Confidentiality Policy

Here at the Sickle Cell Society, we believe it is important that we create a safe space for you to feel able to share your experiences and feelings with us, without fearing that this information will be shared outside of the service. Fostering an open, trusting and respectful relationship will enable us to identify your needs and provide you with the appropriate support. It is for these reasons that the information you share with us via email and telephone remains confidential. Occasionally, we may share details with another member of the Sickle Cell Society team, if for example, your enquiry relates to another department.

What does confidentiality mean for the helpline service?

Caller information is not shared with individuals outside of the Sickle Cell Society
Service users can choose not to disclose any of their personal details, and are free to speak to the helpline team anonymously or use a pseudonym
Caller information stored is used for the purpose of returning a call, sending out literature and maintaining a picture of support should you choose to contact us again
We do not pass on caller details unless this has been agreed with the caller. Where calls relate to other areas of the charity, we will pass on contact details. Voicemail messages or emails for specific members of staff or departments will be forwarded to the relevant person. Clear consent is not sought in these cases but is automatically presumed due to the nature of the enquiry
Email correspondence is kept securely and electronically and will be forwarded only where necessary. For example, a fundraising query will be forwarded to the Fundraising team

Statistical information relating to calls is collected for monitoring purposes. This is so we can understand the needs of our service users, report on this, and make improvements to our service. However, this data is collated anonymously
We may ask if you would like to be contacted in future to provide feedback about our service.

Limits to confidentiality

There are some exceptional circumstances where we may break confidentiality; usually due to a legal obligation, or to ensure your safety, or the safety of others. These are:

Where there is risk of abuse to an adult at risk or a child
Where there is a serious risk to the safety of others
In the event that terrorism, money laundering or bomb threats are disclosed
In the event that someone is taking steps to end their life and they ask us to call the emergency services
In the event that someone is taking steps to end their life and we feel sure they do not have the mental capacity to make that decision
If we receive a statute or court order requesting that we share information.

If you have any further questions regarding confidentiality at the Sickle Cell Society, please do not hesitate to ask a member of the helpline team on 0208 963 7794.