383: Clinical will for Counsellors

well i think we're discussing you know i know we're discussing it now because on tuesday the 3rd of november 2026 a new bacp ethical framework will come into force i use the word force kind of advisedly um but those who are members of the BACP will in fact be working under a new ethical framework and in part of that ethical framework they have now stated that you need a clinical will it's mandatory from midday on Tuesday the 3rd of November 2026 and I have to say I think it's a welcome addition Ken because a lot of therapists are getting older now.

I speak for myself.

And what happens if a therapist becomes incapacitated or a therapist dies? Who contacts their clients? Who speaks to the clients? And I am sure, because I've been told this, that somebody has died, a therapist has died, and the bereaved partner of the therapist has phoned the clients up and you know that's a strain on the person who's been left behind and it's not good it really isn't good for clients um so a clinical will um is now man it will be mandatory it's always been in the framework In the 2008 framework, it really only asked to appoint someone.

But the 2026 framework actually names a document.

And the BACP aren't the only people, are they, Ken? Lots of other ethical bodies or professional bodies talk about clinical wills.

Very much so.

I mean, it's a topic that is important.

And a line that I have for this is that a clinical will... is the last piece of care that you can give to your clients.

And it's the first kindness you can do for the person or the colleague who steps in to assist in that one.

And we will get on to the other organizations and what they're looking at.

So what I'd hoped to cover today is starting off with what is it and what it is not.

Because a clinical will, the word will can be a little bit misleading here.

So we're going to dig into that.

Then we're going to look at why it matters and what the headlines are, as you've already mentioned.

Rory, the mandatory in the new BACP, at least, ethical framework that is coming up shortly.

We'll look at the other bodies and what they're saying at the moment.

And then we'll talk a little bit about the elements.

And we're going to have a download on this because if this is the first time you're thinking about a clinical will or a time for you to revisit your clinical will, we're going to be going through the elements of what makes up a clinical will.

In other words, what should be in it? We've got some headlines for you and we have a super duper handout that our team has put together for you that covers this as well.

So you don't have to write it as you're listening to it.

You can download that and we'll tell you where to get it.

And then some practicalities, you know, about how the will is implemented, where it is, where it goes, how it's activated, that kind of stuff.

And then I think an important topic is where clinical wills can go wrong.

So if we know about where it can go wrong, we can design and engineer into our setup of our clinical will that it will mitigate where they can go wrong or where they have in the past proven to go wrong.

And that's kind of what we're hoping to do.