Terms and Conditions

Initial Contact

You can contact us via email or telephone for a preliminary chat.  There will be no charge for this.  We are happy to answer any questions you may have about appointments or costs.

If we decide to work together, you will be sent a pre-therapy questionnaire and therapy agreement for you to complete.

You may decide we are not the right therapy service for you, and we will respect any decision you make.  Likewise, if we think that we are not the right therapy service for you then we will make this clear and suggest other relevant therapists names or avenues of enquiry.

Appointments

Appointment times and length will be agreed by prior arrangement.  Please see Rates section on our Service Page for costs.

Therapy can take place for an agreed period time or on an open-ended basis.  Regular reviews will take place so we can assess how therapy is helping you and, on this basis, whether to continue or end.

Cancellation of Appointments

If you need to cancel an appointment, then 48 hours’ notice is required, or the full Cost becomes payable.

If we plan to take time off, you will be given at least a month notice, or as much advance warning as possible.

Payment

You will be invoiced on or around the 20th of each month.  Invoices will be sent via email.  Payment is expected within seven working days of the date of invoice, unless specifically agreed otherwise in writing at the outset.  Payment should be made via online banking.

If your payment fails or your account is post due, use of alternative collection mechanisms will be used.  This may include collection agencies and legal counsel. 

If your payment is missed, therapy will be suspended immediately.

If you are using private health insurance, you are responsible for settling the invoice and claiming from the insurer concerned.  It is advisable to check the level and nature of your cover with the insurer before agreeing to therapy. 

If you have any difficulties in meeting the cost of therapy, please talk to us about this as soon as the issue arises.

Liaison and Sharing Information

We will seek your permission to keep informed other professionals involved in your care.

Professional standards of speech and language therapists require good liaison between independent and NHS therapists.  This promotes collaborative working to maximise opportunities for effective therapy to take place.

It is your responsibility to inform us if you are receiving, or are on a waiting list for NHS therapy, and to inform the NHS therapist of our involvement.

Termination of Therapy

It is within your rights to terminate therapy within 24 hours’ notice, unless agreed otherwise in writing at the outset.

It is within our right to terminate therapy within 24 hours’ notice, unless agreed otherwise in writing at the outset.

Professional Registration, Standards, and Indemnity Insurance

Simone James is registered to practice as a Speech and Language Therapist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).  This means that she conforms to professional clinical standards as determined by this regulatory body. Simone’s up-to-date registration information and a copy of HCPC standards can be found at www.hcpc-uk.org

Simone James is also a registered member of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT) the professional body for speech and language therapy.  RCSLT provide Simone’s professional indemnity insurance.  Details of RCSLT services and standards can be found at www.rcslt.org

Simone aims to provide the best quality care.  If you believe that you have not been provided with appropriate level of service or care, please contact Simone directly to discuss any issues at the earliest opportunity.   If you are not satisfied with Simone’s response, then you can raise your concerns with HCPC.

Disclaimer

All information supplied by us is evidence based, but no warranties, express or implied, are made.

We are not responsible for the validity or accuracy of any material or ideas presented by other individuals, groups, or companies.

Therapy, programmes and advise provided by us, are designed to inform, and/or to facilitate in improving aspects of dysphagia or communication.  Unfortunately, some swallowing or communication difficulties, diseases or disorders do not respond well to treatment and recovery can be slow or not happen at all.  In some instances, swallow or communication can deteriorate further over time. 

The programmes, activities, ideas and advise provided may not lead to a cure or a guarantee that the swallowing or communication difficulty will improve. 

We cannot be held responsible for therapy and/or programmes being carried out incorrectly by other people.