When we book an appointment for you, we commit that time and our resources to your treatment. This means that, if anyone else wants to come at the same time, we will be unable to see them and will have to offer them an alternative time.
At busy times, this can mean waiting over one week for the next available appointment. If you do not then attend that appointment and either do not tell us in advance or give insufficient notice, we are unable to allocate the time to someone else; however, we still have overheads and staff salaries to pay during the unproductive time. For this reason, it is our policy that we may request deposits and make a charge if insufficient notice of cancellation or amendment is given.
Deposits
We make appointments with the expectation that you will attend at the agreed date & time to undergo your treatment; if you change your mind or work/other commitments prevent you from attending, we ask you to give as much notice as possible, a minimum of 2 working days (excluding weekends and bank holidays) so that we can reallocate your appointment slot to another patient. When booking your appointment, we may also seek a deposit from you, payment of which is your confirmation of your commitment to attend your appointment. In certain cases, we may request a higher deposit (for example if customised laboratory/dental products are needed or if a very long appointment is being reserved for you). You will be advised at the time of booking if this applies to you.
Cancellation
If you are unable to attend your appointment for any reason, then you should tell us as soon as possible and at least 2 clear working days before the scheduled start time. Please note that weekends will not be included in this timeframe. Providing you give notice of cancellation or postponement/amendment no later than this deadline you will not be charged and we can allocate your slot to another patient; If any deposit has been paid this can be refunded to you on request. If you do not request refund of your deposit, it will be held on your account and can be used against the cost of future treatment.
Non-Attendance (including late cancellation)
If you do not attend your appointment, or cancel later than the deadline shown above, we reserve the right to make a charge. This charge will be debited to your account with us; if you have not paid a deposit, settlement of this charge will be required before any further treatment can continue.
Appointment Reminders
Please note that, although we normally send emails and telephone reminders a day or two before appointments are due, the successful delivery of these relies on your email provider and email settings and cannot therefore be guaranteed.
Therefore, you should not rely on our emails or telephone reminders as the sole reminder of your appointment as we will not be responsible for any appointments missed as a result of non-delivery of the email , regardless of the reasons for its failure.