BASIC TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

The therapeutic agreement is between you (the Patient) and Headcalm Therapy. 

The agreement abides by the GDPR legislation 2018. On commencing therapy , the Patient (you) agrees to the following terms and conditions: 

All new Patients are required to read and confirm the acceptance of the terms and conditions of this therapeutic agreement. Confirmation can be provided in writing via email. If written confirmation is not provided for any reason, then by commencing therapy the Patient agrees to the term & conditions of this agreement. The Patient is required to respond in writing (via email) if s/he does not agree to the terms and conditions of this agreement. 

Any session cancelled or rescheduled by the Patient with less than 48 hours notice will be charged in full to the Patient. Any sessions. Each appointment must be paid before or at the time of booking the appointment. Failure to do so will result in the Patient forfeiting the session. 

The Therapist abides by the code of confidentiality of BABCP and GDPR regulations. Identifying information, such as Patient’s name, address, biographical details and other description of a Patient’s life and his/her circumstances, will be kept confidential and stored safely. 

Headcalm is not a crisis or emergency service, in such an event, please contact your GP, NHS 111 online service, or 999. In addition, you can call: 

The Samaritans (24hr): 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org 

CALM: 0800 58 58 58 (Everyday, 5pm – midnight). 

For detailed Terms and Conditions, please see below. 

PATIENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 

JURISDICTION 

These terms and conditions are governed by and interpreted in accordance with English law. In the event of any dispute arising in relation to these ‘terms and conditions’ or any dispute arising in relation to the therapy, whether in contract or otherwise, the English courts will have exclusive jurisdiction over such dispute. 

DEFINITIONS 

The Therapist: Dubby Stemp 

The ‘Patient’: You 

‘Therapy’, ‘Therapy session’ ‘Appointment’ and/or ‘Therapy appointment’ is the time spent with the therapist who will apply his chosen method of therapy application and modality. 

‘Modality’ is a model of study for therapeutic application. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Behavioural Couples Therapy are examples of psychological modalities. 

The ‘Session’ and/or ‘Appointment’ is the booked time slot and arranged time working with the ‘therapist. 

‘Presenting Issue(s) or ‘Problem’ is what the Patient wants to work on with the Therapist. 

The ‘Goal’ is the therapeutic goal created collaboratively with input from both the Patient and the Therapist and is what the patient would like to achieve as the desired outcome in therapy. 

The ‘Desired Outcome’ is the desired result of the work that the Therapist and the Patient work towards achieving. 

The ‘Session Time’ is 50 minutes unless otherwise agreed. 

1. FORMATION OF AGREEMENT 

1.1 After booking a therapy appointment by either telephone, email or text, the Patient, in accepting the appointment, accepts the following conditions for the appointment: The Patient agrees to the Therapist contacting him/her via telephone, email or SMS/WhatsApp/Zoom. If the Patient prefers that the Therapist uses a specific method of communication (e.g., only text, or only email or only telephone call), she/he must state this in writing via email or text. 

1.2. Booking: Therapy appointments can only be made through discussion between the Therapist and Patient, via email, videocall or telephone correspondence. When you are inquiring for appointment by emailing or telephone call, the Patient will receive a booking confirmation via email.  

1.3. All new patients will be required to email the Therapist their full name, birthdate, full current address, next of kin details and GP details. This information is needed as part of the intake process and future invoicing. 

1.4. The Therapist requires the Patient to be truthful and work in the best interests of the agreement between the Therapist and the Patient. 

1.5. The Patient agrees to provide the Therapist with all pre-session written work such as questionnaires (if applicable) as appropriate within the requested timeframe 24 hours prior to the booked session. 

1.6. Lateness: The Patient is paying for the agreed time with the Therapist and at the agreed location (physical or online/remote). It is the Patient’s responsibility to attend the session on time. The Therapist will use best efforts to call and/or text the Patient within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time for any therapy session (in-person and or online/remote) if the Patient is late for the session. In addition, up to three call attempts will be made within 15 minutes of the scheduled start time if the Patient is late for the session. After 15 minutes the Therapist has no obligation to contact the Patient. The Patient will be also kept updated if the Therapist is likely to be delayed more than five minutes. 

1.7. No refund will be given for any late arrival at the session under any circumstances. This includes emergency or unforeseen circumstances out of the Patient’s immediate control, as the 48 hour policy will still apply. 

1.8. If the Patient arrives late, an extension of the agreed time or rescheduling the session will not be offered. 

1.9. The Therapist is not required under any circumstances to go beyond the arranged session finishing time. The session will be terminated at the end of the arranged time even if the Patient has not reached his/her desired outcome. 

1.10. The Therapist will use reasonable care and skill in providing the service that the Patient chooses. Patients are different and so is every therapy session. There are no guarantees of successful outcomes. 

1.11. It is not the responsibility of the Therapist to achieve the desired outcome for the Patient. The desired outcome as an achievement of the goal(s) cannot be guaranteed or promised to the patient by the Therapist. It would be unethical to provide a guarantee for a Patient’s treatment of therapy. 

1.12. If the Patient is not satisfied with the therapy’s outcome, there is no refund. Psychology Clinic London does not accept any liability in relation to the therapy and modalities used in session. 

2. PRICING, PAYMENT, AND METHODS OF PAYMENT 

2.1. The fee for a 50-minutes session is £120, unless otherwise agreed. 

2.2. Payment is to be made via a bank transfer 24 hours before the session. Bank details will be given at the booking of the appointment. 

2.3. The Patient, however, is obliged to pay any related transfer fees per transaction. The Therapist bears no responsibility for any transaction fees set by any third parties. 

2.4. Failure to comply with payment requirements will result in the session being cancelled and the session will be made available to other Patients. 

2.5. It is at the Therapist’s discretion whether to accept late payment. 

2.6. Patients must be current with payments before booking a new session. 

2.7. Invoices may be processed and emailed directly to the Patient, by a third party (e.g., secretary/invoicing company). By commencing therapy, the Patient gives consent and agrees for the invoices and any of his/her personal information that is used for invoicing (e.g., name, home address, email, DOB,) for therapy sessions to be processed and emailed directly to the Patient. The Patient is entitled to expect that the information above will not be used for any other purpose rather than invoicing, will be kept confidential and stored safely. 

2.8. If the Patient would like the Therapist to write any letters on their behalf, the time in preparing such letters will be charged £120. If the Patient require an extended report, the Patient must discuss this with the Therapist. Please note that the Therapist needs a minimum of one week’s notice, if the Patient requires any written documentation. 

2.9. The Patient is required to inform the Therapist in advance if they are seeking a professional letter of any kind or are seeking therapy as part of a legal claim. 

3. CANCELLATION POLICY 

3.1. Cancellations can be done via email by the Patient, with a minimum of 48 hours. 

3.2. 48 hours is exactly 48 hours prior to the arranged time – e.g., an appointment arranged for 2pm Monday must be cancelled by 2pm the Saturday before.  

3.3. Any cancellations within the 48 hour notification period will not be charged. 

3.4. If a Patient would like to cancel a session before the 48 hour notice period, the patient is expected to contact the Therapist by email or text message. 

3.5. If a Patient fails to give 48 hours notice days’ notice of cancellation, she/he will have to pay for the booked session or not receive a refund for the booked session. This applies under any circumstances including emergencies, illness, or any situations that are out of the Patient’s control. 

3.6. Rescheduling before the 48 hour deadline will allow the session fees to be carried over to the new appointment but under the same terms and conditions for cancelling. When the Patient cancels more than one session (two or more) within a period of 4 weeks, the cancelled session/s will be charged fully even if sufficient notice has been provided, so that the slot is kept available for the Patient. 

3.7. Short Notice or unplanned emergency sessions can be booked directly with the Therapist in writing but under the same terms and conditions for bookings, payments, or cancellation period. 

4. REFUNDS 

4.1. ‘Booked Sessions’ by the Patient must be paid for in full before the session. No refund will be issued for any cancellations or missed appointments with notice less than 48 hours in writing (email or text). This policy applies under all circumstances including emergencies, illness, or any situations out of the Patient’s control. 

4.2. The Patient is not bound by the cancellation fee if she/he contacts the Therapist in writing (by email or text) to cancel or rearrange prior the session within exactly 48 hours. For example, if a session is booked for Wednesday at 5pm, the 48 hour notice must be given the preceding Monday at 5pm at the latest. 

4.3. The Patient is expected to pay in full any cancelled or missed appointment with less than 48 hours notice. 

4.4. If written cancellation is received within the 48 hour notice, the Patient has no claim to this session time and the Therapist reserves the right to offer this slot to other Patients. 

4.5. If the Patient wants to arrange or rebook an appointment within 48 hour cancellation period, s/he is expected to request this change in writing. The Therapist will try to offer an alternative appointment but cannot guarantee to accommodate the Patient’s request. 

4.6. The Therapist will not terminate the session before its agreed time. However, if the Patient desires to finish a session earlier than the agreed time, a refund for the remaining time of the session will not be given. 

4.7. The Therapist can only offer an estimate of the duration of therapy based on his clinical experience. This, however, is only an estimate and therapy can be extended or terminated based on the Patient’s needs and treatment’s progress. 

4.8. Sometimes a Patient requires more time or less time than expected and this can only become known after therapy has started. If the Patient is in any doubt at any point or has any questions relating to the agreed duration of therapy, the Patient must raise the appropriate questions with the Therapist during an agreed therapy session. 

4.9. The Therapist reserves the right to terminate a session without a refund if it is considered that the Patient is a personal risk to him or anyone else in office or in the building. The appropriate services will also be alerted in all cases of violence or personal threats. 

4.10. Personal threats, verbal or physical abuse and vandalism will not be tolerated, and the session will be immediately terminated. Subsequently, no refund or any monies will be given for the remaining time of the booked session. 

4.11. When booking is made from outside the UK, the appointment time and further communication regarding the appointment will schedule in UK time, the Therapist’s current location. If the Patient has booked in the wrong time zone, the Therapist cannot be responsible for the error. This will be counted as a missed session and payable by the Patient and not the Insurer if the Patient is insured. 

5. CONFIDENTIALITY, HEALTH, AND SAFETY 

5.1. The Therapist is an accredited member of BABCP and adheres to their ethical framework and guidelines to ensure that the Patient receives a professional and competent service. 

5.2. Confidentiality is agreed between the Patient and the Therapist. The Patient is entitled to expect that the information they give to the Therapist about themselves, and others will remail confidential. The Therapist reserves the right not to disclose to any third party any information related to therapy sessions. This applies to all circumstances even at the request of the Patient. Information can be disclosed only if it is required by law. 

5.3. In line with UK law and the Therapist’s ethical codes of BPS and HCPC, the Therapist reserves the right to break confidentiality and disclose session information (notes, video or audio recordings) to any relevant third parties (e.g., GP, police, social services, legal services, emergency services) if in his/her clinical opinion the Patient’s safety is a risk to herself/himself or to others or is at any risk from others. The Therapist reserves the right to break confidentiality and disclose session information to child protection services if in his/her clinical opinion there is physical or sexual abuse or neglect of any person under 18 years of age. Similarly, the Therapist reserves the right to break confidentiality and disclose session information, if he/she believes that a person is being abused or neglected, to the appropriate state agency. Finally, the Therapist reserves the right to break confidentiality and disclose session information to authorities if the Patient discloses any involvement with terrorism and money laundering whether it is related to drug trafficking or any other serious crime. 

5.4. If the Therapist decides a confidentiality breach is necessary, s/he will endeavour to discuss this matter with the Patient and any recommendations will be documented. If this discussion is not possible due to any limitations or unforeseen circumstances (e.g., time limitations, urgency of the matter, availability, illness), the Therapist may have to proceed with the breach of confidentiality without prior notice to the Patient. 

5.5. In order to ensure that the therapeutic process can be maximised the Patient should not arrive under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed drugs. If the Therapist has any reason to believe that this may be the case, then the Therapist will draw the session to a close/not commence a session. 

5.6. The Therapist recognizes that the process of therapy may, for some, generate strong emotions. In rare circumstances where the Therapist has a concern that such emotions have escalated to the point where they are not, in the Therapist’s opinion, containable in the room, the Therapist will draw the session to a close early. 

5.7. Headcalm Therapy does not offer emergency support as we cannot guarantee availability to the Patient outside the planned sessions. If the Patient is in danger in any way, it is the responsibility of the Patient to contact emergency services (A&E), his/her GP or the Samaritans and discuss this with the Therapist in their next session. 

5.8. Please note that the Therapist or Headcalm Therapy is not able to provide immediate support in case of an emergency. If the Patient is in a life-threatening situation or cannot keep him/herself safe s/he is strongly encouraged to go to his/her local A&E and if s/he cannot get there safely to call 999. In addition, if the Patient’s emotional health deteriorates and s/he needs urgent assistance s/he is strongly advised to contact their GP, or, if out of hours, consider whether the Patient needs to go to A&E of your nearest hospital. 

If the Patient needs to speak to someone urgently, s/he can also use the services as listed below: 

• The Samaritans (24hr): 116 123 or email: jo@samaritans.org 

• CALM: 0800 58 58 58 (Everyday, 5pm – midnight). 

• Maytree: 020 7263 7070 (http://www.maytree.org.uk/). 

• Make an appointment with your GP. 

• NHS Direct on 111. 

5.9. The Therapist will try their best to get back to the Patient, but this may not be possible. The Therapist will often ask Patients to book a session or bring their session forward so the Therapist can assess the Patients and advise him/her accordingly. 

5.10. The Patient’s personal information in any session material is confidential and kept securely. However, in line with the Therapist’s professional accrediting bodies, the Therapist is expected to be in regular clinical supervision to ensure high quality of psychological services. Therefore, some information will be shared with the Therapist’s clinical supervisor and/or outside clinical sources who are also accredited with a professional body and abide by the ethical framework and guidelines of the profession. No personal identifiable information will be used to discuss the Patient with regards to the material that would be shared. However, discussion topics from the therapy sessions will be used in order to ensure that the Therapist is getting and giving the best assistance possible. The person(s) with whom the Therapist discuss Patients’ cases are legally bound to keep information confidential. 

5.11. As part of the Therapist’s aim in offering high quality service, the Therapist has found it helpful to make audio and/or video recordings of sessions. Recordings are solely used for supervision purposes with the Therapist’s clinical supervisor(s) and/or with other mental health professionals who are also accredited with a professional body and abide by the ethical framework and guidelines of the profession. Review of recordings in clinical supervision offers better insight and understanding of the presenting issues that might be helpful in the Patient’s circumstances. Recordings are kept and stored securely with password protection. 

5.12. By commencing therapy, the Patient consents to video/audio recordings being made of these sessions and to these recordings being used in clinical supervision to aid the work between the Therapist and the Patient. The Patient has the right to refuse consent to video/audio recordings and must state this in writing before the commencement of therapy. 

5.13. Any material produced in the session (e.g., video/audio recordings, session notes, written homework, and psychoeducational material) is the Therapist’s intellectual property and copyright. 

5.14. The Therapist also always requires confidentiality of the Patient. It is not permissible for the Patient to disclose any written or distributed correspondence/material related to the session before the session or post-session. 

5.15. The correspondence and all therapy material shared between the Patient and the Therapist is to be used only by the Patient. All written and verbal communication is issued and intended according to the Patient’s individual treatment plan. If the Patient shares any material that was intended for his/her exclusive use, the Therapist accepts no responsibility for the material’s effecting use on any third parties. Therefore, copying, reproducing or displaying this information publicly or electronically is not permitted and legal action may be taken against the Patient if that is found to be the case. 

5.16. The Patient is permitted to record (video, audio) the session but only after gaining written consent from the Therapist. 

5.17. The Patient under no circumstances is permitted to make public an unauthorised recording (video, audio) of the session on any social platform and legal action may be taken against the Patient if that is found to be the case. 

5.18. All relating correspondence (verbal or in writing) such as by phone, email or online software is strictly for use of the Patient and the Therapist. Information can be disclosed only if it is required by law. 

6. HANDLING, COLLECTION, STORAGE AND USAGE OF DATA 

6.1. The lawful basis for the Therapist holding and using the Patient’s information is in relation to the delivery of a contract to the Patient as a health care professional. As a registered member of BABCP, the Therapist operates under a strict code of confidentiality. 

6.2. Upon starting therapy, the Patient’s basic personal information will be collected for contact, identification and invoicing purposes. These include the Patient’s full name, date of birth, full home address, next of kin and GP details. If any of these information change during therapy, the patient should inform the Therapist in writing providing the new information accurately. 

6.3. Information is kept securely and confidentially in line with the GDPR and also the ethical framework and the code of practice of BABCP. 

6.4. Session notes or personal details of the Patient are kept in electronic form. All digital information is stored on Microsoft Onedrive, which is password protected. 

6.5. The Patient’s information is kept for a period of seven years following the end of therapy to comply with any obligations that are placed upon the Therapist by BABCP. 

7. PATIENT’S RIGHTS 

7.1. The Patient has the right to access the clinical notes. Beyond the clinical notes, any details held about the Patient are for the Therapist’s own use and not shared. 

7.2. The Patient has the right to request a copy of the clinical notes that the Therapist holds about her/him. If the Patient would like a copy of some or all of his/hers clinical notes, then the Patient must email the Therapist directly at info@headcalmtherapy.co.uk. Information will be provided to the Patient within 30 days. 

8. REVIEWS AND ENDING THERAPY 

8.1. The Patient and the Therapist will review sessions regularly depending on the Patient’s demand or as the Therapist finds this appropriate. 

8.2. The Patient is not tied into any long-term commitment, and s/he may end sessions by giving seven-days’ notice in writing although a number of ending sessions depending on the length of treatment is recommended. 

8.3. If the Therapist considers the Patient’s needs are beyond the limits of his/her competence, the Therapist reserves the right to terminate the therapeutic contract. The Therapist will discuss this with the Patient in the session and further recommendations, if possible, may be provided. 

8.4. If the Therapist decides to end the therapeutic agreement with the Patient due to unforeseen circumstances, he reserves the right not to disclose the reason for this decision. However, the Therapist will endeavour to give a month’s notice. 

INFORMED CONSENT 

By commencing therapy, I (the Patient) acknowledge that I have read the information above, and I agree with the terms and conditions of this agreement.