1.      Everyone using Asist, and everyone working or volunteering for Asist has the right to expect that confidential information will only be used for the purpose for which it was given and will not be passed on to other people or agencies without that person’s consent.  

2.      The duty to keep information confidential applies to everyone at Asist (this means all staff, volunteers, committee members and students).  

3.      Asist’s service users have the right to have their information kept in secure and private storage. Everyone at Asist must keep service users information in secure and private storage.  Information saved on data keys and other electronic storage media must be password protected and only accessible through a member of Asist staff.  

4.      If information needs to be passed on to other agencies or people, the advocacy worker should ask for the service user’s consent. The advocacy worker should do their best to ensure the service user understands what they are agreeing to. Consent only applies to the purpose at the time; fresh consent would need to be given for the same information to be passed on for a different reason. It is the advocacy worker’s responsibility to make sure that the service user’s information is only passed on for the purpose for which it was given.  

5.      Only in exceptional circumstances can confidentiality be breached; i.e. where the advocate reasonably believes that a) the services user is in imminent danger of harm, b) there is a potential risk of harm to others, or c) where a Court of Law or its agents legally demands a disclosure.  However, except in an emergency situation, advice should always be sought from the managers before taking any action.  

6.   It is a condition of involvement with Asist that employees, volunteer advocates and committee members will not disclose     any confidential information obtained in the course of their duties other than with the user’s permission.  Everyone at Asist who has access to personal data saved on a computer has a duty under the Data Protection Act to keep information  confidential. If anyone at Asist breaches confidentiality they may be disciplined and could be dismissed.

7.      All records kept by employees, volunteers and committee members on Asist’s behalf will be made available to authorised personnel on a need to know basis.  This information will be returned to the managers when a person leaves Asist.  

8.      Confidential information given to staff and volunteers which does not form part of the record keeping process of Asist must remain totally confidential to the employee or volunteer or their supervisor/counsellor.  

9.      Within committee meetings Asist users should not be referred to by name and their personal details should not be discussed.  Full addresses should not be referred to.  

10. If you have any questions or problems with any part of this policy you should contact the managers first.  If you are not satisfied you can contact the executive committee.