Payment
Sessions will be invoiced in advance. For regular clients, it may be mutually agreed between the Therapist and the bill payer that an invoice is not required (where both are clear of the cost per booked session). Sessions must be paid for at least 48 hours prior to the day of the appointment. Bank transfer is the preferred payment method. If payment is not received, sessions will be suspended until the payment has been settled.
Session Rates
The price per session will be agreed between the client and Therapist in advance. Information on fees can be found on my website www.gemmawolfe.com. All costs are subject to review on an annual basis.
Cancellation Policy
If the Therapist cancels the session then it will be rearranged at the earliest convenience of the client and the Therapist.
Clients are kindly asked to cancel appointments with as much notice as possible.
If the client cancels the session at least 48 hours before it is due to go ahead, there will be no charge.
If the client cancels with less than 48 hours notice, there will be a charge of 100% of the session cost.
If the client fails to attend the appointment, they will be charged the full session rate plus any mileage due (for journeys over 10 miles in each direction). This applies to the following situations:
Data Protection
I am fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998). All paper information that I keep relating to patients is stored in a locked cabinet and all electronic information is stored on my password-protected computer. Reports and target sheets sent via e-mail are sent password-protected to maximise security. The password will be sent separately, usually via text message.
Role of the Parent/Carer
Parents or education staff (depending on the location of therapy) may sit in on assessment sessions if they wish to. However, it is essential to the child’s progress that an adult sits in on all therapy sessions. This is because that adult will be asked to continue with the activities modelled during the session. This is to maximise the child’s progress and it is recommended that the suggested activities are carried out at least 3 times per week in sessions of up to 20 minutes.
Liaising with Other Professionals
In many cases, children that receive independent therapy may also be on the waiting list or caseload for NHS Therapy. In this instance, it is anticipated that the child’s parents will inform both the Independent Therapist and the NHS Therapist of the involvement of the other. In the interests of providing effective assessment and therapy, it is beneficial for the Therapists to liaise for the purpose of information sharing. This may include: assessments completed and the outcome of these, therapy targets, progress over therapy. Parents will be informed prior to the Therapist contacting the NHS Therapist for the first time.
In situations where other professionals are involved, e.g. Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, it may be useful for liaison to take place. in this instance, parental consent will be sought prior to contact being made. However it is expected that the parent will inform the Therapist of the involvement of these professionals.
Medico-Legal / Tribunal Work
I do not accept clients for the purpose of tribunal attendance or contribution.
Concerns / Complaints
Concerns often arise due to miscommunication. If you have a concern/complaint, these should in the first instance be discussed with the Therapist. Should this not resolve your concerns, you are able to involve the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice or the Health and Care Professions Council. Please follow these links for further information:
http://www.helpwithtalking.com/Complaint-Policy
http://www.hcpc-uk.org/complaints/raiseaconcern/howto/
Sessions will be invoiced in advance. For regular clients, it may be mutually agreed between the Therapist and the bill payer that an invoice is not required (where both are clear of the cost per booked session). Sessions must be paid for at least 48 hours prior to the day of the appointment. Bank transfer is the preferred payment method. If payment is not received, sessions will be suspended until the payment has been settled.
Session Rates
The price per session will be agreed between the client and Therapist in advance. Information on fees can be found on my website www.gemmawolfe.com. All costs are subject to review on an annual basis.
Cancellation Policy
If the Therapist cancels the session then it will be rearranged at the earliest convenience of the client and the Therapist.
Clients are kindly asked to cancel appointments with as much notice as possible.
If the client cancels the session at least 48 hours before it is due to go ahead, there will be no charge.
If the client cancels with less than 48 hours notice, there will be a charge of 100% of the session cost.
If the client fails to attend the appointment, they will be charged the full session rate plus any mileage due (for journeys over 10 miles in each direction). This applies to the following situations:
- The Therapist attends the client’s home for a scheduled session and the client is not in.
- The Therapist attends the client’s home for a scheduled session and is informed by the adult present that the session cannot go ahead.
- The Therapist attends the child’s nursery or school for a scheduled session and the child is not there or cannot attend.
Data Protection
I am fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998). All paper information that I keep relating to patients is stored in a locked cabinet and all electronic information is stored on my password-protected computer. Reports and target sheets sent via e-mail are sent password-protected to maximise security. The password will be sent separately, usually via text message.
Role of the Parent/Carer
Parents or education staff (depending on the location of therapy) may sit in on assessment sessions if they wish to. However, it is essential to the child’s progress that an adult sits in on all therapy sessions. This is because that adult will be asked to continue with the activities modelled during the session. This is to maximise the child’s progress and it is recommended that the suggested activities are carried out at least 3 times per week in sessions of up to 20 minutes.
Liaising with Other Professionals
In many cases, children that receive independent therapy may also be on the waiting list or caseload for NHS Therapy. In this instance, it is anticipated that the child’s parents will inform both the Independent Therapist and the NHS Therapist of the involvement of the other. In the interests of providing effective assessment and therapy, it is beneficial for the Therapists to liaise for the purpose of information sharing. This may include: assessments completed and the outcome of these, therapy targets, progress over therapy. Parents will be informed prior to the Therapist contacting the NHS Therapist for the first time.
In situations where other professionals are involved, e.g. Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist, it may be useful for liaison to take place. in this instance, parental consent will be sought prior to contact being made. However it is expected that the parent will inform the Therapist of the involvement of these professionals.
Medico-Legal / Tribunal Work
I do not accept clients for the purpose of tribunal attendance or contribution.
Concerns / Complaints
Concerns often arise due to miscommunication. If you have a concern/complaint, these should in the first instance be discussed with the Therapist. Should this not resolve your concerns, you are able to involve the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice or the Health and Care Professions Council. Please follow these links for further information:
http://www.helpwithtalking.com/Complaint-Policy
http://www.hcpc-uk.org/complaints/raiseaconcern/howto/