Terms and Conditions of Service
Fees are within the guidelines recommended by the Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice (ASLTIP) which is approved by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. Fees reflect the expertise of the Speech and Language Therapist and planning time & resources used for assessment/therapy.
Assessment:
Assessments usually take around 45minutes- 1.5 hours. However, this varies according to the client’s needs. We will aim to see all dysphagia referrals within 72hrs and communication within 12 days of referral.
At the beginning of the assessment, the client/carer will be required to be present for the full length of the session to give a brief case history if it is difficult to obtain from the client directly. Following the case history, the assessment will be conducted with the client using standardised and non-standardised assessments (where appropriate).
Reports:
After the assessment, you will receive a report within 10 days of assessment which includes a full analysis of assessment results and recommendations for intervention as appropriate. The cost of the report is in addition to the cost of the assessment. There is no extra charge for discussing the report, outcomes and recommendations with us over the phone.
After an assessment/block of therapy, we will advise you whether we feel you/your client will benefit from further input; however it is your choice whether you continue with another block/session of intervention, or whether you choose to be discharged from the service. At this point you may request a detailed discharge report at an additional cost to outline the progress made. This report will outline the aims of the block of therapy and how the client progressed with these aims. In addition, it will give suggestions for future aims if you decide to continue with therapy or if you move back under the care of NHS therapists.
Therapy sessions
A therapy session normally lasts 40 minutes to one hour, but again this varies according to the client’s needs. The length of the sessions will be agreed with you before commencing therapy. The fee includes time spent outside the consultation in preparation of material, planning and liaising with other professionals (see below).
If you/your client are currently being seen by an NHS therapist, or are on the waiting list, it is often beneficial for us to contact the therapist to discuss therapy targets and approaches etc (in order that we can work in harmony). However, consent for cross professional liaison will be sought from you and you have the right to decline consent for us to contact other professionals.
Payment
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 assessment or therapy. Otherwise, invoices are sent out at the end of each month. Payment can be made in cheque, by cash or bank transfer.
Travelling charge:
There is no charge for travel for journeys up to 5 miles. When a journey is over 5 miles, a charge of £0.50 per mile will be made.
Cancellation policy:
Appointments may be cancelled 24 hours in advance for no charge.
50% session fee if less than 24hrs notice
