Covid processes & terms and conditions

Our Covid-19 processes

Reminders & forms:

Email reminder sent 2 days before your reserved appointment.

Covid-19 pre-screening form will be on the reminder email for you to complete and submit no later than 5pm the day before your appointment to allow time for the Osteopath to read, assess clinical suitability and take any action required.

Additional automated sms final reminder sent in the afternoon 1 day before your session to ensure you have submitted your forms.

On the day:

Remove jewellery (chains, dangly earrings, bangles, bands etc) and watches at home which is safer than leaving them in your car on the day. They can be a vector for cross infection.
What to wear - we are not able to use couch covers, or towels to cover you currently, so although you are welcome to continue to have treatment in your underwear - as most patients do and is preferable for us - you may also, if you would prefer, wear any of the following items that still give you full range of movement:

✔ Underwear, lightweight loose shorts or cotton-type leggings, t-shirt or vest.
✘ Avoid racer back bras, compressive 'hold-it-all-in' or sport type leggings/shorts. Jeans and other normal trousers are also not suitable as they limit palpation (specialised touch) and movement.
We may ask you to move or remove an item - such as remove a t-shirt - to closer examine an area but you may put them back on after if it is your preference to do so.

Only bring essential items with you. Do not bring bags or heavy/large coats into the practice. Please check that your phone is set to silent or off.
Wait in your car if you arrive early as we will be disinfecting and ventilating between patients at that time and will not be able to let you in early.

Come to the door at your appointment time, wearing a mask. Please stand 2 metres back from the door – you will be admitted on time.

Arriving more than 5 minutes late will mean that you unfortunately cannot be seen but will still be charged, so give yourself plenty of time please. Running to time for infection control protocols must be adhered to very strictly at the moment. Please call (safely) if you anticipate arriving late.

Your Osteopath will be wearing PPE as per PHE guidance – apron, mask, gloves.

You will be asked to sanitise your hands and exchange your mask for a fluid resistant mask that we will provide for you, and your temperature will be checked. please update us if anything has changed since completing your Covid screening form.

Chaperones are still welcome if required, as are essential carers, and a parent of a child patient. Please forewarn us as they will also need to be triaged and screened ahead of the appointment to be present in the practice, otherwise please attend on your own.

Currently we cannot allow access to the toilet for patients or visitors except in emergency.

Terms and conditions

Payments:

We now take prepayment at booking for all appointments. We can no longer take payment at the practice at the time of your appointment. This is help reduce contact time and touch points in the practice in light of the current circumstances. Prepayment is required to confirm your booking.

Online bookings – paid online during the booking process.
Phone or consulting room bookings – email payment link will be sent by our admin team for payment. You will receive the invoice 2 weeks before your booking and this must be paid no later than seven days before your appointment. If your appointment is booked for within the next 7 days, you will receive an invoice within 24 hours of speaking with us and payment will be due within 24 hours of invoice, or immediately upon receipt if the appointment is within the next 48 hours. Payment MUST be paid on time for us to secure your booking, or your appointment may be postponed or cancelled.
We do not accept cash or cheques.
Our refund policy is found within cancellation/rescheduling policy below.

Cancellation/rescheduling policy:

We ask for at least 48 hours notice* if you are unable to attend your reserved appointment so that we have time to offer the space to another person in need like you, and also to help you to avoid the cancellation fees. Please call to let us know as soon as possible so that we can reschedule with you.

More than 48 hours notice – carry forward the full fee for your next treatment (fully refunded if preferred).
24-48 hours notice – carry forward 50% of the full fee for your next treatment (or 50% refunded if preferred).
Less than 24 hours notice – no refund, this does not give us enough time to offer the time to someone else.
Non-attendance without notice – no refund, this does not give us enough time to offer the time to someone else.

*The exception to this is, in light of the current pandemic, if you, or any member of your family, is feeling unwell or Covid-19 is suspected then there is no fee due for a late cancellation but we would ask for as much notice as you can give. You will be able to reschedule after 14 days if all is well, please help to keep us all protected.

The fee may be waived in other serious, exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the Osteopath.

Satisfaction:

We hope that you are extremely satisfied with your experience with us, as we love to help you improve your health and get back to doing what you love best.

We much appreciate positive reviews on Google and Facebook as it really helps our visibility as a small business, and other people just like you love to read how others have got on.

If you do have any concerns, or have been unhappy with your experience with us, we are very sorry to hear that. Please speak to us as soon as possible as we would like the opportunity to change things to your satisfaction as we want everyone’s experience to be a positive one. We can also provide you with our complaints process to you if you remain unhappy.

Revised 29th May 2021
Zena Hewett