Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions

Our Speech and Language Therapists (SLT’s) are all DBS checked, fully insured, and use their own resources. SLT contracts are self-contained and include all administrative tasks and report writing time. Our service delivery model is driven by the highest standards. We often have a long waiting list but aim to respond to all enquiries within 48 hours.

Once a client has received their initial assessment or have had support from us, they move onto our priority booking service for life. We consider primary schools and individual clients to be under our long-term care.

It is important to note that there is a lot of work going on that you cannot see. Speech, Language and Communication Therapy is not as straight forward as people may think. Please feel free to ask questions and take notes & videos during sessions; it is expected that techniques are implemented daily/regularly. This is the treatment plan that you are paying for.

We require these Terms and Conditions to be signed and returned before an appointment is booked. A Case History form will then be sent to you, and this needs to be completed and returned at least 5 working days before the Initial Assessment appointment.

Our fee structure and general contractual notes will be outlined below.

Services Provided and Costs

Please note that reports are not included in the cost of the Initial Assessment or Therapy Sessions. See the Report section for more information on these.

Initial Assessment

£300.00, plus relevant mileage & travel costs.*

This is a need based, face-to-face appointment. The session can last between 45 and 90 minutes at the therapist’s discretion, this will depend on the client’s needs. If the individual requires rest or has short periods of attention, the assessment can be carried out over 2 sessions. However, this will incur an additional therapy session fee of £100.00, plus mileage for the second session of the initial assessment visit.

The Initial Assessment includes:

• It is essential that Parents/Guardians are present throughout the entire assessment.
• An in-depth discussion to derive the primary concern for referral.
• Face-to-face time and liaison. A case history will be taken from the client and parents/guardians.
• Evidence-based practice and techniques. These will be used by the therapist to complete assessments with the client. Notes and/or videos can be taken if you so choose.
• A Follow-up plan. This will be explained verbally, not written. The therapist’s recommendations and ideas will be demonstrated. The therapist will also discuss whether further sessions will be needed.

Standard Therapy Session

£100.00, plus relevant mileage & travel costs.*

This includes a 45–50-minute speech therapy session, and 10–15 minutes for evaluation and planning for future sessions. The visit could be longer if deemed necessary by the therapist. This will happen only after a fee for this is discussed and agreed upon with you/the client. This will incur an additional therapy fee to cover the time taken.

The sessions are a mix of formal and informal conversation, as well as formal tasks where appropriate. In line with current evidence based practice treatment might be dynamic in approach. General techniques will be demonstrated and explained within this time.

Progress will not be likely to be made if you do not try the recommended techniques regularly i.e. everyday.

It is usual practice to offer an agreed number of treatment sessions, and to then review options at the end. However, individual differences in progression rates and learning of therapeutic skills can make it difficult to estimate the exact number of therapy sessions necessary. Clients are free to withdraw themselves from therapy at any time. Equally, if your therapist feels that the therapy is not being effective, this will be discussed with you. The therapist may recommend terminating sessions. Referral to NHS or other relevant service providers will be discussed if necessary.

Supportive Role of SLTs in Education/Workplace Setting

£100.00 per hour, plus relevant mileage & travel costs.*

The supportive role involves therapy sessions in an education/workplace setting, as well as case conferences, multi-disciplinary meetings with the surrounding team, and other related discussions.

Generally, an hour is sufficient. However, if the session takes considerably longer, an additional pro rata charge of £100 per hour will be incurred.

It is essential that carers/guardians/support staff sit in on the sessions, observe and take part if needed.

Review Appointment

£100.00, plus relevant mileage & travel costs.*

A review session may be appropriate in order to assess progress. This will last a minimum of one hour and could go up to 2 hours as it may involve reassessing with the formal assessments used a year ago. It is common practice to reassess after a year in order to monitor progress.

Phone Liaison:

£50.00 for 30 minutes of phone liaison is required on behalf of each client or any other professionals. If you require your therapist to have a phone call to the nursery or primary school setting with staff there, this will incur a fee of £50 per every 30 minutes.

Letters

£100.00 per hour

Some clients might require Speech and Language Therapists to devise a letter for other professionals, such as the hospital, ENT Team, your GP or to your nursery or the Education Health Authority etc. The fee to write these letters will be put of top of the therapy fee or initial assessment fee.

Reports

£120.00 per hour

There are times when a report would be useful or is required. The prices for these are dependent on the type of report requested and the length of time taken to write it.

We are flexible to your needs and budget, which is why our reports are available in multiple formats. You should choose the most appropriate option for you.

We can offer a fully comprehensive report or a brief email of what happened at your session and the therapists’ recommendations. If formal assessments are completed, this constitutes a fully comprehensive report because the data collected will take time to analyse qualitatively and quantitatively. This is extremely time consuming, and you cannot see the amount of work put into this. The therapist’s diagnosis will be based on calculation of the formal assessment results and the data obtained.

Reports will be completed within an agreed timeframe. In complex cases, the maximum time frame will be 60 days as it is common for SLTs to consult with their supervisors in some situations. If necessary your therapist will explain this to you during or after your appointment.

Special Circumstances

• In certain circumstances (e.g. complex cases) detailed assessments may last longer, or further assessment sessions may be recommended.
• Additional hours are charged at £100.00 per hour, and will always be discussed with you, the client.
• Accurate diagnosis is essential for planning appropriate therapy; sometimes diagnosis becomes apparent with ‘watchful waiting’. Some people can find this frustrating, however it is important to keep in mind that everyone develops in their own time. It is vital to slow down and let each client unfurl gently.
• Formal assessments are standardised and objective. My diagnosis will be based on these assessments, or dynamic assessments, my observations, informal discussions, social interactions, and what parents or significant others tell me (with client or guardian’s consent).
• Therapists’ findings may differ from your expectations, or any other professionals or guardians; On the other hand, you may not learn anything new.
• Therapy is usually effective but cannot be guaranteed. If progress plateaus, the therapist will recommend ongoing tasks for the client to complete, and the closing of this episode of care will be advised.
• Associates: where needs are recognised beyond the core skills and experience of the principal therapist, we have associates that cover a wide range of professional demands.

Training

Talks, workshops and training sessions for groups of professionals can be arranged. The charge for these will be arranged and agreed beforehand. Additional charges at the agreed rate will be made for preparation time and the provision of handouts and resources.

Travel Policy

To support the delivery of home-based therapy services, travel is charged in line with distance and time required for each visit. This ensures safe, sustainable, and equitable access to appointments.

1. Mileage

Mileage is charged at £0.45 per mile, calculated based on the total return journey from the therapist’s base.

2. Travel Zones (Return Distance)

For locations beyond the immediate local area, a Travel Time Supplement applies. This reflects the additional time required for travel and the impact on appointment availability.

• Zone 1 – Local Area (0–20 miles return) No travel time supplement applies.
• Zone 2 – Extended Area (20–40 miles return) Travel Time Supplement: £25
• Zone 3 – Regional Area (40–60 miles return) Travel Time Supplement: £50
• Zone 4 – Outer Area (60–80 miles return) Travel Time Supplement: £75
• Zone 5 – Long Distance (80+ miles return) Travel Time Supplement: £100

3. Total Travel Cost

Travel charges are calculated as:

(Return mileage × £0.45) + applicable Travel Time Supplement

4. Rationale

The Travel Time Supplement is applied to reflect:

• Time spent travelling to and from appointments
• Reduced clinical availability for other families

Payment

Invoices are sent electronically through QuickBooks at close of business on the day of your appointment. Payment details are shown on the invoices. You can pay via QuickBooks or bank transfer.

We ask that the date of therapy and initials are used as the payment reference, and that you confirm payment by email. We do not accept cash payments.

Fees are to be paid on the day of the appointment/consultation.

Individuals using private health insurance are responsible for settling the invoice and then claiming from the insurer. It is advisable to check the level and nature of your cover with the insurer before agreeing to therapy.

Please note – We reserve the right to charge a late payment fee of £10 for each day the payment is late, if the invoice is not settled on the due date.

Cancellation Policy

Please give a minimum of 24 hours’ notice of cancellation of appointments. Clients will be responsible for paying the full appointment fee if not notified within 24 hours. This will include mileage and travel fees as this is all planned into the therapist’s time.

Liaison

It is important for you that liaison with other professionals involved with your therapy is carried out. It is strongly recommended to individuals that they keep everyone in your care and development informed.

Where independent and NHS professionals are involved, it is good practice for them to work together collaboratively. This maximises opportunities for effective therapy to take place.

Consent for Speech and Language Therapy Intervention

This may include an initial assessment by the Speech and Language Therapist followed by direct intervention (if deemed necessary) or indirect intervention from support staff, guided by the Speech and Language Therapist in support settings.

Assessments will be ongoing as they will be used to provide us all with a baseline and then to monitor if there is progress and check if treatment is efficient and continues to meet the targets set.

If this document is being filled out by a parent on behalf of a child, “the client” refers to the child.

• I consent to referral to other professionals by Anna’s Speech and Language Therapy Services if the speech and language therapist deems this to be necessary. This will be discussed in detail with the client before any referral is made.
• If speech and language skills plateau it will be deemed necessary to close the case with Anna’s Speech and Language Therapy Services and inform the client of recommendations which will be ongoing.
• Sometimes in therapeutic practice, videos are useful for observing the clients’ progress and to aid reflective practice for both clients and their carer/guardians. For the purpose of therapy targets, and if deemed necessary, I consent to being recorded/consent to the client being recorded by video.

Section 4

• I consent to Anna’s Speech and Language Therapy Services accessing any relevant information from educational or medical records that relate to my/the client’s presentation. This includes both strengths and needs. I understand that this information will not be shared with anyone else without my/the client’s prior knowledge. I acknowledge that the use of this information is to ensure the best quality of care possible. Any information used will be destroyed once it has been used for the benefit of the client’s speech and language treatment.
• I am aware that should I/the client be unable to attend a speech and language therapy session, due to illness or otherwise, I will ensure that Anna’s Speech and Language Therapy Services is kept informed with a minimum of 24 hours’ notice.
• It is common for Speech and Language Therapists to train alongside university within real clinical practice observations and in educational establishments and homes. As a result, our service does include sessions with volunteers, students and newly qualified staff. These staff are supervised and mentored.

Section 5

I, the undersigned, have read, understood and certify that I am in agreement with all of the terms and conditions written above; I consent to myself/the client receiving Speech and Language Therapy from Anna’s Speech and Language Therapy Services.

Complaints Procedure

Please discuss any complaints or concerns you may have with Anna Sellers in the first instance. We aim to resolve issues promptly and informally wherever possible.

If your concern is not resolved, the following complaints process applies:

• Informal – speaking – You are encouraged to raise your concern directly with Anna Sellers in person or by phone to allow for open discussion and early resolution.

• Informal – written – If preferred, you may outline your concern in writing (e.g. by email) to ensure all relevant details are clearly recorded.

• Conciliation stage (ASLTIP) – If direct discussion is unsuccessful or not appropriate, you may contact Nicola Holmes (Chair, Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice). ASLTIP may offer a conciliation facility, where an executive member acts as an intermediary to help resolve the concern informally.

• Formal complaint (ASLTIP) – If conciliation is unsuccessful or declined, a formal complaint should be submitted in writing to ASLTIP.

• Timeframe – Complaints should normally be raised within six months of the incident or when the concern became known.

• External escalation (HCPC) – If the matter relates to professional conduct, or if the ASLTIP process does not lead to a satisfactory outcome, you may escalate your complaint to the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), the statutory regulator.

ASLTIP contact details: Email: office@helpwithtalking.com 71–75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London, WC2H 9JQ Telephone: 0203 002 3704

Data Protection Policy and Confidentiality (GDPR)

The following statement sets out Anna Sellers’ policy in relation to the holding and using of personal information which may be obtained from you or other sources during your or your child’s treatment.

This information may include personal details such as health, family situation and education. This data may be shared with yourself, other healthcare or education professionals with your permission. Correspondence can be communicated by post, phone or by secure email.

If you do not consent, please let your therapist know straight away.

Personal information is held in locked files at the practice office and on employed staff’s work laptop and work mobile phone’s secure files. Administrative staff and on occasion Tax Assist may access your data for the sole purpose of providing a professional service.

Your data is used for: • delivering assessment and therapy services • maintaining accurate clinical records • communicating with you and relevant professionals (with your consent) • meeting legal, safeguarding, and professional obligations

In the above, and all other matters, Anna Sellers and her team of staff work to the rules, regulations, policies and procedures of The Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice. www.helpwithtalking.com

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