► The Students’ Union Advice and Information Confidentiality Policy

The service offered by the Advice Centre is confidential. This means that it will not disclose any information about a person or his or her dealings with the Advice Centre to anyone else without express or implied permission except in limited and exceptional circumstances. This helps it to establish the confidence of actual and potential clients that it will only be working on their behalf. It is also recognition that it has no standing in relation to a person’s affairs except to inform and advise her or him and to take appropriate action arising from the other functions. As an advice agency, it has no authority in relation to individuals except what they give it.

It regards information as disclosed to the Centre and not to any individual adviser. This is necessary so that advisers can freely consult and share knowledge with one another, that case records can all be kept together and if it is necessary a different person can follow up an enquiry or see a client on a later visit about the same matter.

Information will be displayed about the policy on confidentiality in the reception area of the Advice Centre which will also ask users of the Centre to respect other clients’ confidentiality.

The Advice Centre Resolves:

That clear breaches of confidentiality by members of the Union will be subject to disciplinary action, and that action may also be taken by the Executive Committee against non-members of the University of Huddersfield Students’ Union who are found to have acted contrary to this policy.