Frequently asked questions

In offering the EAP service, what is your approach?

• Where applicable we consult with and assist leaders and managers to manage and support troubled employees, to enhance the work environment and to improve employee job performance.
• When working with employees with personal concerns that may be affecting their job performance, we make every effort to identify problems and carry out assessments in a timely and confidential way. We use constructive confrontation, motivation and short-term interventions.
• Where applicable, we refer clients to other relevant sources of assessment, treatment and assistance.
• Referrals into the Qwell counselling service can either be by management or self-referral. Managers are offered guidance to inform, encourage and facilitate them making referrals.
• We recognize the important role that line managers have within organizations. We see it as part of our role to support them in their duty of care and to offer guidance to assist troubled employees.
• We work proactively with HR departments to identify factors within the organisation which may be issues with employees.
• We have robust case management and clinical supervision systems in place. There is direct monitoring of all assessment and counselling services and the progress of all client treatments is controlled.
• Assessment, counselling and referrals are carried out in accordance with required quality standards.
• We can call on clinical support to help us with correct identification of clients who may need assistance beyond the EAP service - for example, urgent psychiatric attention. At risk clients are identified and appropriate interventions are taken.
• All counsellors receive ongoing training
• The service is protocol-driven to ensure a consistent level of service is delivered. The protocols are reviewed regularly.
• We adhere to and promote the ethical stance of the service.
• Established clinical systems are in place for the effective and safe handling of suicidal and other at risk clients.
• We provide counselling, advice and information to clients on a systematic and uniform basis, and to recognized standards.

What is your approach to confidentiality?
Confidentiality is at the centre of what we do. We recognise that it serves no interest to deviate from it. It is a contract between all three parties. There are clear guidelines around the only occasions where confidentiality can be breached:

• If there is a risk to the health or safety of the client or others
• Where there is a serious alleged crime
• There are legal requirements to disclose information (for example, the protection of children, the prevention of terrorism)

What are your assessment protocols?
The information our counsellors seek to gather at the start of counselling programmes includes:

• Non-identifying personal information such as age, sex, ethnic origin and marital status
• Presenting issues: what are the issues and why is the client asking for help now; an analysis of such issues as the frequency, length and severity of the issues; identification of problems that would be classified as a clinical disorder; is the presenting issue general or context-specific; precipitating factors plus things that might be maintaining the issue.
• The impact of problem on work performance: if and if so how; aspects that may be exacerbating the problem; identification of factors that have no effect or relieve the situation; is the client at work or off sick; if off sick, for how long has it been for; are there any support systems within workplace; changes in the workplace that might enable a return to normal working.
• Current and past psychological and psychiatric support: ensure Qwell interventions won't conflict with any others; detailed support history; any current medication if any.
• Coping mechanisms and defences: identification of functional and dysfunctional coping mechanisms and defences; identification of the present level of functioning; any threats to their own or others safety.
• Identification of relevant family history and any intimate and social relationships, if necessary.
• Ability to form and conduct interpersonal relationships: quantity and quality of those relationships; their perception of their level of social support.
• Educational and work history.
• Nature of work if important with an emphasis on safety-sensitive issues and any specific concerns of employing organisation; work relationships plus their view of their work performance; any formal procedures underway such as disciplinary or grievances.
• Psychological mindfulness.
• The suitability of the client for interventions: their ability to form a suitable therapeutic relationship; suitability of short-term therapy as opposed to, for example, long-term therapy, self help or medical treatment.

What does set up and integration of the Qwell service involve?
All your current employees have to be set up on your organisation's Qwell site. We require minimal information about them. The data can either be imported from a suitable database format or the information can be entered manually, either by you or by us (for a small extra charge).

Other necessary prior to go-live actions are:

• Obtaining clear and unequivocal commitment and support for the service from senior management
• Involving those responsible for employee relations such as unions
• Deciding how best to promote the service to staff
• Defining any local guidelines and parameters for the service
• Setting up the referrals process
• Setting up the local complaints procedure
• Ensuring the service meets any disability, gender, age, ethnicity and religious needs

What about data protection?
Qwell is registered and complies with the data protection legislation.

Who staffs the Qwell service?
Qwell is operated by a team of counsellors who are specially trained to work online.

We have an established selection, recruitment and training process is in operation. This details all relevant criteria including acceptable levels of supervision. Supervisors are appropriately trained and qualified.

Counsellors practice to the Code of Ethics of their professional body as well as abide by the UK EAPA Code of Ethics.

What advantages does the Qwell online EAP service offer employees above and beyond a face-to-face and telephone-based service?
Some of the advantages of the fact that the service is online are:

• advice, support and information is always easy and quick to access and employees are able to 'self-serve' themselves
• concerns that are not great enough to warrant a face-to-face meeting or telephone call can be dealt with
• complete anonymity and confidentiality
• employees have a 'locus of control' over the help and support they receive
• employees can access the service from any location at a time that suits them

In short, the service offers employees a unique, non-stigmatising way of immediately, confidentially, anonymously and easily accessing tailored emotional wellbeing advice and counselling whenever they need it.

What do employees get from the Qwell service?
The employee concerns that the Qwell team can help with include, but are not limited to:

• Personal matters such as mental and emotional health, relationships, family matters, financial issues, anxiety, depression, stress, alcohol and drugs.
• Work-related matters such as work demands, fairness at work, working relationships, harassment and bullying, managing staff, personal and interpersonal skills, work-life balance

We do not provide financial support and debt management services, legal support and information, child and eldercare services or physical health information we do refer clients to specialist sources of advice in these areas and importantly help them to apply this specialist advice to their particular circumstances.

The messages on the website make it clear to employees that the service is offered by Xenzone who are completely independent and specialist provider in this field. They are told that they can use the service for free to receive help in handling any of the stresses and strains of life and work. Each instance of the Qwell website is branded so that employees are clear it is their employer who has commissioned the service.

What kind of insurance do you have as a company?
We have adequate professional indemnity, public liability and employer liability insurances.

What kind of experience does the company have in this field?
Qwell is a new service run by Xenzone Ltd. As the operators of the multiple-award winning service Kooth.com, we have over 5 years of experience or providing online counselling and advice service to thousands of vulnerable young people.

Are you a member of a counselling related professional body?
Xenzone is a organisational member of the BACP (membership number 108002).

What is the tax situation as regards this kind of Employee Assistance Programme?
All the component parts of the Qwell EAP service are exempt from tax and National Insurance contributions. The service does not qualify as an employee benefit. For more information on the HMRC's position in relation to welfare counselling

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/specialist/welfare-counselling.htm

Does this discharge our legal responsibilities as an employer in terms of duty of care?
Providing a confidential staff counselling service such as Qwell can substantially reduce, but not completely eliminate, the risk of employee litigation for psychological injury. Employee counselling has surfaced in recent years as a viable defence against litigation.

How secure is the website?
Given the nature of the service, security is particularly important. The site is built to be secure against the serious web application vulnerabilities. This assures employees that they are able to use the service in a safe, anonymous and confidential manner.

Do you have a Partner Programme?
We welcome enquiries from organizations interested in establishing a marketing alliance with us. If you're a representative of a trade organisation, a professional association or a trade union and would like more information then please call us now on 0845 330 7090 or Make an enquiry.