Clinical Continuity Service
Clinical Continuity Service
Helping you plan for the unexpected
As a counsellor or psychotherapist in private practice, you make arrangements to support your clients throughout your work together. But what happens if you suddenly become unable to work due to serious illness, injury, incapacity or death?
A Clinical Continuity Service helps you put a clear plan in place for that eventuality.
I provide a confidential, organised service to maintain your clinical continuity information and, if an agreed activation event is properly verified, carry out the communication steps you have documented. This can help ensure that clients and nominated professional contacts are informed of your unexpected absence in accordance with your wishes.
How the service works
1. Create your continuity plan
Together, we establish your Clinical Continuity Pack. This includes your written instructions, nominated contacts, relevant client contact information and details of how you would like communications to be handled if the service is activated.
2. Keep your information up to date
I provide periodic reminders for you to review your information and instructions. I also keep a record of your confirmations and provide reasonable administrative assistance with maintaining your Continuity Pack.
3. Activate your plan when needed
If information is received suggesting that an activation event has occurred, I follow the verification process you have specified. Once the event has been properly verified, I follow your documented instructions.
4. Communicate in accordance with your wishes
Where instructed and legally permitted, I can contact the clients and nominated professional contacts identified in your plan, using the information you have provided. Material actions taken following activation are recorded.
What does the service cover?
The service is intended to help you prepare for an unexpected interruption to your practice by providing:
- Secure maintenance of your Clinical Continuity Pack.
- Periodic reminders to review and update your information.
- A record of when you confirm that your information has been reviewed.
- Reasonable administrative assistance with maintaining your instructions.
- A documented process for verifying an activation event.
- Communication with specified clients and nominated contacts following verified activation, in line with your instructions.
- A record of material actions taken following activation.
What the service does not do
The Clinical Continuity Service does not provide counselling or psychotherapy, make clinical decisions, manage or operate your practice, or take responsibility for your ongoing professional obligations to clients.
It does not include the storage or management of clinical records, administration of your legal will or estate, appointment of an executor, clinical supervision, or legal, financial or tax advice.
You remain responsible for your clients and for ensuring that your professional, clinical, ethical and legal obligations are appropriately addressed.
Plan ahead with confidence
Having a continuity plan in place means you have considered what should happen if you are unexpectedly unable to work, rather than leaving those arrangements until a difficult time.
The service provides a practical way to document your wishes, keep relevant information under review and arrange for agreed communications to take place if the need arises.
A clear plan for you, and a considered approach to communicating with your clients when you cannot do so yourself.