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TERMS & CONDITIONS
These General Terms and Conditions apply to therapeutic, psychological and related professional services provided by Dr André Swanepoel and André’s Therapy Hub.
By booking or attending an appointment, the client confirms that they have read, understood and agreed to these terms.
Where therapy involves a child, young person, couple or family, these terms apply in conjunction with any additional arrangements agreed for that particular therapeutic relationship.
1. Scheduling Of Appointment
-Clients are responsible for:
* Scheduling appointments appropriately.
* Attending appointments at the agreed time.
* Preparing for appointments where preparation has been requested.
* Providing appropriate notice when an appointment needs to be cancelled or rearranged.
* Keeping the practice informed of any significant change in circumstances that may affect the therapeutic work.
Appointments are reserved specifically for the client and cannot normally be offered to another client at short notice.
Cancellation Policy
Appointments must be cancelled or rearranged with a minimum of 48 hours’ notice.
Where an appointment is scheduled for a Monday, cancellation must be received by 12:00 midday on the preceding Friday.
Where less than 48 hours’ notice is provided, or where a client does not attend an appointment without appropriate notice, the full session fee remains payable.
The cancellation policy applies regardless of the reason for cancellation, including changes in personal circumstances, work commitments, travel difficulties or other competing commitments.
Exceptions may be considered at the discretion of the practice in genuinely exceptional circumstances.
2. Payment And Financial Matters
Payment in Advance
For self-funding clients, full payment must be received at least 48 hours before the scheduled appointment.
Payment may be made by bank transfer or by another payment method made available by the practice.
Where payment has not been received within the required timeframe, the practice may contact the client to request payment.
If payment is not received, the appointment may be released and offered to another client.
Where repeated late payment, non-payment or the need for repeated payment reminders occurs, the practice reserves the right to suspend or terminate ongoing therapy and may decline to offer further appointments.
Payment in advance does not remove or replace the 48-hour cancellation policy.
Insurance
André’s Therapy Hub works with a number of private medical insurance providers, subject to the terms and recognition arrangements of the individual insurer.
These may include:
* Bupa
* AXA Health
* WPA
* Aviva
* General & Medical
* Cigna
Clients are responsible for providing any required:
* Membership number
* Policy number
* Authorisation number
* Session authorisation
* Excess information
* Other information required by their insurer
Clients remain responsible for understanding the terms of their own insurance policy.
Insurance authorisation does not automatically guarantee payment of the full practice fee.
Where an insurer does not cover the full fee, or where an excess or other contribution applies, the client remains responsible for the applicable amount.
Any outstanding balance remains the responsibility of the client unless otherwise agreed in writing.
Financial Administration
The Practice Manager, David Stewart, manages financial and administrative matters on behalf of the practice.
This separation is intended to allow therapeutic sessions to remain focused on the therapeutic relationship.
Financial enquiries should therefore be directed to the Practice Manager rather than discussed during therapy wherever possible.
3. Fee Scale
Psychotherapy – Pinner
Individual psychotherapy – 50 minutes: £95
Couples/family psychotherapy – 50 minutes: £105
Individual psychotherapy – 90 minutes: £171
Couples/family psychotherapy – 90 minutes: £189
Online Psychotherapy – Zoom
Individual psychotherapy – 50 minutes: £95
Couples/family psychotherapy – 50 minutes: £105
Family Court-Related Therapeutic Work
Family Court-related therapeutic work is specialist work and is charged separately from standard private psychotherapy.
Individual therapeutic session – 50 minutes: £125
Parent–child/family therapeutic session – 60 minutes: £150
Extended parent–child/family therapeutic session – 90 minutes: £225
Professional review of Court orders, reports and relevant documentation: £150 per hour
Professional liaison and case-planning meetings: £150 per hour
Preparation of therapeutic summaries or professional correspondence: £150 per hour
Preparation for professional meetings or Court: £150 per hour
Court attendance: £250 per hour, subject to a minimum reserved period agreed in advance.
Any travel time and reasonable expenses associated with professional attendance away from the practice will be agreed in advance.
Additional Professional Work
Additional work outside scheduled therapeutic sessions may include:
* Reviewing Court orders
* Reviewing professional reports
* Reviewing other relevant documentation
* Professional liaison
* Case-planning meetings
* Multi-agency meetings
* Preparation of therapeutic summaries
* Preparation for Court
* Preparation for professional meetings
* Court attendance
* Written responses to professional enquiries
* Other professional work specifically requested outside the agreed therapeutic intervention
Additional professional work will normally be agreed in advance, including the purpose, scope and anticipated cost.
4. Documentation And Reports
Where relevant professional documentation is provided, including Court orders, psychological assessments, social-work reports, Cafcass documentation, medical reports or other professional material, the time required to review such material may be charged separately.
Substantial document review will normally be discussed and agreed before the work begins.
Therapeutic work does not automatically include the preparation of reports, statements, legal correspondence or expert evidence.
A request for a report, therapeutic summary, professional opinion, meeting or Court attendance will be considered separately.
A therapeutic summary is not an independent forensic assessment or expert report.
The fact that a client is receiving therapy does not create an obligation on the therapist to provide information that supports either party’s legal position.
5. Attendance And Completion Of Therapy
Therapy is a collaborative process.
Clients are encouraged to attend regularly and to discuss any difficulties they experience with the therapeutic process.
Clients are not required to continue therapy indefinitely and may decide to end therapy.
Where possible, termination should be discussed within a session so that the therapeutic relationship can be concluded appropriately and safely.
Where a client stops attending without discussion, the practice may consider the therapeutic intervention concluded.
Fees already paid for appointments that have taken place are not refundable.
Where a client has paid for a future appointment and provides sufficient notice to cancel in accordance with the cancellation policy, the practice will normally discuss whether the appointment can be rearranged or the payment transferred to another agreed appointment.
6. Sickness And In-person Attendance
Clients should not attend the practice when they are experiencing symptoms of an infectious illness where attending could reasonably place others at risk.
This includes significant symptoms such as:
* Fever
* Flu-like illness
* Significant cough
* Vomiting or diarrhoea
* Other potentially contagious conditions
Clients should contact the practice as soon as possible.
Where clinically and practically appropriate, the appointment may be converted to a secure remote/Zoom session.
The practice works with people who may be vulnerable to infection and therefore asks all clients to act responsibly when experiencing potentially contagious illness.
7. Telephone, Sms, Email And Other Communication
Therapeutic consultation does not normally take place by telephone, SMS, WhatsApp or email.
Therapeutic sessions take place through:
* Scheduled face-to-face appointments; or
* Scheduled Zoom sessions where appropriate.
Email and SMS may be used for:
* Appointment administration
* Scheduling
* Cancellation
* Practical arrangements
* Financial administration
* Other brief administrative matters
Email is the preferred method of communication for administrative matters where a written record is appropriate.
Clients should not use email, SMS or messaging services to seek urgent therapeutic or crisis support.
Messages may not be monitored continuously.
8. Emergencies And Crisis Support
André’s Therapy Hub is not an emergency or crisis service.
If a client is experiencing an immediate risk to themselves or another person, they should contact the appropriate emergency or crisis service rather than waiting for a therapeutic appointment or response from the practice.
Where appropriate, clients may be directed towards their GP, NHS urgent mental-health services, emergency services or other relevant support.
9. Children And Young People
Where therapy is provided to a child or young person, the therapeutic arrangements will take account of:
* The child’s age and developmental stage
* Their capacity to understand the therapeutic process
* Parental responsibility
* Any relevant Court orders
* The child’s wishes and feelings
* Safeguarding considerations
* The nature and purpose of the therapeutic intervention
The arrangements for involvement of parents or carers will be discussed at the beginning of therapy.
Confidentiality for Children and Young People
Children and young people are entitled to an appropriate degree of privacy within therapy.
However, confidentiality is not absolute.
A child or young person will be informed, in an age-appropriate way, that information may need to be shared where there are significant concerns about their safety or the safety of another person, or where disclosure is otherwise required or authorised by law or a Court.
The therapist will seek to preserve the child’s privacy wherever possible while also meeting professional, safeguarding and legal responsibilities.
Parents and carers should not assume that they will automatically receive a verbatim account of everything discussed during an individual session with their child.
Where appropriate, the therapist may provide general feedback concerning therapeutic progress without disclosing unnecessary personal details shared by the child.
The precise arrangements will depend upon the child’s age, developmental capacity, the therapeutic context, parental responsibility, Court orders and safeguarding considerations.
10. Child Protection And Safeguarding
The safety and welfare of children are fundamental considerations when providing therapy to children, young people and families.
Where information or observations give rise to concerns about a child’s safety, welfare or possible abuse, neglect, exploitation or other significant harm, Dr André may need to take safeguarding action.
This may include discussing concerns with:
* Parents or carers, where appropriate
* The child’s GP or another relevant professional
* School or educational professionals
* Local authority children’s services
* The police
* Other appropriate safeguarding professionals or agencies
Information may be shared without the consent of the child, parent or another adult where there is a lawful or professional basis to do so, including where necessary to protect a child or another person from serious harm.
The practice will seek to share information appropriately and proportionately and will consider the circumstances of each case.
Where possible and appropriate, significant safeguarding concerns will be discussed with the relevant person before information is shared.
However, this may not always be possible or appropriate, particularly where doing so could increase risk, compromise a safeguarding response or conflict with a legal obligation.
The therapist does not require a child, parent or adult’s permission to take appropriate safeguarding action where professional or legal responsibilities require this.
Current statutory safeguarding guidance in England emphasises that safeguarding children is a shared responsibility across agencies and professionals working with children and families. (GOV.UK)
11. Information Sharing
Information may be shared with other professionals where:
* The client has provided appropriate consent;
* Information sharing is necessary for the safe and effective provision of care;
* There is a safeguarding concern;
* There is a legal obligation to disclose information;
* A Court requires disclosure;
* There is another lawful basis for disclosure.
Information sharing will be considered in accordance with applicable professional, safeguarding, data-protection and legal requirements.
Only information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose will normally be shared.
12. Family And Couple Therapy
Where more than one person participates in therapy, the therapeutic relationship is understood to involve the family system or relationship rather than necessarily belonging exclusively to one individual.
This may include:
* Couples
* Parents and children
* Families
* Other agreed relational configurations
The therapist’s role is not to act as the advocate of one participant against another.
The therapist will seek to maintain an appropriate therapeutic neutrality and focus on the agreed therapeutic purpose.
Where clinically appropriate, the therapist may meet with individual family members as part of the wider therapeutic process.
The arrangements regarding confidentiality and information shared in individual meetings will be discussed clearly at the beginning of therapy.
13. Family Court-related Therapeutic Work
Where therapy arises in connection with Family Court proceedings, Dr André’s role is therapeutic rather than forensic.
He does not currently undertake independent assessments of:
* Parenting capacity
* Risk
* Safeguarding
* Allegations made by either party
* Alienating behaviour or parental alienation as a forensic determination
* The merits of either parent’s case
Dr André does not act as an independent social-work assessor and does not currently practise as a registered Social Worker.
His previous Social Work education and professional experience inform his systemic understanding of families, children and social context but do not constitute a current Social Work assessment role.
Therapeutic observations arising during sessions may inform clinical decisions about the therapeutic process but should not be confused with a formal forensic assessment.
The therapist will not determine which parent’s account is correct or provide an opinion for the purpose of deciding which party should be preferred by the Court.
Court Orders
Where therapy takes place in the context of Court proceedings, relevant Court orders may be reviewed to understand the parameters within which therapy is being requested.
Therapy does not override or replace Court orders.
If there is uncertainty about the interpretation or implementation of a Court order, the parties should obtain appropriate legal advice.
Reports and Court Attendance
Therapeutic work does not automatically include:
* Court reports
* Expert reports
* Statements
* Witness evidence
* Court attendance
* Legal correspondence
Any such request will be considered separately.
Dr André does not enter into therapeutic work on the assumption that he will subsequently provide evidence supporting either party’s case.
14. Confidentiality And Legal Disclosure
Therapeutic information is treated as confidential within the professional and legal framework applicable to the service.
However, confidentiality is not absolute.
Information may need to be disclosed where:
* There is a safeguarding concern;
* There is a serious risk of harm;
* Disclosure is required by law;
* Disclosure is required or authorised by a Court;
* There is another lawful basis for disclosure.
Clients should understand that therapeutic records, correspondence and other clinical information may potentially be subject to legal disclosure.
Dr André does not guarantee that therapeutic communications, clinical records or correspondence will be legally privileged.
Questions regarding legal privilege should be directed to the client’s legal representative.
The therapist will not routinely disclose clinical records simply because a solicitor, parent or other person requests them.
Requests for records will be considered in accordance with applicable professional, legal and data-protection requirements.
15. Clinical Records And Data Protection
Clinical records are maintained for the purposes of providing safe and effective therapeutic care, professional accountability and meeting relevant legal and regulatory requirements.
Records may include information concerning physical or mental health and therefore may constitute special-category personal data under UK data-protection law.
The practice will process personal information in accordance with applicable data-protection requirements.
Clients should refer to the practice’s Privacy Notice for further information regarding:
* What information is collected
* Why information is processed
* How information is stored
* Who information may be shared with
* Data retention
* Client rights
* Data protection responsibilities
Clinical records are not created for the purpose of providing evidence for one party’s legal case.
16. Termination Of Therapy By The Practice
Dr André reserves the right to decline, pause or terminate therapeutic work where this is clinically, professionally or practically necessary.
This may include circumstances where:
* The therapist feels threatened, intimidated or unsafe;
* There is abusive, coercive or seriously inappropriate behaviour towards the therapist or practice staff;
* The therapeutic relationship has broken down to the extent that effective therapy is no longer possible;
* The requested work falls outside the therapist’s professional competence or agreed role;
* There are significant safeguarding concerns requiring a different intervention;
* The therapeutic framework is no longer clinically appropriate;
* A client repeatedly fails to comply with agreed payment arrangements;
* A client repeatedly breaches practice boundaries;
* Information emerges that materially changes the suitability of the intervention;
* Continuing therapy would conflict with professional, ethical, safeguarding or legal responsibilities.
Where reasonably possible, termination will be discussed with the client and appropriate arrangements for ending or transferring care will be considered.
Immediate termination may be necessary where there is a significant risk to safety, serious misconduct or another circumstance in which continued therapeutic contact is not appropriate.
17. Termination By The Client
A client may decide to end therapy.
Where possible, the decision should be discussed during a therapeutic session so that the ending can be considered appropriately.
Where clinically appropriate, a final session may be recommended to review progress, address unfinished matters and consider future support.
Ending therapy does not remove responsibility for fees already incurred or appointments cancelled outside the agreed cancellation period.
18. Professional Boundaries
The therapeutic relationship is a professional relationship.
Clients are asked to respect appropriate professional boundaries concerning:
* Communication
* Contact outside appointments
* Gifts
* Social relationships
* Social media
* Confidentiality
* Payment
* Appointment arrangements
The therapist may decline requests or interactions that could compromise professional boundaries or the therapeutic relationship.
19. Communication With Third Parties
Where communication with another professional is required or clinically appropriate, the practice will normally seek appropriate consent unless there is a safeguarding, legal or other lawful basis for disclosure without consent.
This may include communication with:
* GPs
* Psychiatrists
* Psychologists
* Schools
* CAMHS
* Social workers
* Cafcass
* Solicitors
* Other therapists
* Other relevant professionals
The purpose and scope of significant professional communication will be considered carefully.
20. Fees For Additional Professional Work
Where additional professional work is requested, including document review, meetings, professional liaison, report preparation or Court attendance, the relevant fee will normally be agreed before the work begins.
The practice will endeavour to provide an estimate of the likely time involved where this can reasonably be anticipated.
If the scope of the work changes materially, the additional work and associated fee will be discussed before proceeding wherever reasonably possible.
21. Agreement
By booking and/or attending an appointment, the client confirms that they have had the opportunity to read these General Terms and Conditions and agrees to comply with them.
Where the client is a child or young person, the arrangements concerning consent, parental responsibility, confidentiality and participation will be established separately in accordance with the circumstances of the case.
Where therapy involves a family, couple or more than one participant, each participant may be asked to confirm their understanding of the relevant therapeutic arrangements.
Dr André Swanepoel
DProf
UKCP Registered Psychotherapist
Systemic Couple and Family Psychotherapist
Gestalt Therapist
André’s Therapy Hub