info@eleoscounselling.co.uk

Policy owner: Eleos Counselling
Applies to: Directors, counsellors, psychotherapists, student counsellors, associates, administrative staff, volunteers, clients and visitors
Current organisation size: One practitioner
Planned organisational size: Up to two student placements and a maximum of approximately seven people in future
Premises: Eleos Counselling, Little East Street, Billingshurst, RH14 9NP
Review date: Annually, or sooner if the organisation grows, premises change, incidents occur, or legal/professional guidance changes

1. Purpose of this policy

Eleos Counselling is committed to providing a safe, respectful and well-managed environment for clients, practitioners, student counsellors, staff, associates and visitors.

This policy sets out how Eleos Counselling will manage health and safety in a way that is proportionate to a small counselling practice. The policy recognises that Eleos Counselling is currently a one-person organisation, but may take on up to two student placements and grow to a maximum of approximately seven people over the next few years.

The aim of this policy is to protect the health, safety and welfare of clients, staff, students and visitors. It also aims to identify and manage risks within the counselling environment, ensure students and future staff understand health and safety arrangements, provide clear procedures for emergencies, accidents, incidents and concerns, support safe face-to-face and online counselling practice, and maintain a safe and professional working environment in line with legal, ethical and professional responsibilities.

2. Scope

This policy applies to all Eleos Counselling activities, including face-to-face counselling sessions, online counselling sessions, student placement activity, clinical supervision and case discussion held on site, administrative work carried out for Eleos Counselling, client arrivals and departures, use of counselling rooms, waiting areas, toilet facilities and shared spaces, and emergency situations involving clients, students, staff or visitors.

This policy should be read alongside Eleos Counselling’s Safeguarding Policy, Client Safety and Risk Policy, GDPR and Data Protection Policy, Confidentiality and Record-Keeping Procedure, Lone Working Policy, Student Placement Policy and Practice Framework, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy, and Complaints Procedure.

3. Statement of intent

Eleos Counselling will take reasonable and proportionate steps to provide a safe environment for all people using or working within the service.

Eleos Counselling will provide a safe and suitable counselling environment, identify and manage foreseeable risks, review health and safety arrangements regularly, ensure students and future staff receive appropriate induction, maintain appropriate first aid and emergency arrangements, keep counselling rooms and shared areas safe, clean and fit for use, record accidents, incidents and near misses, respond promptly to health and safety concerns, ensure that health and safety responsibilities are understood, and seek professional, legal, insurance or specialist advice where needed.

4. Legal and professional context

Eleos Counselling recognises its responsibilities under UK health and safety law and relevant professional standards.

A health and safety policy should set out the general approach to health and safety and explain who does what, when and how. For a small organisation, this policy should remain practical, proportionate and easy to follow.

Eleos Counselling also recognises that health and safety is connected to ethical counselling practice. Health and safety within a counselling service includes physical safety, emotional safety, clinical risk awareness, confidentiality, safeguarding, and the safe use of premises and systems.

5. Responsibilities

5.1 Overall responsibility

The owner/director of Eleos Counselling has overall responsibility for health and safety within the organisation.

This includes responsibility for maintaining this policy, carrying out or arranging risk assessments, ensuring the premises are suitable for counselling work, maintaining emergency procedures, providing induction to students, associates or future staff, recording and reviewing accidents, incidents and near misses, taking reasonable steps to reduce risk, ensuring insurance arrangements are reviewed, and seeking advice where specialist input is needed.

5.2 Responsibilities of student counsellors, associates and future staff

All student counsellors, associates, employees, volunteers or future staff must read and follow this policy. They must also take reasonable care of their own health and safety and take reasonable care of clients and others who may be affected by their actions.

They are expected to report hazards, incidents, accidents or concerns promptly, follow fire, first aid, safeguarding, lone working and emergency procedures, keep counselling rooms safe and professional, avoid blocking exits or creating trip hazards, use equipment safely, attend induction or training where required, and work within Eleos Counselling’s professional and clinical policies.

5.3 Responsibilities of clients and visitors

Clients and visitors are expected to use the premises respectfully and safely, follow any emergency instructions, inform Eleos Counselling of any relevant access, mobility or health needs, avoid bringing hazardous items onto the premises, respect the safety and privacy of others, and inform Eleos Counselling if they notice a hazard or safety concern.

6. Risk assessment

Eleos Counselling will carry out proportionate risk assessments to identify hazards and reduce foreseeable risks.

Risk assessments may include general premises safety, fire safety, slips, trips and falls, lone working, client distress or crisis, aggression or threatening behaviour, student placement activity, online counselling safety, manual handling where relevant, display screen equipment where relevant, infection control and hygiene, and accessibility considerations.

Risk assessments will be reviewed annually, when the organisation grows, when students are introduced, after any accident, incident or near miss, when the premises or room arrangements change, when new activities are introduced, or if a health and safety concern is raised.

7. Premises safety

Eleos Counselling will aim to ensure that the counselling environment is safe, clean, private and suitable for therapeutic work.

This includes checking that entrances and exits are clear, walkways are free from obvious trip hazards, lighting is adequate, furniture is safe and suitable, electrical equipment appears safe and undamaged, rooms are ventilated where possible, toilet facilities are safe and hygienic, client privacy is maintained, emergency exits are not obstructed, and the environment is emotionally and physically appropriate for counselling.

Any hazards identified should be addressed promptly. Where the hazard cannot be resolved immediately, reasonable steps should be taken to reduce risk until it can be addressed.

8. Fire safety and evacuation

Eleos Counselling will maintain clear fire safety arrangements suitable for a small counselling practice.

Arrangements will include ensuring exits are kept clear, knowing the evacuation route, informing students, staff and associates of fire procedures during induction, ensuring clients can be safely guided out of the building if an alarm sounds, not storing combustible materials unnecessarily, reporting or addressing fire hazards promptly, and checking that any fire safety equipment provided by the building or premises is accessible and not obstructed.

In the event of fire or suspected fire, the session should stop immediately. Everyone should leave the building by the safest available route. No one should stop to collect belongings. Emergency services should be contacted if required. No one should re-enter the building until it is safe to do so. The incident should be recorded afterwards.

If a client has mobility, sensory or access needs, reasonable steps should be taken to consider evacuation arrangements before or at the start of therapy.

9. First aid arrangements

Eleos Counselling will maintain proportionate first aid arrangements for a small, low-risk counselling setting.

Eleos Counselling will ensure that a suitable first aid box is available, the first aid box is checked periodically, students and future staff know where the first aid box is located, emergency services are contacted where needed, accidents or medical incidents are recorded, and first aid arrangements are reviewed as the organisation grows.

If Eleos Counselling grows or the risk profile changes, first aid arrangements will be reviewed and may include appointing a trained first aider.

10. Accidents, incidents and near misses

All accidents, incidents and near misses should be recorded and reviewed.

This may include slips, trips or falls, injury to a client, student, staff member or visitor, medical emergencies, fire or evacuation incidents, threatening or aggressive behaviour, damage to property affecting safety, environmental hazards, significant emotional or behavioural incidents affecting safety, or any incident involving a student counsellor that raises safety concerns.

Records should include the date and time, the person involved, a brief factual description, immediate action taken, whether emergency services were contacted, whether safeguarding procedures were triggered, follow-up action required, and the name of the person completing the record.

For clinical incidents, records should also be made on WriteUpp where they relate to client care, risk or safeguarding. Incident records should be stored securely and handled in line with GDPR and confidentiality requirements.

11. Lone working

As Eleos Counselling is currently a one-person organisation, lone working is an important part of health and safety.

The Lone Working Policy should be followed whenever a practitioner, student, associate or staff member is working alone on site.

Lone working arrangements may include ensuring someone knows when the practitioner is on site, checking the room and exit route before sessions, keeping a charged mobile phone available, having emergency numbers accessible, using professional judgement around client suitability, ending or not starting a session if safety concerns are present, ensuring students do not work alone without an agreed arrangement, using check-in and check-out procedures where appropriate, and reviewing any client behaviour that creates concern.

Students should not be left to manage high-risk or unsafe situations without clear access to support.

12. Client distress, crisis and clinical risk

Counselling may involve emotional distress. Health and safety therefore includes psychological safety, not only physical safety.

Eleos Counselling will manage client distress and risk through appropriate assessment, clear contracting, client suitability screening, ongoing risk review, safeguarding procedures, clinical supervision, clear emergency escalation, accurate WriteUpp records, and referral or signposting where needed.

Where a client presents with immediate risk to self or others, the practitioner or student should follow Eleos Counselling’s Client Safety and Risk Policy and Safeguarding Policy.

If a client becomes physically unwell, highly distressed, threatening, disorientated or unsafe to leave alone, appropriate action may include contacting emergency services, a GP, safeguarding services, an emergency contact, or another appropriate professional service.

13. Aggression, threats or unsafe behaviour

Eleos Counselling aims to provide a calm and respectful therapeutic environment. However, the possibility of aggression, intimidation or unsafe behaviour must be considered.

Examples of unsafe behaviour may include threats, intimidation, harassment, stalking, sexualised behaviour toward staff or students, damage to property, refusal to leave the premises, attending under the influence of alcohol or drugs in a way that creates risk, or bringing weapons or dangerous items onto the premises.

Where safety is at risk, the practitioner or student may end the session, leave the room or building if safe to do so, contact emergency services, contact the placement lead or supervisor, decline further sessions, record the incident, and review client suitability.

Students must report any threatening, sexualised or unsafe behaviour immediately to the placement lead.

14. Student placement health and safety

Before beginning placement activity, student counsellors must receive induction into relevant health and safety procedures.

This should include fire evacuation procedure, first aid arrangements, accident and incident reporting, lone working rules, client arrival and departure arrangements, use of counselling rooms, emergency contacts, client distress and risk escalation, safeguarding procedure, WriteUpp record-keeping expectations, confidentiality and GDPR, and how to contact the placement lead.

Students must not see clients until they have completed the required induction and confirmed they understand relevant policies.

Students should only see clients who have been assessed as suitable for student placement work. Clients should be reviewed by a senior member of Eleos Counselling before allocation.

15. Online counselling health and safety

Where Eleos Counselling provides online counselling, reasonable steps will be taken to support safety.

This may include checking that online work is clinically suitable, confirming the client is in a private and safe location, confirming the client’s location at the start of the session where clinically appropriate, obtaining emergency contact details where appropriate, having a plan if the online connection fails, ensuring the practitioner or student works from a private location, using secure and appropriate technology, and recording relevant risk or safety concerns on WriteUpp.

Students may only offer online counselling if this has been approved by Eleos Counselling and their training provider, and if appropriate supervision is in place.

16. Infection control and hygiene

Eleos Counselling will maintain basic infection control and hygiene procedures appropriate to a counselling setting.

This may include keeping rooms clean and tidy, maintaining hand hygiene, ensuring tissues and waste disposal are available, ventilating rooms where possible, encouraging clients, students or staff not to attend in person if they are significantly unwell or infectious, offering online sessions where clinically appropriate and practical, cleaning shared surfaces where needed, and reviewing infection control arrangements if public health guidance changes.

17. Electrical equipment

Electrical equipment used by Eleos Counselling should be safe, suitable and in good condition.

This may include lamps, chargers, computers, printers, routers, and heating or cooling equipment where used.

Any damaged equipment, exposed wires, overheating plugs or unsafe electrical items should be taken out of use immediately and repaired or replaced.

Cables should be positioned to reduce trip hazards.

18. Manual handling and room setup

Counselling work is usually low risk for manual handling. However, care should still be taken when moving furniture, files, equipment or supplies.

People working with Eleos Counselling should avoid lifting items that are too heavy, ask for help where needed, use safe lifting principles, avoid creating trip hazards when moving furniture, and ensure chairs and room layout remain safe for clients and practitioners.

19. Display screen equipment and administrative work

Where staff, students or associates undertake regular computer-based work, Eleos Counselling will encourage safe and comfortable use of display screen equipment.

This may include appropriate chair and desk setup where possible, regular breaks from screen work, safe positioning of laptop or monitor, awareness of posture, eye strain and repetitive strain, and reviewing arrangements if administrative roles increase in future.

20. Confidentiality and physical safety of records

Health and safety also includes safe handling of confidential records.

Eleos Counselling uses WriteUpp for clinical records. Students, staff and associates must not leave identifiable client information visible or unattended.

Physical documents, if used, should be kept to a minimum, stored securely, not left in counselling rooms or public areas, disposed of securely when no longer needed, and handled in line with Eleos Counselling’s GDPR and Data Protection Policy.

21. Visitors and contractors

Visitors and contractors should be managed in a way that protects client privacy and safety.

Where contractors attend the premises, Eleos Counselling should consider whether clients are present, whether confidential conversations could be overheard, whether access to therapy rooms or records is restricted, whether work creates trip, noise, fire or other risks, and whether sessions need to be rearranged.

Contractors should not have access to confidential client information.

22. Emergency contacts and procedures

Eleos Counselling will keep emergency contact information accessible to relevant practitioners, students and staff.

This may include emergency services, NHS urgent help, local safeguarding contacts, building or premises contact, placement lead contact, supervisor contact where appropriate, client emergency contact where clinically appropriate and consented, and student emergency contact where appropriate.

In an emergency, immediate safety takes priority. Confidentiality may be breached where necessary to prevent serious harm, in line with Eleos Counselling’s safeguarding, risk and confidentiality policies.

23. Insurance

Eleos Counselling will maintain appropriate insurance arrangements for its work.

Before taking on student placements, Eleos Counselling should confirm with its insurer that the policy covers student counsellors, client work undertaken by students, face-to-face work, online work if offered, premises-related liability, public liability, professional indemnity, and employer responsibilities if relevant.

Insurance arrangements should be reviewed if the organisation grows or changes.

24. Training and induction

Health and safety training will be proportionate to Eleos Counselling’s size and risk profile.

For students, associates or future staff, induction should include this Health and Safety Policy, fire evacuation procedure, first aid arrangements, Lone Working Policy, Client Safety and Risk Policy, Safeguarding Policy, incident reporting, GDPR and confidentiality, WriteUpp use, emergency contacts, and room use and premises safety.

Induction should be recorded and signed by the student, associate or staff member.

25. Monitoring and review

Eleos Counselling will monitor health and safety through annual policy review, review of incidents and near misses, feedback from students, clients or staff, supervision and reflective practice, review of risk assessments, premises checks, insurance review, and updates in law, HSE guidance or professional guidance.

This policy will be reviewed sooner if an accident or serious incident occurs, a student placement begins, a new staff member or associate joins, the premises change, the organisation reaches five or more employees, new services are introduced, or health and safety concerns are raised.

26. Proportionate approach for a small organisation

Eleos Counselling recognises that it is currently a very small organisation. Therefore, health and safety arrangements should be clear, practical and proportionate.

At the current stage, the priority is to ensure that risks are identified and reviewed, clients are seen in a safe and suitable environment, student counsellors receive clear induction, emergency procedures are known, first aid and fire arrangements are clear, incidents are recorded, lone working is managed carefully, and client distress and safeguarding risks are escalated appropriately.

As Eleos Counselling grows, this policy should become more formalised, especially if the organisation reaches five or more employees. At that point, a written health and safety policy becomes a legal requirement under HSE guidance.

Separate printable forms

You can keep the following as separate tick-box documents for each student file:

Appendix 1: Basic Health and Safety Induction Checklist
Use this as a signed induction record for each student, associate or future staff member.

Appendix 2: Simple Premises Safety Checklist
Use this as a practical room/building safety check. This could be completed weekly, monthly, or before student work begins.