Service Introduction

Welcome to our service (VitaminSuite, a trading name of AKHT103 Solutions Ltd)

The basic principles upon which our services are provided to you are outlined below.

All Patients are requested to give consent to receiving our care and treatment based upon these principles and understandings.

Our Staff

Ø All are staff are:

Fully trained and experienced for their role.
On the relevant professional registers.
Are required to undergo stringent checks before being permitted to work for our Company.
Keep up- to-date with their professional practice.
Are committed to delivering the best possible service for you.
Required to adhere to strict professional standards and ethics.

Making a complaint and giving compliments

We believe that complaints and compliments are a valuable indicator of the quality of our service, and an opportunity to improve that quality. We assure all Patients that no-one will be victimised for making a complaint, and we encourage Patients to instigate the complaints procedure whenever they feel that this is necessary. We do not wish to confine complaints to major issues. We encourage Patients to comment when relatively minor matters are a problem to them. It is our policy that all matters which disturb or upset a Patient should be reported, recorded, and corrective action should be taken. Only in that way can we work towards meeting our aim of continuously improving our service.

Ø Our commitment is that:

All complaints will be taken seriously; You will receive a response within 3 working days of the complaint being made, and a final reply within 21 days;
If the complaint is upheld, you will receive a written apology and appropriate action will be taken to rectify the complaint, and you will be informed of what that action is;
Patients are entitled to involve an impartial third party in the complaint procedure if they so wish.

Ø Patients and their representatives may take their complaints to persons in authority outside the Company if they are not satisfied with the response that they receive from us.

Ø We aim to respect your privacy and dignity at all times. Please speak out, or speak to the supervisor or CQC Registered Manager if your privacy or dignity is not being respected.

Ø Records will be designed, used and stored so as to assure privacy. Legislative controls over records, such as the Data Protection Act, will be adhered to, and the Patient’s explicit permission in writing will be sought before information is passed to any person other than those directly concerned with the care of the Patient.

Confidentiality of Information

Ø Your rights to confidentiality will be safeguarded. We will not disclose any personal information about you to a third party unless this has been agreed with you. Agreement to disclose information should only be sought if it is for your benefit, e.g. for the purpose of assisting in your support.

Ø Our policy is that any information about you is strictly confidential and that maintaining a position of trust in this regard is paramount. However, because some information is relevant to providing quality support, such information will be shared with members of staff who may be supporting you. Visiting professionals and visitors requiring information will be referred in the first instance to the Registered Manager or the person in charge within the Company. You or, where appropriate, your principal Carer will be consulted where appropriate before information is released.

Ø Information about you will be stored in paper form, and may also be held on computer. Both forms are treated in the same strictly confidential way.

Ø CCTV may be used in order to protect your security and well-being. We have strict protocols in place in order to protect unauthorised access to or release of CCTV images. CCTV will not be used in private areas (such as WCs and changing rooms) or in treatment rooms without explicit Patient consent having been obtained.

Ø Information about you is needed in order to enable staff to provide proper support and treatment. Some of the information may also be used for other purposes, such as:

Making sure our services meet your needs.
Helping staff to review the support they provide to you to help them achieve the highest standards.
Investigating complaints or legal claims.
Auditing of our services.

Sometimes information about you needs to be passed on to other agencies or organisations, for example if you are receiving care or support from a GP or hospital. The types of organisations with whom we may share information about you are:

GPs.
District nurses.
Other health professionals.
Social workers.
Care Quality Commission.
Further details about how we use your information are available in our Privacy Notice. See our website (or available upon request)

Equal Opportunities

Ø You have the right to practise your beliefs, religion or culture without constraint by restrictive or discriminatory practice.

Ø Complaints of discriminatory practice will be thoroughly investigated and the results of the investigation made known to the complainant.

Teaching

Ø Occasionally staff in training (such as medical students) may wish to be present during your consultations.

Ø If you are not happy with this, please let us know

Chaperoning

Ø If you wish for a chaperone, please make this known to the receptionist and/or your clinician.

Ø We will do our best to provide for a chaperone, but you may wish to note that if this cannot be arranged immediately then it may be necessary to reschedule your appointment so that a chaperone can be provided.

Ø We will endeavour to provide a chaperone on request without charge, but if additional costs are incurred then these may need to be passed on to you after due notice.

Ø Please note that our clinicians may themselves arrange for a chaperone to be present during their consultations with you if this is required on the clinical or safety grounds.

Respect for other patients and staff

Ø You are requested to afford the same courtesy to other Patients and staff as you would expect to receive yourself.

Ø Note that any loud or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated.

Ø Patients are not permitted to smoke on or near the premises.

Ø Patients who are under the influence of drink or self-harm substances may be asked to leave the premises.

Coronavirus/infectious Disease

Ø Our service will follow all reasonable safety precautions to protect against Coronavirus and other infectious diseases, but patients attend the clinic at their own risk.

Ø Patients will be expected to comply with our precautions against Coronavirus and other notifiable disease as a condition of attending our clinic

Added on to this is our questionnaire for this consultation

I confirm I have/am :
– Not tested positive for Covid 19 in the last 7 days
– Not waiting for a covid 19 test or test result
– Not been notified by NHS Test and trace in the last 14 days that i am a contact of a person (with whom i do not live) who has tested positive with Covid 19
– Don’t Have a high temperature (above 37.8c) or a fever
– An absence of a continuous cough in the previous 24 hrs
– No change or loss of smell or taste from normal
– Living with someone who has either tested positive for Covid 19 or had symptoms of Covid – 19 in the last 14 days

Payment Arrangements

Ø Details of your treatment fees will be notified in advance.

Ø If you have any queries or concerns, please let us know before your treatment begins.

Ø Note that there may be extra costs for providing for your individual extra needs such as chaperones, translation/interpreting, etc. Please ask for details.

Ø You will be required to settle your accounts promptly and in full.

Service Introduction