Terms and Conditions
1. Our Services
1.1 Initial Assessment: We offer a preliminary phone assessment from 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday. During this call, we'll gather information to guide you toward a suitable healthcare provider.
1.2 Referral Process: Our referral decisions are based solely on the information you provide during the initial call. It's your responsibility to inform us of any relevant factors that might influence your treatment.
1.3 Service Eligibility: We reserve the right to decline patients if we determine that our services aren't the best fit. While we'll strive to explain the reasons, we're not obligated to provide justification.
1.4. Ongoing Care: If we've already referred you for treatment, we may discontinue our involvement at any time if we deem it necessary. We'll aim to provide an explanation, but it's not mandatory. In such cases, we'll assist you in finding an alternative provider or directing you back to your GP.
2. Your Responsibilities
2.1 Accurate Information: You agree to provide truthful and complete information to us and any healthcare professional we refer you to.
2.2 Condition Updates: It is your responsibility to notify us of any changes in your condition that might impact your safety or suitability for the recommended care.
2.3 Respectful Communication: We expect respectful interactions with our staff. Abusive behaviour, including verbal or emotional mistreatment, may result in service termination without refund. This includes excessive aggression or criticism of our services or staff. We'll strive to refer you to an alternative provider if possible but are not obligated to do so. This doesn't prevent you from filing a formal complaint through our established process.
2.4 Complaints Procedure: If you have a complaint, please discuss it with the staff member you've been working with or email support@matterofhealth.co.uk. If the issue isn't resolved, you can file a formal complaint and request contact information for our Complaints Lead.
2.5 Appointment Changes: Please notify us promptly if you need to cancel or reschedule appointments.
3. Emergency Situations
3.1 Our services are not designed for emergencies. If you require immediate assistance during our office hours go to your local emergency services (A&E) if the situation is critical. Outside of office hours, reach out to your A&E, GP, or Community Mental Health Team. For more information, click here.
3.2 Specialised Care: In some cases, we may determine that you need more specialised care than we can provide. We'll refer you to an appropriate organisation accordingly.
4. Cancellation Policy
4.1 We understand that unexpected cancellations may occur. To minimise disruptions, please provide at least 48 hours' notice, before your appointment start time.
4.2 Cancellation Fees: For cancellations made within 48 hours of the appointment start time, we may charge up to 100% of the appointment fee.
5. Fees and Payment
5.1 Fees: Our standard fees are communicated at the time of booking and may be amended from us.
5.2 Payment for Appointments: To confirm your appointment, please ensure payment is received within 48 hours of booking. If payment is not received, your appointment will be automatically cancelled.
5.3 Third-Party Payments: If a third party (e.g., parent, guardian, employer) is paying on your behalf, ensure they are aware of these terms. In exceptional cases where an appointment proceeds without full payment, the remaining balance must be paid immediately. We reserve the right to take necessary actions to recover any outstanding amounts.
6. Non-Patient Payers
6.1 Third-Party Payments: If you're not a patient but have paid on behalf of one, you agree to abide by all terms, including cancellation fees.
7. GP Involvement
7.1 Communication with GP: We strongly recommend consulting with your GP and keeping them informed about any treatment arranged through us. This ensures all healthcare professionals involved in your care are aware of your treatment plan. We cannot prescribe medication without your GP's knowledge for your safety and well-being.
7.2 GP Referral: While not always required, a GP referral letter may be necessary in certain circumstances, especially for medication prescriptions. Your consent is needed for us to liaise with your GP to ensure prescribed medications don't conflict with any existing treatments.
7.3 Private Assessments and NHS Follow-up: If you're seeking a private assessment and plan to return to your GP for further care, consult with your GP beforehand to confirm their willingness to support you. GPs may decline to cooperate, and we cannot be held liable. If your GP isn't supportive, consider arranging all necessary services privately. We'll assist you in this process if possible.
8. Confidentiality and Consent
8.1 Data Privacy: We handle your personal data in accordance with all relevant legislation, including GDPR. We only use your data for arranging your treatment and with your specific consent. By using our services, you agree to us storing and processing your data according to our Privacy Policy and Information Governance Policy. These policies can be requested by emailing support@matterofhealth.co.uk.
8.2 Legal Disclosure: There are limited situations where we're legally required to disclose your information, such as:
You disclose a serious risk to yourself or another person.
You share information about terrorism or serious crime.
We're legally obligated to report safeguarding concerns under child protection legislation.
By accepting these terms, you acknowledge our legal obligation to disclose information in these scenarios.
9. Rectifications
9.1: Rectification Right: For psychiatry assessment reports, we provide a period of five working days from the receipt of the report to request corrections. These requests are carefully evaluated by the psychiatrist concerned before any necessary amendments are made. It's essential to emphasise that while these rights are of utmost importance, they are also subject to specific limitations. There may be instances where Matter of Health is unable to fulfil such requests due to our legal obligations, which encompass considerations related to the public interest, the fulfilment of our organisational responsibilities, or the resolution of legal claims.
10. Young People and Consent
10.1 Gillick Competence: When providing services to young people or children who demonstrate sufficient intelligence and maturity to understand and make their own treatment decisions (Gillick competence), we are legally obligated to respect their wishes. This includes their right to refuse treatment, withhold access to their records from third parties (including family members), and prevent communication with parents without their consent. We acknowledge our confidentiality obligations in these cases and shall not be liable if required to comply with the patient's wishes.
11. Complaints Process
11.1 If you have any concerns about our services, please reach out to us as soon as possible. You can email us at support@matterofhealth.co.uk and we'll make every effort to resolve the issue.
12. Liability
12.1 Treatment Provider Liability: We are an advisory service and not liable for treatment provided by clinicians, treatment providers, partners, or third parties, regardless of our referrals. Your contractual and legal relationship for treatment is directly with the clinician or treatment provider.
12.2 Your Actions: We're not liable for failures in our obligations caused by your actions or omissions or your failure to comply with these terms.
12.3 Liability Limitations: While we're not liable for death or personal injury caused by our negligence or other legally unallowable exclusions, our liability for other losses is limited to the fees paid in the year the loss occurred. We're not liable for indirect or consequential losses.
12.4 No Implied Terms: Except as stated in these terms, all implied warranties, conditions, or terms by statute or common law are excluded to the maximum extent permitted by law.
13. Miscellaneous
13.1 Entire Agreement: These terms represent the complete agreement regarding our advice and support services.
13.2 Force Majeure: We're not liable for delays or failures caused by events beyond our reasonable control, such as acts of God.
13.3 Modifications: Any changes to these terms must be agreed upon by us and communicated to you via email. You cannot unilaterally modify these terms.
13.4 Payments: All payments are due in full without any deductions or withholdings, except as required by law.
13.5 Governing Law: These terms and conditions are governed by and interpreted according to English law.