The following provides information on services offered by Abantu Therapy Ltd, and details expectations for the client and the treating therapist. Should you wish to pursue our services, the information also acts as the terms and conditions that govern the contract between us. Please read these and contact us if you have any questions. Prior to any initial appointment, this therapy agreement will need to be signed, completed. Thank you.

A) Treatment sessions

1. The therapist is bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice of the British Psychological Society (BPS) and the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). A copy of the code of practice and ethics are available on request or may be viewed on the respective organisation’s website.

2. The normal duration of each session is 50 minutes, although we reserve the right to amend that time for therapeutic reasons

3. If you fail to give less than 48 hours’ notice of your intention to cancel or postpone an agreed therapy session, you will be charged in full for that session.

B) Fees

1. If you have self-referred, the fee for each therapy session will be £130 if remote, or £140 if in person. Payment should be made at least 48 hours prior to the session, otherwise the session will not be confirmed and may be reallocated.

2. Written assessment reports are not included in the fee for assessment or therapy, and canbe provided at an additional fee of £100.

3. The cost of therapy includes any written materials that the therapist may supply but excludes the cost of any books that they might suggest you read.

4. Fees can be covered by insurers such as Bupa, AXA PPP, Aviva or Cigna etc if discussed and agreed in advance. Insurance authorisation codes must be provided prior to the start of treatment. For sessions covered by insurance, payment is claimed directly from the insurer, and the full fee is covered. The client is not required to make payment unless for an excess fee, cancellation fee, report or other special circumstances. You will be informed of any payments required by you in advance.

C) Payment terms

1. Invoices will be sent prior to a session / block of treatment and must be paid prior to the start of a session (unless paying by insurance).

2. If paying directly, preferred method of payment is bank transfer to the following account:

3. Bank Name: Mettle by Natwest Sort Code: 04-03-33 Account Number: 10114340 Account Holder Name: Abantu Therapy Ltd

4. For clients being seen face to face, cash is accepted but payment must be made at the start of a session.

5. Cheque payments are not accepted.

6. If agreed payments for therapy are not being made, then we reserve the right to terminate therapy immediately. The right is also reserved to refer the matter to a solicitor and commence legal action.

D) Cancellations/Late attendance

1. In the unlikely event that the therapist will need to cancel an appointment, you will be informed as soon as possible, and the appointment will be rescheduled.

2. If the therapist is running more than 10 minutes late to an appointment, they will always attempt to contact you to advise you of this. You will still receive the full allocated session time once the therapist has arrived.

3. If for any reason you are late for a session, please attempt to contact the therapist via email, phone call or text message. The therapist will see you for the duration of the remainder but will be unable to work beyond the allotted time as this will disrupt the clinic for other patients who may be waiting. Please note that should you need to finish your session early for whatever reason, the full session fee will still stand.

4. There may be certain situations (such as illness or family circumstances) which mean that you need to cancel an appointment at short notice. Please let us know at your earliest opportunity and each notice will be treated on a case by case basis.

E) Confidentiality

1. As part of the therapist’s code(s) of practice, they are required to carry out continuing professional development, and to engage in regular on-going clinical supervision. This is to ensure an ethical and professional service to clients. The therapist may discuss your case in supervision but would not use any identifying details.

2. Confidentiality will be maintained within the codes of ethics and legal requirements.Confidentiality does not apply where it would mean that your therapist might break the law or where withholding information means the therapist would breach the codes of ethics.

3. Confidentiality may be breached if the therapist considers there is a risk you may harm yourself or others. In exceptional circumstances, where there is concern for your wellbeing or that of others, it may be necessary to seek help outside the therapeutic relationship. In such an event where the therapist is considering breaching confidentiality, you will normally always be consulted first.

4. In the case of a disclosure concerning acts of terrorism, vulnerable adult or child protection issues or drug trafficking, confidentiality will be breached, and such disclosures will be passed onto the relevant authority without delay. Due consideration should be exercised before disclosing anything of a previously unreported criminal nature, as the therapist is obligated to contact relevant authorities.

5. The therapeutic relationship will always remain a professional one, the boundaries of which (such as contact outside of our sessions) can be agreed with the therapist during your sessions.

6. Notes may be taken during and after each session, which will be kept in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998). These notes will be securely stored. The therapist will discuss the disposal,retention or otherwise of any such notes at the end of your engagement. They are disclosed to no one other than the clinical supervisor, unless required under a court of law subpoena. You have the right to inspect your records should you so wish, and this request will be fulfilled during a therapy session.

7. If you have been referred by an outside agency, for example a solicitor or insurance company and there is pending civil court case – for example if you have been injured as a result of a road accident, we would like to draw your attention to the fact that under the Data Protection Act (1988), the therapist may be obliged to supply copies of your therapy records to a requesting appropriate party providing you consent.

F) Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Clinical Practice

1. As part of our commitment to delivering high-quality, evidence-based care and achieving good clinical outcomes, this practice may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support certain aspects of clinical work.

2. AI tools may be used to assist with but not limited to: a) Summarising session notes and maintaining accurate records b) Assisting with treatment planning and formulation c) Researching the latest evidence-based practices to enhance the efficacy of care and patient outcomes

3. AI tools are used as an adjunct to, and not a replacement for, professional judgement and expertise. All clinical decisions, formulations, and interventions are ultimately reviewed and determined by qualified clinicians to ensure the best possible outcomes for clients.

4. Client confidentiality remains a priority. AI tools are utilised in accordance with applicable data protection regulations and professional ethical standards.

5. No personally identifiable information will be entered into AI systems that do not comply with recognised privacy and security standards.

6. By engaging in therapy with this practice, clients acknowledge and consent to the use of AI as described in this section.

7. Any concerns regarding the use of AI in clinical practice can be discussed further with the clinician

G) Endings and gaps in treatment

1. Endings – psychological therapy can at times be demanding, frustrating, and emotional. You may at times find this process very difficult and feel the need to end therapy as it may be hard to tolerate the overwhelming emotions that arise. Your feedback on the process will be asked for at the end of each session and if you feel unhappy with any aspects of the treatment being offered, please try and communicate this verbally. This gives you and the therapist the chance to address and resolve engagement issues. In the normal course of events, you will probably know when you are ready to finish therapy, and we will agree together on the work we need to do to prepare for this.

2. The therapist will not suddenly or without warning terminate the contract, except in exceptional circumstances, which would become clear in the course of your work together. This would be fully discussed at that time. Please note, any threats or acts of violence will invalidate this agreement and psychological therapy will cease immediately. Sessions will not take place if you arrive under the influence of alcohol or non-prescribed medication.

3. You will be notified of any holidays to be taken by the therapist well in advance. However, there may also be occasions when sessions may be cancelled because of illness or because of attending training sessions or meetings. The therapist will try to give you as much notice as possible of any cancellation and will offer an alternative time. Therefore, please notify any change in contact details.

4. In the event of you being unhappy with the service you receive, please discuss this with the therapist. If you feel unable to do so or do not receive satisfactory resolution, then you have the right to complain to the professional body, the BPS or HCPC.