not making false claims about their training, abilities or practice. Maintaining appropriate confidentiality. Being properly insured to undertake psychotherapy practice. Not undertaking psychotherapy practice if under the influence of alcohol, intoxicants including illegal substances, or being otherwise incapacitated through illness.

The Centre is covered fully for professional, civil and public liability claims.

Suspected unethical practice should be reported in the first instance to the Director of The Group Therapy Centre.
Contact can be made via this website or in writing to:
Paul Delderfied, Director, Group Therapy Centre, 3 Downing Place, Cambridge, CB2 3EL

Access to clinical records
Group members have the conditional and qualified right, subject to certain clinical criteria, to see any clinical notes that may be held about them upon written request. Copies of codes of ethics will be supplied by the Group Therapy Centre upon request.

Non-discrimination
The Group Therapy Centre practises a policy of tolerance and respect towards all persons seeking relief from psychological and emotional distress. We do not discriminate against people on the basis of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, spiritual beliefs and practices or political views. For legal and insurance reasons the Centre is currently unable to admit persons under the age of 18 to group membership. Subject to certain clinical considerations, there is no upper age limit to group membership.

For avoidance of doubt this policy statement is not exhaustive and is subject to legislation current in England and Wales at time of publication.

We subscribe to CAMBRIDGESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL JOINT POLICY FOR THE PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE ADULTS FROM ABUSE.

Updated August 2008.