Confidentiality

Both Centre for Aviation Psychology and BALPA recognise that for the Peer Support Programme to work, it needs to be independent of the company, the unions and the Regulator. This is in line with recent EASA and CAA recommendations.
While this service is staffed by trained peers, it is managed and supported by The Centre for Aviation Psychology to ensure standards are met and the service is professionally managed. This company consists of clinical psychologists who specialise in aviation psychology and are market leaders and subject matter experts in this field.
While the Peer Support Programme is independent, it is operationally accountable to the Peer Support Programme Steering Group. This is chaired by the Head of Flight Ops, a BALPA representative and a company HR representative. They meet quarterly to discuss overall usage patterns - never individual cases.
Whilst it is operationally accountable to the Peer Support Programme Steering Group, the details of individual users are strictly confidential and are protected in the same way medical records would be protected.
If you tell us anything that gives us demonstrable concern about your safety or anyone else’s, just as in other healthcare settings, we are ethically and legally obliged to waive your confidentiality. In this rare event, your peer will follow an established protocol of contacting their clinical supervisor and together deciding on the most appropriate course of action.
All volunteers sign a code of conduct and ethics as well as a confidentiality agreement and have been adequately trained to respect, understand and protect your confidentiality.
All electronic communication and records are securely stored within encrypted systems and are compliant with the Data Protection Act and GDPR.
We keep a protected and encrypted record of your contact details. We also keep a separate, anonymised and encrypted record of your contact with the peer supporting you - and to which their clinical supervisor has sight of. However, no other peer has sight of this. In exceptional circumstances and within an established protocol, the Clinical and Operational Directors of the Peer Support Programme (both CAP Clinical Psychologists) can access this information.
Within your rights under the Data Protection Act and GDPR, you can request to see the information we hold on you. To do so, please see our Privacy Policy for details.