Avma provides a confidential advice and information service. This means that information you share with us about your treatment, care, and the impact this has had on you will be handled confidentially.
We take this confidentiality very seriously and will only consider sharing information without your consent where we have reasonable grounds to believe there is a significant risk to your safety or the safety of another person.
Examples of circumstances in which we may need to share information include:
- Where we believe that you or another person is at immediate risk of serious harm or injury, we may ask the police or ambulance service to check on you or do something to make sure that you are safe.
- If you tell us that you intend to cause serious harm to another person, we may exercise our discretion to share relevant information with the police or other appropriate authorities.
- We will treat all threats of suicide as potential life-threatening risks to you and will act appropriately to address these concerns.
- Avma is not a counselling or crisis support service. If you tell us that you may be at risk of suicide or serious self-harm, we will take your concerns seriously and may provide advice on specialist support.
- We recognise that people may experience thoughts of suicide during periods of distress, anxiety, or depression. While such thoughts do not always indicate an immediate risk, if we have concerns about someone’s safety and are unsure of the level of risk, we may take a precautionary approach and share relevant information with appropriate services to help ensure they receive support.
- If you tell us that a child may be at risk of harm, we may need to take steps to help protect their welfare. This may involve seeking additional information from you and, where appropriate, sharing relevant information with the police, children’s services, or other safeguarding agencies.
- Where concerns are raised about the safety or welfare of a vulnerable adult who may be at risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation, we may ask you for additional information and, where appropriate, share this information with the police, social services, or other safeguarding agencies.
If you choose not to provide your contact details, our ability to contact you, the emergency services, or other agencies on your behalf may be limited. However, we will still consider any safeguarding concerns raised and take such action as we believe is necessary and proportionate in the circumstances.