Eleos Counselling

Lone Working Policy

Location: Little East Street, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 9NP
Applies to: All therapists, contractors, and authorised personnel
Review Cycle: Annual
Policy Owner: Director, Eleos Counselling

1. Purpose

Eleos Counselling recognises that therapists routinely work alone within the practice premises. Lone working is common within counselling and psychotherapy settings; however, appropriate measures must be in place to minimise risk and ensure safety.

This policy sets out the procedures designed to:

• Protect therapists and visitors from harm
• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation
• Maintain safeguarding standards in line with the BACP Ethical Framework
• Provide clear operational procedures for lone working

2. Definition of Lone Working

For the purpose of this policy, lone working refers to any situation in which a therapist or staff member is:

• Working alone within the building
• Seeing clients without other staff present
• Entering or leaving the premises outside standard business overlap
• Conducting administrative duties alone onsite

3. Risk Assessment

Eleos Counselling acknowledges the following potential risks:

• Working alone with emotionally distressed individuals
• Unexpected client behaviour
• Medical emergencies (client or therapist)
• Building access issues
• Late evening appointments
• Personal security when entering or leaving the building

A dynamic risk assessment is expected before and during sessions. Therapists are required to remain alert to behavioural changes, agitation, or escalation in clients.

4. Control Measures in Place

4.1 CCTV Security

• A CCTV camera operates within the building for security purposes.
• CCTV is used strictly for safety and building security.
• Recordings are stored securely and accessed only if required for safety or legal reasons.
• Appropriate signage is displayed in accordance with GDPR requirements.

CCTV does not record therapy sessions for clinical purposes and does not breach confidentiality beyond lawful and ethical parameters.

4.2 Entry and Exit Communication Procedure

To ensure accountability and personal safety:

• Therapists must text the Director when:
  • Entering the building
  • Leaving the building

The message should confirm:

• Safe arrival
• Safe departure
• Expected finish time (if working late)

If a therapist fails to check out within a reasonable timeframe, the Director will attempt contact. If no response is received, appropriate action may be taken, including contacting emergency services if necessary.

4.3 Appointment Management

• All sessions are pre-booked.
• New clients complete an assessment process before full engagement.
• Known safeguarding or risk concerns are reviewed prior to appointments.
• Therapists maintain awareness of any history of aggression or instability.

Where significant risk is identified, alternative arrangements may be considered.

4.4 Physical Safety Measures

• Therapy rooms are arranged to allow clear access to the door.
• Therapists position themselves nearest to the exit where possible.
• Personal alarms may be used if deemed appropriate.
• The building entrance remains secure during sessions.

4.5 Emergency Procedures

In the event of immediate danger:

• Call 999.
• Exit the building if safe to do so.
• Inform the Director as soon as possible.

In the event of client medical emergency:

• Call 999.
• Follow basic first aid principles where safe.
• Record incident in clinical notes and incident log.

In case of fire:

• Evacuate immediately via the nearest exit.
• Do not attempt to fight fire unless trained and safe.

5. Safeguarding and Ethical Responsibilities

Eleos Counselling operates in accordance with the BACP Ethical Framework (2018, updated 2024).

Therapists must:

• Conduct appropriate risk assessments
• Seek supervision where risk is ongoing
• Break confidentiality where there is serious risk of harm
• Document decisions clearly and factually

Safeguarding responsibilities override lone working confidentiality if there is serious threat to life or safety.

6. Personal Conduct While Lone Working

Therapists are expected to:

• Keep personal mobile phones accessible
• Avoid disclosing personal information to clients
• Maintain professional boundaries
• Avoid sharing private contact details
• Ensure internet access is secure and password protected

7. Online Therapy Considerations (If Conducted Onsite Alone)

Where online therapy is delivered from the premises:

• Confirm client location at start of session
• Confirm emergency contact details
• Follow Eleos Counselling crisis protocol if risk escalates

8. Incident Reporting

Any incident, near miss, or safety concern must be:

• Reported to the Director
• Recorded in an incident log
• Reflected upon in supervision where appropriate

9. Review and Monitoring

This policy will be:

• Reviewed annually
• Updated in response to incident, legislation, or safeguarding guidance
• Discussed in supervision where relevant

10. Policy Statement

Eleos Counselling is committed to ensuring that lone working is conducted safely, ethically, and responsibly.

The combination of CCTV security, entry/exit text check-ins, risk assessment procedures, safeguarding compliance, and professional supervision ensures that therapists working alone are supported and protected.

Frequently Asked Questions