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Refund and cancellation policy

WHY A REFUND POLICY IS NEEDED

First of all, thank you for booking a consultation with me! I appreciate that life with a baby can be unpredictable, so I try to be as flexible and accommodating as possible. Unfortunately, over the last few years I’ve seen a steep increase in the number of last minute cancellations and no-shows. As a result, it delays other parents accessing support (as well as loss of income for me) as it is sometimes impossible to fill an appointment slot last minute.

Even if parents are on my waiting list, they can’t always access a last minute cancellation as it takes a bit of time to get organized with a baby! This is especially true at my clinic, as I have designated appointment slots. Since I introduced my refund policy several months ago, the number of last minute cancellations have dropped significantly, allowing for a more efficient service for everyone. 

SOME GUIDELINES AROUND BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT

These guidelines are designed to help you avoid cancellation fees and to access support as quickly as possible. 

  1. If you want to book an appointment in advance, just in case you might need support, that is fine. Just be aware of my late cancellation fees if you then decide you don’t need a consultation. A better option would be to contact me in advance and explain your situation. I can usually see a new client within 24-48 hours, and I can provisionally book you in without you needing to pay a fee too far in advance. 
  2. It is perfectly ok to cancel an appointment if you have been able to access specialist support through the NHS, with the infant feeding team. However, the refund policy will apply. If you are faced with cancelling at short notice, it may actually be more cost-effective to keep the appointment. I often see clients who have had specialist support on the NHS but they still come back to me later on for a longer, in-depth consultation and a detailed plan. 
  3. The more you communicate what is going on, the quicker I can get you rescheduled. For example, if you are not sure if you will be discharged from hospital before your scheduled appointment, just let me know that there is that possibility. I can still keep a slot open for you just in case, but have it as a back up slot for someone else I’ve planned to see another day, or rearrange my visits to accommodate you later in the week.
  4. Try not to book a home visit for the same day as a visit from your midwife or health visitor. It’s a lot for you and your baby to deal with in one day. Your midwife typically comes the day after you get home from hospital, on day 5 and 10, plus may schedule some additional visits. Your health visitor will come at some point around day 10. Invariably, we both show up at the same time. While I may be able to wait while they see you, I can’t always guarantee this flexibility. 
  5. There may be more availability for appointments than what is showing up on my booking system. I can typically see you within 24-48 hours if you contact me looking for an appointment. In the event that I can’t see you within 48 hours, I’m more than happy to offer some WhatsApp support/advice during working hours until I can see you face to face. 

REFUND AND CANCELLATIONS

  1. Payment is required in full within 24 hours of the time you book an appointment, otherwise your appointment may be cancelled. You will be issued with an invoice shortly after you book your appointment. You can either pay by card, or by bank transfer.
  2. If you cancel at least 24 hours before your appointment time you will get a full refund minus a £5 admin fee to cover bank charges, if you pay by card. This refund can take up to 5 working days as it gets processed by Stripe. If you pay by bank transfer, you’ll receive a full refund within one working day.  
  3. If you cancel within 6 – 24 hours of your appointment, you will get a 50% refund. If you have paid by card, this refund can take up to 5 working days. If you pay by direct bank transfer, you’ll receive the refund within one working day. 
  4. If you cancel within 6 hours of your appointment, you will receive no refund. 
  5. If you fail to attend a clinic appointment, an online appointment, or you are not at home at the time of your home visit, you will receive no refund. 
  6. If you reschedule your appointment at least 12 hours in advance, there is no additional charge, but if you subsequently cancel your new appointment, you will receive no refund, no matter when you cancel this appointment. 
  7. If you reschedule your appointment within 12 hours of your appointment, there will normally be a 25% surcharge every time you reschedule, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If you subsequently cancel your new appointment, there will be no refund, no matter when you cancel this appointment. 
  8. If you access WhatsApp support while waiting for a consultation, but then decide this has been effective enough that you no longer need face to face support, there will be a small charge for this support (typically £1/minute). Any refund will take this into account, and the rest of the cancellation policy also applies. 
  9. In the event that you have cancelled or rescheduled an appointment at short notice and haven’t paid for the appointment, a surcharge may be applicable before you can rebook a new appointment. 
  10. I reserve the right to refuse to rebook any client who cancels or reschedules an appointment, without sufficient communication.