June 2024: CS, Reference No 00509179, Registrant ID 375595
June 2024: Corinne Sweet, Reference No 00509179 , Registrant ID 375595
Outcome Details
This outcome was reached by agreement.
Reasons
Corinne Sweet (the Member), a BACP individual member, agrees to the following outcome of the investigation into a complaint of professional misconduct under reference PCP[…].
1. Background
1.1 The Member has been a BACP member since […].
1.2 The Member continues to work as a counsellor.
1.3 The Complainant, […], a former client of the Member, made a complaint to BACP about the Member and their professional conduct.
1.4 On 19 January Year 3, the IAC referred the Member to a Practice Review Track hearing in relation to the following allegation:
Allegation 1
1.1 The Member forwarded to the Complainant’s […] an email which had been written to the Member by the Complainant that the Complainant had addressed solely to the Member.
1.2 The Member thereby failed to meet professional standards, including in particular by acting in a way which was inconsistent with paragraphs 31 a. and/or 31 c. of ‘Good Practice’ in the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018 which state:
31. We will give careful consideration to how we reach agreement with clients and will contract with them about the terms on which our services will be provided. Attention will be given to:
a. reaching an agreement or contract that takes account of each
client’s expressed needs and choices so far as possible
b. stating clearly how a client’s confidentiality and privacy will be protected and any circumstances in which confidential or private information will be communicated to others.
2. Admissions
2.2 The Member makes the following admissions which the BACP accepts:
2.2.1 That she agreed with the Complainant to see the Complainant and […] […] at 16.30 on 11 August Year 1 and this session went ahead.
2.2.2 She informed them in the session that she would send an email with proposals about mediation and family therapy.
2.2.3 On 12 August Year 1, she received an ‘extremely angry, attacking and long’ email from the Complainant accusing her of being unprofessional, saying he felt ‘severely let down’ by the session and requesting a refund.
2.2.4 She forwarded the email to the […] for a ‘reality check’, seeking her experience of the session and whether she wanted a refund. The […] replied saying she had no complaint about the Member’s conduct during the session.
2.2.5 That this was a breach of paragraph 31c of the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018.
2.3 The Panel recognised that the Member had not accepted that she had breached paragraph 31a of the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018. The Panel noted that paragraphs 31a and 31c were pleaded in the alternative and concluded that the Member’s limited admission did not prohibit conclusion by consensual disposal.
3. Mitigation
3.1 The Member puts forward the following in mitigation, which has been taken into account by the IAC in deciding the appropriate outcome:
3.1.1 She sought to take account of each client’s needs, flexing the timing and duration of the session and allowing the […]to bring her […]into the session, despite the Member’s reservations, because no support person was available to help with the […];
3.1.2 She addressed the Complainant’s expressed need of assessing whether he and his […]needed mediation or therapy and provided them with written recommendations;
3.1.3 She forwarded the email in the spirit of ‘not holding secrets’ with those who were present in the session but has reflected and now recognises this was unwise;
3.1.4 She has reflected on allowing the […] to bring her […] into the session and would not do the same again in future;
3.1.5 She has reflected on her response to the Complainant’s email and will simply provide a refund and accept the client had had an unsatisfactory experience in future;
3.1.6 She is ‘genuinely sorry’;
3.1.7 She has discussed these events in supervision.
4. Conclusion
4.1 The issues identified and admitted by the member amounted to breaches of the Ethical Framework in particular paragraph 39 of the Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018:
31. We will give careful consideration to how we reach agreement with clients and will contract with them about the terms on which our services will be provided. Attention will be given to:
a. reaching an agreement or contract that takes account of each
client’s expressed needs and choices so far as possible
c. stating clearly how a client’s confidentiality and privacy will be protected and any circumstances in which confidential or private information will be communicated to others.
4.2 One of the aims of the Professional Conduct Procedure is to protect members of the public. The IAC in considering the appropriate outcome and sanction for the admitted breaches in this case have taken into account the importance of public protection and determined that it is reasonable and proportionate to conclude this case by agreement on the terms set out below.
4.3 In relation to the findings above the IAC considers it appropriate, in recognition of the submissions contained within the Member’s application for consensual disposal that:
4.3.1 within six weeks of the date of this agreement, provide BACP with:
4.3.1.1 evidence of successful completion of six hours of continuous professional development (CPD)1 addressing contracting for joint sessions with particular focus on legal and professional obligations regarding confidentiality, managing confidentiality and information sharing in joint therapy situations.
4.3.1.2 a personal statement demonstrating learning and changes to her practice as a result of this complaint and the CPD undertaken. This should include her reflections on what went wrong (with reference to the allegation above), the importance of contracting and confidentiality management, her professional and legal obligations regarding confidentiality and when and to whom she can disclose information received in confidence. It should also reflect on the impact of her behaviour on the Complainant and the values, principles, personal moral qualities and good practice set out in the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions 2018.
4.4 The Member agrees that this Agreement will be published by the BACP in line with the Publication Policy and that it will be disclosed to the complainant.
4.5 The Member agrees that she will not act in any way inconsistent with this agreement such as, for example, by denying the findings in paragraph 2 above.
4.6 If the Member fails without good reason to comply with the sanction set out above or acts in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement the matter will be referred to a sanction panel for consideration. The decision of the sanction panel may be published.
4.7 If the Member acts in a way which is inconsistent with this Agreement her membership/registration will be terminated. Such a decision will be published.
(Where ellipses [ . . . ] are displayed, they indicate an omission of text)