Records retention — psychology (Nova Scotia)
Retain both individual and corporate client records for at least 10 years following the last client contact. Where the client was under 18 at the time of last contact, retain the individual client record for 10 years following the client’s 18th birthday. Billing records are retained on the same basis (s. 7.5). In private practice, a registrant who plans to or ceases to provide services must take responsibility for maintenance and security of records or arrange for another registrant to do so, and must inform NSRP of those arrangements at the earliest reasonable opportunity; advance arrangements should also be made for incapacity or death (s. 7.7). In an employment setting, the registrant must make reasonable efforts to ensure a policy exists covering records on their departure (s. 7.8).
“7.4 Unless otherwise required by law a registrant shall retain both individual and corporate client records for at least ten years following the last client contact. If an individual client was less than eighteen years of age at the time of last contact, the individual client record shall be retained for ten years following the date of the client’s eighteenth birthday. In the case of ongoing service to a corporate client, information more than ten years old may be destroyed if it is not relevant to current services.” — NSRP Standards of Professional Conduct, s. 7.4