RIPPON MEDICAL SERVICES
PATIENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Rippon Medical Services Ltd is committed to providing safe, professional and high-quality healthcare.

These Terms and Conditions govern patient registration, appointments, consultation and treatment fees, cancellations, clinical suitability and patient conduct. By booking an appointment, you agree to comply with these Terms and Conditions.

All patients must be open and honest and provide accurate and up-to-date personal information when registering, including their full legal name, date of birth, residential address, telephone number and email address. In accordance with our Patient Identity Checking policy, proof of identity, such as a valid passport or photographic driving licence, will be requested before arranging a first consultation or treatment. This is to confirm formal patient identity, ensure patient safety and to maintain accurate medical records.

Patients must complete a comprehensive Medical History Questionnaire before their initial consultation and are responsible for disclosing relevant past and current medical conditions, allergies, current medications and any subsequent changes to their medical history.

Patients are encouraged to tell the clinic when booking if they have a disability, accessibility requirements or need reasonable adjustments. This allows Rippon Medical Services Ltd to consider individual needs and make appropriate arrangements wherever reasonably practicable.

Personal and medical information is handled confidentially in accordance with our GDPR Data Protection policy, Information Governance policy, and Records and Record Keeping policy. Patients may unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time. CCTV cameras operate in reception for the safety of patients and staff, and signs are displayed.

Rippon Medical Services Ltd operates strictly by appointment only. All new patients must attend an initial consultation before receiving treatment. Consultations and treatments are generally arranged on separate days to give patients time to consider the proposed treatment, including its risks, benefits, alternatives and potential outcomes. In certain circumstances, treatment may take place on the same day, subject to clinical suitability, informed consent and the practitioner’s discretion. Additional reflection time may be recommended where appropriate.

All consultations are chargeable, with fees payable at the time of booking. These fees cover the practitioner's time and clinical assessment, consultation fees are strictly non-refundable if a patient is deemed clinically unsuitable for a specific treatment. A full list of treatments are available on our website. Patients should check prior to booking to ensure suitability.

Any outstanding consultation or treatment balance must be paid in full on the day of service, unless otherwise agreed. Payments can be made by telephone, in person or through our online booking system. We accept major credit and debit cards, including American Express. Bank transfers can be considered with prior arrangement. We do not accept cash or cheques.

A minimum of 48 working hours’ notice is required to cancel or reschedule an appointment. The clinic’s opening hours are Monday and Wednesdays 9.30am–9.00pm; Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, 9.30am–6.00pm; and Saturday, 9.30am–2.00pm, excluding bank holidays.

Cancellations may be made in person or by telephoning 01228 521014 or 07787 541689. If the clinic is closed or the line is engaged, please try again and make sure you speak with a member of staff and have your cancellation confirmed.

Patients may also email jane@ripponmedicalservices.co.uk. Please note that the business office is open Monday to Friday, 9.30am–5.00pm, excluding weekends and bank holidays. Cancellation notice is calculated in accordance with these published opening hours.

If an appointment is cancelled or rescheduled with less than 48 working hours’ notice, the booking fee will be forfeited to offset costs incurred by Rippon Medical Services Ltd. If you expect to arrive late, please contact the clinic as soon as possible. We will do our best to accommodate you; however, late arrival may reduce the available appointment time or mean the appointment cannot proceed. In that event, the booking fee will be forfeited, and a new appointment will need to be arranged. Please read our Refund Policy.

Rippon Medical Services Ltd provides professional advice and treatment using experienced practitioners and quality products. All medical and surgical procedures carry risks, and individual responses and results vary. Although every effort is made to achieve the best possible outcome, no specific result can be guaranteed. Treatment fees reflect clinical expertise, time, products and equipment rather than a guaranteed result.

Fees for consultations and treatments already provided are generally non-refundable. Dissatisfaction with an outcome does not in itself entitle a patient to a refund. Prescription products and opened skincare products cannot ordinarily be returned or refunded. Obagi skincare products are non-returnable and non-refundable. Gift vouchers cannot be exchanged for cash.

Patients must follow the pre-treatment and post-treatment instructions provided by the clinic. Failure to follow aftercare guidance may increase the risk of complications or adversely affect results. Where a complimentary post-treatment review is included, such as a botulinum toxin review, patients should attend within the specified timeframe, typically 14-21 days after treatment.

Although provided free of charge as a courtesy to our patients, these appointments occupy valuable clinical time that could otherwise be offered to another patient. They are therefore subject to the same 48-hour cancellation and rescheduling policy as all other appointments. Where insufficient notice is given, a consultation fee may apply before a further review can be arranged.

Reviews requested outside the recommended timeframe may also incur an additional consultation charge.

Rippon Medical Services Ltd assesses the suitability of individuals seeking consultation or treatment and reserves the right to accept, decline, postpone or discontinue care where it reasonably considers that treatment, clinic access or continuation of a professional relationship would not be clinically, professionally or operationally appropriate. Decisions will be made fairly and without unlawful discrimination. Where appropriate, the individual will be informed of the reason, and alternative options may be suggested.

Rippon Medical Services Ltd is registered and insured to provide services exclusively to adults aged 18 and over. Individuals under 18 are not permitted to enter the clinic, book appointments, attend consultations or receive treatment or medical services. We do not provide treatment to patients who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Rippon Medical Services Ltd has a duty of care to its staff and operates a zero-tolerance towards abusive, aggressive, discriminatory, threatening, intimidating, harassing or otherwise unacceptable behaviour towards staff, patients or visitors, including conduct that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress.

Such behaviour will not be tolerated, whether occurring in person, by telephone, in writing, electronically or through any other form of communication. Where conduct is considered to constitute a potential criminal offence, the matter may be referred to the police.

Unacceptable conduct may result in refusal of entry, cancellation of appointments, restriction of contact or refusal of future appointments. Rippon Medical Services Ltd may also discontinue a consultation or treatment or terminate a professional relationship where continuing care would be inappropriate or unsafe.

Appointments, enquiries and communications must be made in good faith and for a genuine healthcare or administrative purpose. The clinic may decline access or restrict contact where there are reasonable grounds to believe someone is misrepresenting their identity or intentions, acting through another person for an improper or undisclosed purpose, seeking to provoke or entrap staff, manufacturing incidents or allegations, misrepresenting staff statements, gathering information covertly for another person, organisation or competitor, or misusing the patient pathway, complaints process or communication channels to harass or disrupt the clinic.

This includes attempts to use professional, regulatory or other authorities as part of a bad-faith campaign of harassment or interference. Rippon Medical Services Ltd may undertake proportionate checks where reasonable concerns arise and reserves the right to seek legal advice and/or contact the Police where appropriate, including with a view to pursuing a cease-and-desist notice or other appropriate action.

Rippon Medical Services Ltd aims to provide all patients with care and respect. If any aspect of our service falls below the standard you expect, please contact Jane, our Clinic Manager, so that your concern can be considered promptly. Complaints are acknowledged, recorded, investigated and responded to in accordance with our published Complaints, which is available on our website.