Terms and conditions
(i) Dr Vik recommends you to attend at least 3-4 known as pre-commitment sessions initial to better understand your current difficulties and cater specific skills to you
(ii) Should any of your personal details change (home address, mobile, GP address, next of kin details) Dr Vik requires you to send an email with the change you required
Health Insurance:
Dr Vik is affiliated and accepts referrals from some major health insurance providers (AVIVA, Cigna, Vitality, AXA PPP, WPA, Simply Health).
(i) Dr Vik advises that you contact your insurer before your initial appointment to check that you are covered, the amount of authorised sessions and to obtain authorisation and claim number.
In case of a non-payment or short fall under the terms of your insurance, you are responsible for settling the outstanding balance.
Self-paying:
If you are paying personally, you can pay Dr Vik at the end of the session and he can provide a receipt. Payments can be made by cheque or bank transfer.
(i) If another person or organisation is responsible for paying your sessions, Dr Vik requests to inform his PA or himself during your initial appointment.
Dr Vik requires you to settle your fees in full either prior, or on the day of the invoice being sent to you.
Appointments:
Once you have made an appointment with Dr Vik, a confirmation will be sent to you via email. Along with this email would be a registration form for you to complete and bring to your appointment.
Once you have confirmed the appointment Dr Vik is of the understanding that you have read the terms and conditions as outlined on his website.
Individual Appointments:
Dr Vik recommends weekly sessions for maximum gain. Each appointment is 45 minutes.
(i) At the end of each session Dr Vik will suggest out of sessions tasks in line with the DBT principles of behaviour change. Most importantly in line with your goals and values.
(ii) Dr Vik will arrange your next session on the day you meet with him.
(iii) Dr Vik offers Skype sessions only after a face to face consultation
(iiii) If at any time you wish to pause or end therapy, Dr Vik requests a closing session before you decide the treatment is not for you
Group appointments:
Dr Vik facilitates successful intensive DBT skills workshops. Each session lasts for one hour and thirty minutes across a 18-week period (see services)
(i) Prior to joining the DBT skills workshop you are requested to pay the invoice in full
(ii) To request an authorisation and claim number from your health insurance
(iii) Dr Vik Patel recommends a full commitment of 18 weeks. Should you miss any sessions during this 18-week period you are to inform Dr Vik of how you would arrange an appointment to catch up on the skill you had missed. This may result in paying an additional fee to arrange a consultation before the next group session (see fees).
Cancellation Policy:
Dr Vik requests you contact him or his PA if you know you will have to cancel an individual appointment. Please do it as soon as possible so that another patient can have your slot.
(i) Cancellations or missed appointments for both individual and group appointments within 48 hours will be charged in full
(ii) Dr Vik may occasionally be delayed and would ensure that you have been seen for your appointment slot.
(iii) At the start of each group session there is a mindfulness practice for 10 minutes. Dr Vik requests that you be running late to not enter the room whilst mindfulness practice is in action. To only enter the room when instructed to do so.
Telephone coaching:
Dr Vik offers telephone coaching should you wish to be more skillful in between your sessions.
(i) To text Dr Vik in brief the situation and emotion you would like to change
(ii) Dr Vik recommends at least 2 skills to have been implemented ahead of texting for skills coaching
(iii) Dr Vik may not get back to you immediately, however he would endeavor to text you back to acknowledge your text message
(iv) This is not a crisis line and should familiarise yourself with emergency contact numbers (see useful information)
Consent:
Dr Vik upholds confidentiality in sessions a priority. Written consent will be obtained at your initial appointment who you may want Dr Vik him to contact should need arise.
(i) Dr Vik will share any update with your consultant psychiatrist, General practitioner or therapist.
Your details:
As part of your initial consultation you will be required to complete a registration form and bring this with you to your appointment. The information you share here will be stored in a secure electronic file.
You may be sent emails on future workshops and clinic updates should this be of interest to you.
Once you have completed your therapy with Dr Vik and do not wish to be contacted with clinic updates, please send an email to his PA as per General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) guidelines.