Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ

From the editor

As this is my first issue in the editor’s chair, it seems apposite to makeÌýit all about beginnings. So although I realise that many readers willÌýalready be well established in the business of independent practice,Ìýthis issue includes a selection of personal reflections from practitionersÌýon the ups and downs of going it alone, as well as some importantÌýpractical and ethical considerations for those just starting out.

For members who weren’t able to make the Association for IndependentÌýPractitioners annual conference in London on 25 March 2011, this issueÌýincludes edited versions of two presentations given on that day. John Crew offers someÌýessential guidance on setting up and working in private practice, which I hope will be usefulÌýfor new beginners as well as beneficial for established independent practitioners as it providesÌýtimely reminders about important practical and ethical issues as well as signposts to theÌýlatest resource tools from Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¾«×¼×ÊÁÏ.

Heather Dale, a self-confessed techno-junkie who gave the keynote conference address inÌýMarch, writes about the delights and dangers of information technology in independentÌýpractice, highlighting the ethical issues we all need toÌý bear in mind when engaging with ITÌýin our work, and emphasising how we need to take care of our businesses and ourselves.

As several of the contributors to this issue testify, the business of independent practice canÌýbe risky and isolating. Ours is a financially insecure career path with long, unsociable hoursÌýand considerable and taxing emotional demands.Ìý Anne Stokes and Robert Bor – whoÌýcollectively have almost half a century of experience as independent practitioners betweenÌýthem – look back on their careers and address how they have met and managed some ofÌýthese challenges. Their personal and frank reflections will I hope prove both inspiring andÌýcomforting. Some of their thoughts might even raise a few eyebrows! I’d love to hear yourÌýown reflections and hope the Letters page might become a lively forum for debate andÌýexchange of ideas in future issues.

Finally, continuing with the theme of beginnings, Máire O’Donnell and Kate Vallance contributeÌýa thought-provoking article on supervising trainees at the very beginning of their clinicalÌýpractice. In the early days, a trainee’s lack of self-awareness can potentially be dangerous toÌýclients and the combination of a vulnerable, disempowered client and a student who feelsÌýincompetent and lacking in confidence can be an accident waiting to happen. EnablingÌýstudents to grow into self-directed, reflective practitioners, Máire and Kate write, whilstÌýretaining supervisory responsibility for maintaining quality and safety for their clients, canÌýsometimes prove to be a challenging tightrope to walk.

For those already established in independent practice, I hope these pages might facilitateÌýyour own personal reflections on the successes and inevitable failures you encounter inÌýyour work. For those who, like me, are currently in the process of taking their first tentativeÌýand anxious steps into private practice or standing on the brink preparing to jump into theÌýunknown, hopefully there’s solace to be sought in knowing you are not alone, although itÌýmight sometimes feel that way.

John Daniel
Editor

Disclaimer and copyright