Maintaining continuity of services

Psychologists should provide only services likely to benefit the client and, within legal or organisational limits, stop providing services that are not helping; when a service ends, they keep the harm to clients low and protect continuity with other practitioners. Effective practice means the psychologist: (a) arranges for other practitioners to cover clients during emergencies or foreseeable absences; (b) plans reasonably for clients' continuing care if the psychologist becomes unavailable, for example through relocation, illness or death; (c) plans reasonably for continuity when the relationship has to end, helping clients find a suitable alternative practitioner and, with consent and where practical, passing on relevant information; (d) where practical, tells clients as early as possible that the service must end; (e) takes reasonable steps to avoid an early or abrupt ending and, where possible, agrees the ending with the client; (f) where possible, gives clients and associated and third parties early notice of plans to close or move the work setting or to change work settings; and (g) arranges ongoing services for all current clients, including transfer or proper management of client records under the privacy and health records law of the jurisdiction.

• Leave cover arrangements naming the covering practitioner
• Professional will or practice continuity plan for unplanned absence or death
• Termination letters giving notice, reasons and referral options, with consent to transfer information
• Client notification letters and record transfer plan for a practice closure or relocation

• Services ended abruptly by text message with no referral
• No arrangement for clients or records if the sole practitioner became unavailable
• Clients continued on a service that the file shows was not helping