WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT ME TO CHARGE
AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT: This is generally carried out at a single appointment which usually will be scheduled for up to 90 minutes face-to-face with you and charged at £900. This includes, in addition, whatever preliminary time is needed for reading what can be a substantial number of reports and letters and the subsequent time for writing a report . I will produce a detailed assessment report and, where indicated, recommendations for sharing with other clinicians and educational agencies
My fee for subsequent appointments is £600 for one hour but most straightforward follow-up appointments or annual reviews are 30 minutes and cost £300.00. Reviews after a more prolonged period of time or with new problems may require one hour and so cost £600.
Fees for review appointments include a full letter (to you and your GP). Multiple letters, special letters to schools or education authorities, and liaison with other professionals etc. take time and I need to charge for these pro rata.
Paperwork and administration associated with my practice are very time-consuming. However, unlike many practitioners there are some things that I don’t charge for if they are simple:
• Prescriptions
• Forms for insurance companies
• Very straightforward and short email advice and replies
If I have to write a separate report for an insurance company when they request it or compose an extensive reply then I will charge pro rata according to the time it takes.
PAYMENTS: Payment is due on the day of appointment and payment is by BACS.
INSURANCE: Please carefully check beforehand what your health insurance company will cover. In the past, I have been recognised by all major UK insurers. Few UK health insurance policies will now cover developmental or what they call ‘behaviour’ problems. Insurance companies resist paying the full charge for neurodevelopment assessments, which they claim is above their usual limits. They may say they no longer ‘recognise’ me for this reason. It is essential to make clear this is not a typical medical appointment (which usually lasts less than 30 minutes) and is a highly specialist consultation.
My contract is with you and it should be clear that in bringing your child to see me you accept the responsibility to pay my fee if your insurance does not.
PLEASE NOTE
I reserve the right to charge in full for appointments cancelled less than two full working days before they are due, as it is difficult to offer them to and make arrangements with other patients to attend at very short notice.