Terms and Conditions

By booking an appointment with Oxford Postpartum Medical Practice (OPPMP) you are entering into a contract with OPPMP. The following terms and conditions outline the terms and conditions of the contract between the parties, which are the client and Oxford Postpartum Medical Practice.

  1. The clinical service

OPPMP provides holistic postpartum medical care. All appointments are with the founding doctor. Appointments focus on non-emergency postpartum health conditions and the purpose of the service is to offer medical advice for the management of health conditions which have developed or worsened as a result of pregnancy or giving birth. OPPMP agrees to take all reasonable care to obtain a detailed medical history, and examination if appropriate and agreed with the client. OPPMP agrees to discuss the client’s relevant health issues with the client, and offer advice on addressing these problems (where such evidence-based advice exists) and explain to the client the limits of intervention and medical research on conditions where appropriate. The client agrees to describe all relevant medical history, and their current health problems to OPPMP and understands that OPPMP can only act on the information they have been given. Providing incomplete or inaccurate information will likely reduce the quality of the individualised care that can be given.

  1. Client demographic requirements

The clinical service provided by OPPMP is specifically for women over the age of 18 who have given birth at least 7 weeks ago, and are now experiencing one or more health problems resulting from or made worse following pregnancy or giving birth.  OPPMP cannot treat anyone under the age of 18, or anyone who has given birth less than 7 weeks ago. OPPMP cannot offer advice on the health or care of babies or children. OPPMP does not treat emergencies. If you are experiencing a medical emergency phone 999 or attend your nearest Accident and Emergency Department as relevant.

  1. Contact and booking

Bookings are made through the online booking system. Once you have selected an appointment slot, paid the £50 non-refundable deposit, and completed the booking questionnaire, your booking will be made. At this point, the client will receive a confirmation email, and the client and OPPMP have entered into a contract. In the booking confirmation email, you will receive contact information in case you need to contact OPPMP prior to the appointment. Please note, we cannot deal with any clinical queries or offer clinical advice outside the appointment, and we cannot guarantee messages will be seen or responded to within a particular time frame.

  1. Payment

Payments are made online via Stripe. A £50 non-refundable deposit is required to secure your booking. The remainder of the payment can be made at the same time, or any time until the end of the day on which the appointment takes place. Prices are subject to change, so please check the terms and conditions before you book each appointment, but are currently £380 per appointment. This includes the non-refundable £50 booking fee, so clients can either pay £50 at booking and £330 up until the end of the day of the appointment, or they can pay the full £380 at the time of booking.

  1. Cancellation and late arrival by the client

OPPMP charges a £50 non-refundable deposit at the time of booking because when a client books an appointment the doctor’s time and use of the clinic room is booked exclusively for that client.  The deposit cannot be transferred to another appointment time because it relates to a specific appointment which is then no longer available to other clients both in terms of the doctor’s time and the clinic availability. Unlike many other medical practices, OPPMP does not charge full or half-fee for missed appointments as they understand that post-partum life can present many challenges, but it would be greatly appreciated if clients can give as much notice as possible of non-attendance. OPPMP can see clients who arrive less than 15 minutes late, but no later than this. It is up to the client whether they decide to attend for a shorter appointment if they attend late, which will reduce the time available for discussion, or whether they prefer to book a new appointment for another date. Please note, there is no reduced fee for arriving late and having a shorter appointment – if the client attends the appointment the standard fee is due. OPPMP cannot alter this policy in the event of traffic delays or any other circumstances whether within the control of the client or not, as this would impact on other clients and users of the clinic rooms.

  1. Cancellation and late appointment start by OPPMP

If unforeseen circumstances mean that OPPMP has to cancel an appointment, the client will be notified as soon as possible, and offered the option of attending at a later date. If no future appointment can be offered that is suitable for the client, they will be given a full refund of all money already paid for that particular appointment. If an appointment has to start more than 15 minutes after the booked time, the client will be given the option to reschedule the appointment. If the client chooses for the appointment to go ahead, they will still be given the full 45 minute appointment time. OPPMP cannot be held liable for any losses howsoever caused to the client by OPPMP cancelling or moving an appointment. The maximum payment given to a client in the event of lateness or cancellation on behalf of OPPMP, howsoever caused, will the be the amount already paid to OPPMP by the client for the appointment in question (so £50 if the deposit only has been paid, and £380 if the full amount has been paid).

  1. Relationship with other medical care, including NHS care and services

OPPMP is not intended to be a substitute for NHS care. It is intended to be an addition to NHS care. OPPMP does not have access to client NHS medical records (this applies to General Practice and hospital records, as well as scan and blood test results) or medical records from other private providers. A summary of each consultation at OPPMP will be sent to the relevant client and their GP (with the client’s consent).

Depending on the client’s condition and health concerns, advice from OPPMP may be to access additional medical services, which may include but not be limited to, General Practice services, other NHS hospital or specialist services, or other private medical or health services. It is the responsibility of the Client to arrange this future care as required, whether this be with their GP or other NHS or private medical services. OPPMP can offer advice on next steps and can provide a letter summarising the consultation and findings which will be available to the client to take to the relevant health professionals or sent directly with the client’s permission, but cannot book appointments on the client’s behalf. In the very rare event of a health emergency occurring for the client while they are at an OPPMP appointment, OPPMP will hand-over all relevant information to emergency services as required.

  1.  Photography and recording

No photography, videoing, or recording of any type is permitted during consultations or while in the clinic waiting areas. This is to protect the privacy of other clinic users too. OPPMP does not video or record consultations.

  1. Complaints

Please see the Complaints Policy for details of how to make a complaint.

  1. Ownership of records

OPPMP will retain all medical records for at least 7 years from the date of the appointment. OPPMP will retain all financial records relating to payments for at least 7 years. Clients will receive a written summary of the consultation after each appointment – this can be accessed through Semble. This is password-protected. This will also be sent to the client’s GP with the client’s consent. This summary, or other relevant information, may be shared with other healthcare professionals if the client and OPPMP believe this would be beneficial and the client consents to this. Clients will receive a receipt for each payment they make to OPPMP.

  1. Liability of OPPMP

OPPMP is not liable for any injury to clients, or loss or damage to client personal belongings while attending the clinic, including on the clinic premises and car park. OPPMP is not liable for any indirect or consequential losses arising from injury or damage to person or property while attending the clinic. Total liability in any circumstances, howsoever caused, from OPPMP to a client shall not exceed the price paid by the client to OPPMP for the service provided by OPPMP.

  1. Use of your data and data privacy

OPPMP will use the personal data you provide for the purposes of providing the clinical service, processing payments, and fulfilling regulatory obligations. Your data will never be sold to any third party. Your data will remain confidential as per the General Medical Council’s confidentiality requirements. Anonymised data may be used in clinical audit and for educational purposes. Your clinical data will be stored on secure servers and encrypted by Semble (a secure data processor for medical data). Please see the privacy policy for more information on data handling and data rights.

  1. Regulation and policies

OPPMP is registered and regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). OPPMP has policies on all the domains required by CQC for independent medical practices and these can be supplied on an individual basis if requested. OPPMP is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).