Confidentiality

We treat clinical information about you as special personal information. We keep it private, secure and only share it with your informed, written consent or where South African law requires or permits disclosure in order to protect life, health or public safety. We never sell patient information. We do not publish testimonials, photographs or identifying stories without explicit, withdrawable consent, and your care is never conditional on giving such consent.

Your confidentiality is protected by the National Health Act and the ethical rules of professional councils, as well as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). These laws require that health information be collected for clear purposes, kept accurate and secure, used only on a need-to-know basis, and shared only with your consent or in limited circumstances set out in law. We also align with guidance from relevant professional bodies on telehealth, records and disclosures.

Confidentiality applies to all clinical and administrative information related to your care: admission details, assessments, diagnoses, treatment plans, medication, session notes, laboratory results, discharge summaries, and communications about authorisation or billing. It also covers the fact that you are a patient with us. We do not confirm your presence to callers or visitors unless you have authorised us in writing to do so.

We limit who can see your record to authorised staff directly involved in your care or essential operations. Access is role-based and logged. Paper records are stored in controlled areas; electronic records are protected by technical safeguards. Staff receive confidentiality training on induction and regularly thereafter. Within shared spaces, we use first names only where appropriate, keep group sign-in sheets confidential, and discourage casual discussion of other patients outside structured therapy.

You can authorise us to share specific information with specific people, such as a partner, family member, employer, school or medical scheme. Consent is granular: you choose what may be shared, with whom, and for what purpose. You may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawing consent will stop future sharing but cannot retract disclosures already made with your authorisation. We will always discuss the implications of granting or withdrawing consent so your choices are informed.

Addiction affects families, and many loved ones want to help. We support involvement that strengthens recovery, such as family education, joint sessions or feedback meetings. However, we will not share your information or confirm your presence without your consent, and we will not allow family to attend sessions unless you agree. If you are not ready to involve family, we will respect that decision while exploring safe ways to build your support system.

Groups are powerful because they turn isolation into connection. Group sessions are confidential spaces guided by clear agreements: members commit to keeping what is shared in the room. Your facilitators will revisit these agreements regularly and address breaches if they occur. While we take confidentiality seriously, we must be honest that a group is not a sealed container. We cannot legally guarantee what other participants will do. We will act on concerns immediately and support you if boundaries are crossed.

We do not confirm that you are a patient to anyone who phones, emails or arrives at reception. If you have given written permission for us to take calls from a specific person, we will do so within the scope of that permission. Visits are arranged according to clinical schedules, and identity may be verified. We will not disclose ward placement, session times or discharge plans to unauthorised persons.

Some consultations, check-ins or family meetings may occur by phone or video where clinically appropriate. We use approved platforms and aim to protect privacy on both ends of the call. We recommend taking calls in a private space, using headphones where possible, and avoiding public networks. Administrative messages may occur by email or SMS for logistics; we keep clinical details off these channels unless you request otherwise or an approved secure method is used.

We discourage sharing treatment details on social platforms while care is active. Once something is public, it can be copied or misused beyond your control. We will never comment about your care online. Staff do not connect with patients on personal social accounts. Filming, photographing, livestreaming or posting images of other patients or staff is not permitted on our premises.

Sometimes you may need a letter confirming attendance or fitness for duty. We can provide documentation that respects your privacy, typically stating that you are receiving medical care without specifying addiction unless you request or law requires detail. If your employer or school contacts us, we will not respond without your written consent. We can help you decide what to disclose and how to time it to support your recovery and obligations.

Where a medical scheme funds part of your care, it may require limited clinical information to authorise treatment. We share only what is necessary and lawful, and we keep copies of what was provided. If you self-fund your treatment, disclosures to third parties are not made unless you consent or law requires it. In all cases, invoices are worded as discreetly as regulations allow.

Confidentiality has narrow limits designed to protect life and safety. We may disclose information without consent if there is a serious and imminent risk to you or others, if a court orders us to do so, if disclosure is mandated for notifiable conditions, or if a child or vulnerable person is at risk of harm. We will share the minimum necessary information with appropriate authorities or professionals and, where safe, we will inform you of what was shared and why.

If the patient is a minor, a parent or legal guardian typically participates in consent and care decisions, subject to the child’s evolving capacity and best interests. Young people also have rights to confidential care in specific contexts. We balance parental involvement with the minor’s right to privacy as set out in law and professional guidance. Where a dependant is at risk, we follow safeguarding procedures without delay.

Your clinical record is a legal document. We keep it accurate, complete and up to date. Records are retained for the periods required by South African law and professional rules, often at least six years, and sometimes longer. After the retention period, records are securely destroyed or archived according to policy. Administrative records such as emails and appointment logs are kept for shorter periods aligned to operational and legal needs.

You have the right to access personal information we hold about you and to request corrections if it is inaccurate or incomplete. Clinical access requests follow POPIA and PAIA processes and may involve your treating professional to ensure context is understood. In rare cases, access may be limited if releasing information would cause serious harm; such decisions are reasoned and reviewable. We can provide a summary for onward care when you transition to another provider.

If we undertake quality improvement, teaching or research, we use de-identified information wherever possible. If any activity would identify you, we will ask for your explicit, written consent and you are free to decline without affecting your care. We do not pay for testimonials, and we do not publish patient stories without consent that can be withdrawn prospectively.

We prohibit photography and recording of patients and clinical areas without authorisation. Journalists and media crews are not permitted in treatment spaces. If a patient wishes to share a recovery story publicly, we will discuss the risks and timing. Consent for any identifiable media can be withdrawn prospectively; previously published content may remain accessible outside our control.

Confidentiality continues after discharge. We will not confirm your past treatment to others unless you authorise it or law requires it. If you join alumni or peer-support activities associated with us, your participation there is also treated discreetly. Peer spaces are guided by the same respect: share your own story, not someone else’s.

Healthy recovery lives between two extremes: isolation and overexposure. Our role is to help you build safe boundaries—enough privacy to speak freely and enough connection to stay accountable and supported. If you want family involved, we will plan that with you. If you prefer anonymity, we will protect it. If your safety or someone else’s safety is at stake, we will act with the least disclosure necessary to protect life.

If you believe your confidentiality has been compromised, tell your clinician or the unit manager as soon as possible. We will investigate, address any breach, and explain what happened and what has been done to prevent recurrence. Where law requires notification, we will follow those rules. You may also raise concerns with relevant professional councils or the Information Regulator.