Advocate
Kipling House, 2 Kipling Crescent, Widnes, WA8 7BT
Confidentiality Policy
1 Advocate offers confidentiality to all people using the service. Confidentiality is crucial when a relationship is formed between an advocate and a partner. It is important that confidentiality be maintained so that trust and respect will remain a part of the relationship.
2 Confidentiality resides with Advocate. Information given to an advocate or staff member may be shared on a need to know basis using as few personal details as possible.
3 Advocates
will be supervised in their partnerships by the lead advocate. Information is
shared with the lead advocate in order to move ahead the work of advocacy.
4 Information
is given to third parties only with the partner’s consent. Advocates may
make phone calls or write letters on their partner’s behalf. When the
letters are written or phone calls are made, advocates and partners will complete
them together.
5 Advocates
should make every effort to only speak on their partner’s behalf when
the partner is present.
6 Records
of meetings are to be kept at Advocate in a locked file drawer accessible only
by the advocate and the lead advocate. When a case is closed identifying data
will be kept locked and separate from all case files. Case files will be secured,
with minimum information kept, and will be re examined only for insurance purposes.
7 Statistical
data that is kept will be demographic and non-identifying only. Information,
including statistical data and case studies may occasionally be made available
to funders and the public. No identifying information will be included in such
information.
8 In very exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to break confidentiality. These circumstances are:
+ Where the advocate has a very good reason to believe that the advocacy partner is in imminent danger or at significant risk of harm + Where the advocacy partner is a significant threat to others + If the advocacy partner commits or proposes to commit a crime
9 If confidentiality
is broken it is immediately reported to the lead advocate, the lead advocate
will report it to the Director of Shap Limited.