Standard Terms & Conditions
Our practice administration team will be available by email at admin@shorepsychology.co.uk until the physical building opens in Sandport Place, Leith late January. After that, contact can be made via phone or email between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Our team are happy to assist you with any queries you have about our services, operating processes, making bookings or any other general enquiries.
Our commitment to you
Shore Psychology CIC is a registered community interest company, meaning the income generated after costs, go back into the community to improve access to psychological services. All clinicians are self-employed clinical associates of the clinic. Most clinicians work part-time in the NHS or provide private practice elsewhere.
We have a clear triage process and accept both self-referrals and GP referrals. All referral forms are reviewed by our Senior Clinical Psychologists. If you are aware of any information that might be relevant to your treatment or therapy needs, then we ask you to make us aware of this. Once reviewed, you are matched with the best therapist for you/your loved one’s clinical needs and your availability for regular therapeutic input. When determining the appropriate clinician, our decision is based solely on the information you provide to us on your referral form. We may contact you for more information or clarification on the information that you have provided to ensure that we can support your needs.
In certain circumstances, we may feel Shore Psychology CIC is not the appropriate service to support you. If this is a decision made by the clinical team, it will have been well discussed amongst our clinical team, and we will do our best to outline these reasons via email and/or over the phone. We will also do our best to signpost you to a more appropriate service, or provide you with further advice or we may direct you to your GP for onward referral elsewhere. If we have already triaged and referred you for treatment to a member of our clinical team, then we may cease to arrange subsequent treatment or appointments for you with Shore Psychology CIC, if we feel it is no longer appropriate for us to do so.
Your commitment to us
When using our services you agree:
- You will provide us with accurate and sufficient information to help with our decision making, and for our clinician(s) to provide you with the most appropriate service.
- You will let us know of any changes that might affect your safety or suitability for the care we have referred you for.
- You will speak to our Shore Psychology CIC staff, and associates, in an appropriate way. We will not accept any abuse towards our staff. If this happens, we may withdraw our services to you or the person you are caring for. This is not solely limited to aggression, but any form of communication which we feel is detrimental to our provision of services or staff and associates. If this happens, you will not be eligible for any refund relating to services already delivered. Where possible we will try to signpost you to an appropriate alternative provider where this is available. This does not effect your right to complain appropriately, and our complaints process is available to you. Our complaints procedure will be available on our website.
- You will notify us as soon as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule any appointments.
We are not an emergency service
We do not provide out of hours cover. In the event that you need help in a crisis situation then please contact your local Accident & Emergency Service, crisis service, GP or if appropriate your Community Mental Health Team. In certain situations, for example where there has been a significant escalation in risk to your safety, we or your clinician may decide that you need a different type of service than we are able to provide at Shore Psychology CIC. In that case we will refer and/or signpost you to an appropriate organisation accordingly.
Cancellation Charges
We understand that sometimes it is necessary to cancel appointments. If you need to cancel your appointment for any reason, then we require 48 hours’ notice. If you need to cancel with less than 48 hours’ notice, then we reserve the right to charge up to 50% of the fee as a cancellation charge.
Fees and Payment Terms
Our standard fees are communicated to you at the time of booking an appointment and which may be amended by us from time to time. Fees for all appointments are payable prior to the appointment time, ideally at the time of booking. Payment is required 7 days prior to the appointment online, over the telephone or in the practice. Appointments will be cancelled if payment is not received within 7 days of the appointment. We do not accept cash payments for our services. We are not in a position to offer payment plans.
In the event that payment of our fees is made by a third party on your behalf (e.g. parent/guardian/employer), you shall ensure the third party complies with these standard terms and conditions.
Therapeutic and psychiatric services
We strongly recommend that you update your General Practitioner you are using our services, and keep them informed of any treatment that you have arranged with us. It is important that all medical professionals involved in your care are kept aware of what each other is doing. It is best practice that your GP is notified when you are engaging in medical treatment. This is for your safety and wellbeing and will allow your GP to be completely up-to-date.
We are not currently offering psychiatry services but plan to do so in the future. Where necessary, with consent, we can liaise with your existing psychiatrist to update them of Shore Psychology CIC’s input in your treatment.
Confidentiality and Consent
We shall manage your personal data in accordance with all relevant legislation including GDPR. By using our services, you consent to us storing and processing your data in accordance with our Privacy Policy which can be found on our website. We will use your data according to the consent you have provided, primarily for arranging and managing your treatment, but where consented also for keeping you up to date with services provided by Shore Psychology CIC.
There are some circumstances where we may be legally required to disclose your personal information, for example if you disclose information to us or a clinician that you may pose either a serious risk to yourself or another person, information regarding acts of terrorism or serious crime, or where we are legally required in accordance with child protection legislation to report safeguarding or child protection concerns. By accepting these terms, you acknowledge that we are legally obliged to do this.
Consent and Young People
Younger than 16
Children under 16 can consent to medical treatment if they understand what is being proposed. It is the responsibility of the clinician to decide whether the child has reached sufficient maturity to understand the nature and possible consequences of the treatment. Very young children, and those who are not considered to be capable of making their own decisions, cannot either give or withhold consent. Where this is the case, those with parental or carer responsibility need to make the decision on their behalf.
16 and 17 year olds
The legal age of capacity in Scotland is 16. In Scotland, 16 and 17-year-olds can consent to medical treatment or intervention without needing parental consent. Doctors have a duty of confidentiality to 16 and 17-year-olds and should not usually disclose information to parents without the patient’s consent. You acknowledge that we will be subject to such obligations of confidentiality in this respect and that we shall have no liability in the event we are required to comply with such obligations at the direction of the patient.
Complaints
A copy of our complaints policy is provided on our website. In the event you are unhappy with any aspect of our service please contact us as soon as possible in writing to admin@shorepsychology.co.uk and we will do our best to rectify any difficulties.
Miscellaneous
These terms constitute the entire agreement between the people procuring our services and Shore Psychology CIC.
We shall not be liable to you as a result of any delay or failure to perform our obligations as a result of an event beyond our reasonable control.
Any variation of these terms shall only be binding when agreed by us and sent to you by email. You cannot vary these terms.
You shall pay all amounts due without any deduction or withholding exception as required by law.
These terms and conditions are governed by, and shall be construed in accordance with, Scottish law.
Shore Psychology CIC. Standards Terms & Conditions V1.0 January 2025