Here find attached our
Terms and condition & fees general march 24
Terms and Conditions May 2024
Revised with the new GDPR 2018
Terms and conditions set out the expectations for the service user and the therapist. They govern the contract between us and ensure that both parties are protected in the unlikely event that a disagreement occurs. Please read my terms and conditions and contact me if you have any questions. Please sign both copies, returning one copy to me before our first appointment. Thank you.
Data Protection
- I am registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) as a Data Controller. You can view my ICO registration by visiting: www.ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZA298073
- All client details, case notes and correspondence will be stored securely and treated confidentially according to General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 1988.
- Information about you is stored on a file that is then locked. Reports and programmes are password protected.
- Any paper based confidential information is stored securely in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations and the Data Protection Act 1988.
- In accordance with law, all records will be kept securely for 2 years. After this time all records relating to you will be destroyed.
- If you wish me NOT to have your notes till that date, you need to put this request to me in writing.
- You may apply in writing to access an electronic copy of your notes or to request modifications of any inaccuracies. These requests will be dealt with within 30 days.
- For further information please refer to the Word Steps Privacy Policy at www.edinburgh-speech-therapy-wordsteps.co.uk/
FEES STRUCTURE
Payments for the course using installments: if you have opted out to pay for the course in six months installments you are agreeing to pay every month for six months. After the 30 days money back guarantee no refunds will be given and you cannot stop the payments. If no payments will be received, legal action will be taken for breach of this contract.
Initial Consultation: £180
The first consultation is divided in 2 parts, one session online with the parents only and then we will agree a face to face with your child.
(I will send you a separate document to explain the process)
Standard Consultation: £80
It is not always easy to predict how many sessions of therapy will be required so, in cases where it is likely that long term therapy will be necessary, we will agree a specific number of treatment sessions (therapy block) and have a mutual review of our arrangements at the end of that block period.
A standard consultation session will normally be 1 hour depending on the treatment required.
Travel
I do not tend to travel to people’s home anymore due to the large caseload.
Payment terms:
ï Payment are required 24 hours prior to the appointment
ï For a full refund, please contact us 48 hours prior to the appointment, after this date there will be a £10.00 cancellation fee.
ï Payment is ONLY accepted by electronic bank transfer.
Account details for electronic bank transfer payments are:
Starling Bank
Account name: Word Steps Slt LIMITED
Sort code: 608371
Account number: 08814851
Reference: your name
Late payments of over 10 days will incur a 10% increase. Clients using private health insurance are responsible for settling the invoice and then claiming from the company concerned. It is advisable to check the level of your cover before agreeing to therapy. Please note that I am not currently a registered BUPA provider and that, should the insurance company decide not to meet the costs, the client is obliged to do so.
Fee Changes:
Fees are subject to increases from time to time. Existing clients will be given 8 weeks’ notice of any changes in fees. Fee increases will not apply to therapy blocks that have already started or sessions that have already been booked or invoiced.
Non-Payment:
The following process will apply in the event of non-payment:
I will contact you to remind you that the payment is overdue. If an invoice is not paid within 7 days thereafter, you will receive written notice that therapy is suspended pending payment in full. If payment is not received in full within 7 days of therapy being suspended, I reserve the right to refer the matter to a solicitor and to commence legal action.
Further Appointments
Therapy appointments will be agreed and booked in advance. We will agree the number of sessions at the point of booking. We will review the need (if required and agreed) for further sessions at the end of each block of sessions.
Cancellations:
If I need to cancel an appointment, I will let you know as soon as possible and reschedule the appointment. I understand that there may be certain situations (such as illness or family circumstances) which mean that you need to cancel an appointment at short notice. If you do need to cancel an appointment, please contact me as soon as possible. The session will be refunded in full if you contact me before 9am on the day of the appointment. If you cancel the appointment after 9am on the day of the appointment, a cancellation fee of £50 will be incurred.
Non-Attendance:
The full session fee will apply in the event of non-attendance.
Detailed End of Treatment Report
In some cases, clients may wish to have a detailed end of treatment report which provides specific information out with the standard end of treatment summary report. Such detailed reports can be provided when requested by clients and are charged at £80 per hour. These will typically require 1 to 2 hours.
YOUR NOTES
- The notes will have my observations, any information you give me, reports and assessment sheets.
- After every session I write all my observations, and future plans.
Safeguarding:
- For your peace of mind, I renew my DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check annually. Service users may see my DBS enhanced disclosure at any time.
Working hours and availability:
- I work Monday to Thursday.
- I can be contacted by email or phone and I aim to respond by my next working day.
Electronic communication:
- Email is not a 100% secure method of communication. With your consent, it will be used for correspondence and to send letters, reports and other documents.
- Documents will be saved in Printed Document Format (PDF).
- Correspondence via email to other professionals will be copied to you, as necessary.
These terms and conditions are subject to review and may change. You will be given 30 days’ notice of any changes.
FEEDBACK
I very much value customer feedback and will make every effort to respond to any comments you may wish to make about the service.
https://www.facebook.com/pg/wordsteps.co.uk/reviews/?ref=page_internal
DATA PROTECTION PRIVACY NOTICE
Word Steps Speech Therapy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and is committed to protecting your personal information. This policy describes our procedures for ensuring that personal information is processed fairly and lawfully. It contains important information about what personal details we collect, what we do with the information, who we may share it with and why; and your choices and rights when it comes to the personal information you have given us.
We may need to make changes to this Privacy Policy in the future and will inform you of any important changes. Word Steps is registered with the Information Commissioner’s office and the data controller/processor. You can view my ICO registration by visiting: www.ico.org.uk/ESDWebPages/Entry/ZA298073
What data does Word Steps hold?
To provide you with a meaningful and high standard of care and attention, Word Steps requires to hold accurate personal information about you.
The type of information we hold would include:
- Date of birth
- Address
- Mobile Telephone Numbers
- Email Addresses
- Name of GP Surgery
- Relevant Medical Diagnosis & Development History
- Liaison Agreement Consent Forms
- Treatment Goals & Treatment Notes
- Any phone calls or conversations that occur outside of the face to face sessions are also recorded in the case notes.
Why does Word Steps hold this personal data?
Word Steps holds contact data in order to communicate directly with clients.
- A case history is essential for understanding the nature of a communication difficulty and so that effective assessment can lead to an accurate diagnosis.
- Case notes form a record of the client’s progress and allow future therapy to be planned in as an effective and efficient way possible.
- Data is also used by Word Steps for the purpose of keeping our own accounts and records in accordance with the requirements of Her Majesty’s Revenue Custom’s and the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Sharing of Personal Information
Your information is only ever shared when you have given written consent for this to happen.
- The reason for sharing information and who it will be shared with will be explained to you at the time so that your consent is informed. Any information sharing is carried out with the client’s best interests in mind and typically takes the form of specific information about your communication issue, for example, a report to your GP or other professionals, giving written strategies to help others to support you.
- Unless Word Steps is required to by law, we will not disclose any personal information relating to you.
- Word Steps does not employ agents to process personal data, for example, specialist mailing companies to send out communications, nor do we give or sell client details to any third parties.
Where is my data kept?
Your information is held in paper files at the Word Steps Speech & Language Therapy business address. These files are kept in locked filing cabinets. Electronic data is kept to a minimum and is stored on our password protected computers & offline external hard drive.
What is your Lawful Basis for keeping my data?
- Data protection legislation requires businesses to make clear the ‘Lawful Basis’ for retaining your data. This basically means businesses have to tell you the reason why they need your data.
- These reasons are defined by the regulations and the reason your data is collected can vary over time.
In the case of Word Steps, data is kept under the following legal bases:
- Contract’ – in most cases, your data is collected as part of our contract to provide you with a
quality Speech & Language Therapy Service. We need to keep a record of the presenting
problem, steps taken to address it and the effectiveness of therapy provided.
- ‘Consent’ – by signing below, you will have given your consent for your data to be used
specifically by Word Steps to provide speech and language therapy support for you.
- ‘Legal Obligation’ – any data collected by Word Steps may be subject to a legal obligation. For example, case notes must be retained for the periods defined by law (see below).
How Long will you store my data?
If you make an enquiry, do not have any face-to-face sessions and no further action is required, your data is deleted within a month of your first contact. If you have one or more face to face sessions then a case file is opened. Once the client is discharged, the paper case records are stored in locked file boxes in accordance with the legal requirements for medical records before they are shredded at the end of the required retention period.
Can I get Access to my data?
Yes, you can as long as you are an entitled person, i.e. either the client or someone with legal
responsibility for the client. Email Anna Biavati-Smith at wordstepsslt@gmail.com.
Can I withdraw my consent or ask for my data to be deleted?
You can withdraw your consent at any time by email to wordstepsslt@gmail.com Any data that does not have to be retained legally as part of your case notes can also be destroyed if you so wish.
Your Rights
Your key rights, that will be protected by GDPR are as follows:
- The right to be informed
- The right to access
- The right to rectification
- The right to erasure
- The right to restrict processing
- The right to data portability
- The right to object
- The right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling
For further information, visit www.ico.org.uk/for-the-public/is-my-information-being-handled-correctly.
What happens if there is a data breach?
In the unlikely event that someone unauthorised accesses the data Word Steps holds, you will be informed of the breach and the steps taken to address it. Any breach will be reported to the Information Commissioners Office in accordance with the law.
Can I make a complaint if I have concerns about the way Word Steps handles my data?
Yes you can. If you have concerns about how your data is being handled by Word Steps, you are welcome to contact us directly in writing to Anna Biavati-Smith at wordstepsslt@gmail.com.
If we cannot resolve your concern, you also have the right to pass your concerns on to the Information Commissioner’s Office via the website at https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ or at the following contact details: Information Commissioner’s Office, 45 Melville Street, Edinburgh, EH3 7HL, Tel: 0303 123 1115, email: scotland@ico.org.uk
How can I let Word Steps know who I’m happy to share data with?
Consulting with other professionals is key to providing a high quality service for you. Please fill in the professional’s name then tick and initial to indicate the who you are willing for Word Steps to share information with, in written or spoken form:
Declaration: Please indicate Yes or No, as appropriate
(Term “Anna” refers to Anna Biavati-Smith)
I understand, as described above:
- I can contact Anna before signing the terms and conditions if I have any questions (Yes/No)
- that Anna will be storing and processing my personal information (Yes/No)
I agree that:
- Anna may keep my email contact details (Yes/No)
- Anna can contact me (and vice versa) via telephone, SMS, WhatsApp (Yes/No)
- Anna can contact me (and vice versa) using WhatsApp voice messages (Yes/No)
I have read and understood this Data Protection Policy and consent to Anna processing my Information in this manner and for the purposes stated in the policy.
By signing below, I am agreeing to these terms and conditions
Name: …………………………………………………………………………….
Signed: Print Name: ……………….…. ……………………………………..
Date: ……………………………………………………………..
Please give the email address(es) you would like me to use in correspondence with you:
Email(s):………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Please tick to indicate which methods of communication you are happy for Wordsteps Speech &
Language Therapy to use in order to contact you:
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Mobile phone call |
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Text (SMS) message |
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Encrypted messaging service such as What’s App |
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Email – Please give email address: |
I have read and understood this Data Protection Policy and consent to Word Steps Speech &
Language Therapy processing my information in this manner for the purposes stated in the Policy:
Signed: Date:
