Samaritans revolt over change to confidentiality pledge

FOR decades they have provided a confidential listening service for those on the edge of despair or contemplating suicide.

But changes to the Samaritans’ promise “to keep what you say between us” have prompted protests from volunteers who fear vulnerable people could be deterred from phoning them.

The charity’s new rules instruct volunteers to warn callers that their details may be passed to the emergency services or social workers if they are under 13 or a “vulnerable” teenager or adult deemed to be at significant risk.

The Samaritans said the changes, introduced by its governing body last month, are a clarification of its rules outlining when confidentiality can be breached and were introduced to keep it in line with “good practice in safeguarding children and vulnerable adults”. Volunteers said it would transform their role from that of a confidential “listening friend”, to someone regarded by potential callers as part of the welfare and social services establishment which may have failed them. Some are understood to have threatened to resign, with several voicing concern on internet forums.

One former volunteer said: “I used to be a Samaritan and that definitely is a change. It’s a real shame because that [confidentiality] was the key point of the service. I understand why, but I would be uncomfortable with the change if I was still a volunteer.”

Another said: “One of the main things that separated Samaritans from Childline was the confidentiality. Childline has always reserved the right to break confidentiality, whereas up to now Samaritans offered confidentiality in matters of mistreatment.

“Having being in this position myself calling both helplines many years ago, the confidentiality was a factor in me choosing Samaritans.”

Until the new rules, the exceptions to the promise of confidentiality were if the charity received a court order or received information about “acts of terrorism, bomb warnings, or threats to life”. Volunteers were also told to call the emergency services if the caller became unconscious.

The Samaritans said a “tiny number” of the more than 1.5 million calls received since the changes have been referred to other organisations.

A spokesman said: “Anyone can contact Samaritans, in confidence. We don’t see phone numbers or email addresses, so we don’t know who callers are unless they choose to tell us. There are a small number of exceptions to complete confidentiality that our volunteers have been trained to discuss with callers.”