Terms and conditions
Contract of psychological services
The initial step is to fill in a preliminary form with your personal details and a (brief) description of the problems that made you seek psychological services. You will be asked to read the Terms and conditions, Complaints policy, and Privacy policy.
A practitioner will deal with your request, usually within 24 hours. They will be able to let you know whether the problems you mentioned could be alleviated by the available psychological services.
You will receive an email, usually within 24 hours, with clinically informed suggestions for the appropriate psychological services.
Psychological contract
If you decide to engage with the suggested psychological services, you will be asked to sign a contract before you attend your assessment(s) and/or therapy sessions. This is to protect your rights and the practitioner' rights, and to ensure that you receive the professional services that are in line with regulatory bodies.
The number of the therapy sessions will be agreed with your practitioner, and can be adjusted as your work progresses. You are not contracted to any specific number of sessions. You may terminate therapy without further cost at any time you wish.
The normal duration of each therapy session is 50 - 60 minutes, although the practitioner reserves the right to amend that time for therapeutic reasons. If for any reason, you are late for a session, the practitioner will see you for the duration of the remainder but will be unable to work beyond the allotted time as this will disrupt the clinic for other patients who may be waiting.
Therapeutic relationship
The therapeutic relationship will remain a professional one at all times, the boundaries of which (such as contact outside of the appointments) can be agreed between you and your practitioner during the appointments.
The practitioner will not suddenly or without warning terminate your contract, except in exceptional circumstances, which would become clear in the course of the/our work together. This would be fully discussed at that time. You will be notified in advance of any annual leave/time off that the practitioner might take.
Please note that any threats or acts of violence will invalidate this agreement and the psychological services will cease. Sessions will not take place if you arrive under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed medication.
Appointments reservation
Therapy sessions can be booked at least 24 hours in advance. The practitioner might be able to accommodate last-minute appointments depending on availability.
Psychological assessments and ADHD assessments can be booked at least 24 hours in advance.
The other assessments (autism, learning disabilities, neuropsychological, and cognitive) can be booked at least 72 hours (3 days) in advance. This is to ensure that relevant information is provided before the appointment.
If you want to change the time and date of your therapy session, psychological assessment, or ADHD assessment, you should do so 24 hours before your initial appointment.
If you want to change the time and date of your autism, learning disabilities, neuropsychological, or cognitive assessment, you should do so 72 hours before your appointment.
Payments
When you book a service, you will be asked to make the payment in full by using your card details. You cannot book or make an appointment for a psychological service without making the full payment.
In the event that a private health care plan is being used to fund your treatment, the psychological services will not commence until approval in writing has been received from the private health care organisation or you are able to provide the relevant authorisation code.
Refunds
If you don't attend and fail to provide a 24 hours' notice for not attending your therapy session, you will be fully charged for the therapy session you booked.
If a last-minute therapy session was agreed (i.e., less than 24 hours before the meeting), and you booked your slot and made the payment, you will be fully charged even if you don't attend the session.
If you don't attend and fail to provide a 24 hours' notice for not attending a psychological assessment or an ADHD assessment, you will be charged a quarter of the price of the assessment you booked.
If you don't attend and fail to provide a 72 hours' notice (three days) for not attending an autism, learning disabilities, neuropsychological or cognitive assessment, you will be charged a quarter of the price of the assessment you booked.
Your payment will be fully granted for any services contracted if the practitioner cancels the appointment less than 24 hours before your appointment.
All requests for cancellation/refunds must be put in an email at info@betterpsychology-ltd.co.uk.
Additional costs
If the assessment could not be completed because of your late arrival, the practitioner might book another session for an additional fee to complete the assessment. This additional fee is £150/hour.
Complaints policy
The practitioner is bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). A copy of the code of practice and ethics are available on request, or may be viewed on the HCPC website.
In the event of you being unhappy with the services you receive, please discuss this with your practitioner. Each complaint is handled in a timely, sensitive and efficient manner. All parties involved are treated with respect and dignity.
All complaints will be acknowledged within 5 days from receipt and will be investigated in a timely and thorough manner.
All information related to the complaint will be treated with the strictest confidence.
The practitioner is highly dedicated providing the psychological services to the best of their knowledge and to always act in accordance with the ethical code of their professional body. If you raised your concerns with your practitioner, and you still not received a satisfactory resolution, then you have the right to complain to the practitioner's professional body, the HCPC.
All complaints related to administrative errors should be dealt with internally.
All complaints will be used to identify areas for improvement and to improve the services provided by Better Psychology Ltd. Feedback from complaints will be used to improve the service in the future.
Privacy policy
Payment details
All cards details are stored securely. Your full card details cannot be accessed. We use a secure platform for bookings and payments.
Information gathered
The practitioner will gather the following information over the course of the psychological services provided in order to make informed professional decisions as to the most appropriate assessment and treatment methods to be used:
- basic demographic data;
- the problems for which you see help;
- a history of the presenting problems;
- a family history of relevant information;
- medical letters;
- school reports;
- other information deemed necessary to make informed clinical judgements about the presenting problems.
You will be asked to provide a copy of your ID for any psychological assessment requested. This is in order to ensure that clients don't seek a mental health diagnosis under a fake identity.
The practitioner cannot provide a recorded version of your session(s), nor they agree for you to record your session(s).
Confidentiality of information
All information gathered by the practitioner over the course of the psychological services is confidential. However, there are several exceptions:
- As part of the practitioner's code(s) of practice, they are required to carry out continuing professional development, and to engage in regular on-going clinical supervision. This is to ensure an ethical and professional service to clients. They may discuss your case in supervision but would not use any identifying details.
- Confidentiality may be breached if the practitioner considers there is a risk you may harm yourself or others. In such exceptional circumstances, where there is concern for your wellbeing or that of others, it may be necessary to seek help outside the therapeutic relationship. In such an event where the practitioner is considering breaching confidentiality, you will normally be consulted first.
- In the case of a disclosure concerning acts of terrorism, vulnerable adult or child protection issues or drug trafficking, confidentiality will be breached, and such disclosures will be passed onto the relevant authority without delay. Due consideration should be exercised by the client before disclosing anything of a previously unreported criminal nature, as the practitioner is obligated to contact relevant authorities.
- Confidentiality may be breached if a file is subpoenaed to court.
- Confidentiality may be breached if you give permission to share your information by completing and signing a written consent form.
Use of information
The practitioner will use the information provided by you to guide the psychological services for the presenting problems.
The practitioner will used the information provided by you for the evaluation of the services provided by Better Psychology Ltd. In all cases where information is used for statistical purposes, no identifying information is made available.
Security of information
All files are held electronically in a secure manner or are stored in a space that is accessible only to the practitioner who collected them.
Availability in case of crisis
Your practitioner is available to you at your scheduled appointment only, unless otherwise agreed mutually.
In case of crisis, please seek other resources. Contact your GP, the Samaritans (call 116 123, The Samaritans0, or if necessary, the emergency services (call 999); or go to A&E.