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TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE

Please note that the information provided here is only a summary of the therapeutic services offered on the True North Psychology website and should be read in conjunction with our Terms and Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy. 

 

This page provides information regarding client confidentiality, consent and data storage.  

About True North Psychology 

(TNP)

True North Psychology Ltd. (TNP; www.truenorth-psychology.com) is operated by our Founder Dr Sara Tookey and Administrator Anna Bunch, of PsychVA. TNP's registered company address is 4th Floor, Silverstream House, 45 Fitzroy St, London W1T 6EB, United Kingdom. We operate primarily as an online psychology practice, however therapists may individually hire space from which to conduct therapy in areas across the UK.

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True North Psychology is an associate practice website with psychologists and allied healthcare practitioners who provide therapeutic services and support to clients. The provider of services is the associate practitioner (referred to in this document as “therapist”). Agreements and/ contracts are made between each associate practitioner and the client. There is no contract between you and True North Psychology Ltd.


You must be aged 18 or over to register with us and to use the services listed on our website.


Therapists listed on the True North Psychology website are qualified to practice in the U.K. They hold their own indemnity insurance which enables them to work in private practice. Each therapist is registered under professional bodies that govern professional practice and are bound by the Codes of Ethics and Practice. These may include: British Psychological Society and or Health and Care Professions Council. A copy of the therapist's code of practice and ethics are available on request. See the BPS code of ethics , which also addresses confidentiality and legal protection for use of online and other non-direct psychological services.

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You must be aged 18 or over to register with us and to use the services listed on our website.

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We do not offer a crisis service and use services offered on our website is not suitable for individuals currently experiencing a crisis. If you believe you are at risk of harming yourself, please contact your local emergency services. A global list of phone numbers for crisis support are available on our resources page, here.

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By using our services you understand that we are not a substitute for clinical mental health or medical care. We provide a access to online services delivered by registered and accredited therapists who can support you to meet your personal goals. We do not claim to provide services intended to treat, cure, or diagnose mental health conditions (with the exception of our Adult ADHD Assessment offerings which may include diagnosis of ADHD and completion of a psychiatric assessment).

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Definition of Terms

- TNP is referred to as “we”, “us” and “our”, and you the user are referred to as “customer” “client”, “you” or “your”.

- All mental health professionals, allied healthcare professionals and coaches listed on our website are referred to in this document as “therapist/s”, “therapist/s” our support practitioners.

- “Services” are those listed on our site and provided by therapists and support practitioners on our site.

- “Website” is www.truenorth-psychology.com

- “Session” refers to assessment, individual therapy sessions (which may include relationship therapy with more than one person as “the client”) , and a single therapy session within a package

- “Registration” means your registration with us when you book a session to access the platform provided by us. 

- Therapy “Package” refers to a course of therapy that can range from 4 to 12 sessions, and is offered at a discounted rate per session. Payment for packages are made up front and in full, prior to starting the first session in a package. 

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*Singular includes the plural and vice versa.

Confidentiality

TNP will respect and protect the confidentiality of your personal data, and your therapist will protect the confidentiality of any information you share during your sessions, in accordance with the principles of the General Data Protection Regulation May 2018 (GDPR), clinical governance audit standards, and requirements of their professional body. More details can be found in our Privacy Policy.

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Your personal data will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the below circumstances when your therapist is under legal obligation to provide information to the appropriate agencies (e.g. GP/Primary care provider, the police, Social Services, etc.):

a) They perceive that you are a danger to yourself or others

b) They perceive that a minor is at risk

c) They are required to share information under a court order or by law

d) They are required to disclose information for the prevention, detection or prosecution of a crime

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Your therapist will aim to discuss such concerns and obligations with you before notifying relevant parties, however this may not always be possible, and he/she will use clinical judgment to act in the best possible way to minimise possible harm.

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Your therapist is required to participate in regular supervision as part of their commitment to good practice and in accordance with professional standards. The duty of confidentiality extends to your therapist’s supervisor(s).

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You will be asked to consent to the terms  and conditions before agreeing to meet for your initial therapy consultation and/or before sharing any confidential information with us (this will be sent upon booking).

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Registration

Registration is required when you book an appointment, so that we may contact you. You are responsible for providing us with a valid email address and phone number.

By registering you agree that you:

  • Are over the age of 18

  • Understand that we are not the provider of therapy services - we are a platform to connect you with clinical psychologists. Therapy, supervision and consultancy services are provided by the therapist and the contract for such services is only between you and them.

  • Are providing us with accurate information.

  • Information about you will be processed in line with our Privacy Policy

Services

The initial consultation is for the following purposes:

- For one of our therapists to assess your suitability for therapy services

- To provide a brief understanding of the difficulties you wish to address in therapy

- For you to decide whether you would like to proceed with therapy services

We reserve the right to decline to offer therapy services at any time. No advice will be given in the initial consultation.

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Psychological Assessments

Psychological Assessments are not intended to provide a diagnosis (we and our therapists do not offer diagnoses) or medical advice. An ‘assessment report’ is a summary of the information you provided in the session and some suggestions or recommendations based on evidence-based psychological science and psychological theory. Any recommendations made in the ‘assessment report’ are ideas and suggestions from your therapist based on the information you provided. They are not medical advice, nor should they be used in place of medical advice from a medical professional. By using any services advertised by True North Psychology you acknowledge that you are fully responsible for your own wellbeing during assessments or individual sessions (including packages) and for any and all subsequent choices and decisions you make.

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Sessions

Sessions will typically last between 50 and 100 minutes 50 minutes (specialist therapy sessions, like intensive EMDR therapy may require longer sessions and will be discussed and agreed with your therapist prior to starting). If you have not entered the online waiting room within 15 minutes of the start of the session, the session may be ended and you will be required to pay for the full price of the session.

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Therapy Packages

Therapy packages are a set of four to twelve individual sessions. The number of sessions are determined at the time of the initial consultation. We and our therapists do not guarantee any particular outcome following the completion of a package of sessions. If you choose to have more sessions after completing your package of sessions, these will be charged at the standard individual session rate. Alternatively, you are welcome to purchase another package.

Fees, Cancelations and Suitability

Fees

Fees for initial consultations are booked and paid through our third-party provider, WriteUpp and Stripe. You are required to pay for your initial consultation at time of booking.

 

If you decide to engage with our service, and would like to book an assessment, session or therapy package, these are paid directly to your therapist via direct bank transfer or third-party provider: Stripe (https://stripe.com/gb/privacy). Payment must be made at least 48 hours prior to your appointment start time. 

 

Cancellation, lateness and missed appointments

If you cancel a session with less than 48 hours notice, this will automatically result in the full session fee being charged.

 

For any sessions (including those within a package) cancelled with more than 48 hours notice, you will not be refunded however the money will remain on your account and we will offer you the opportunity to re-book.

 

If a session within a package is cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice, this will be counted as a missed session and will not be refunded or replaced. For example, if you have four sessions remaining and miss/cancel one of these four with less than 48 hours’ notice, you will then have three sessions remaining.

 

If you have not entered the session (online waiting room) within 15 minutes of the session start time, this will be considered a missed session, and you will be charged the full fee. If you enter within 15 minutes of the start time you will be entitled to your remaining session time, but the session will not be extended and the session will finish at the expected time.

 

If a clinician cancels a session you will be offered the option of a refund or it will be re-booked at no extra fee.

 

Suitability

In some circumstances, therapists may decide that their service is not best placed to support you and your needs. This will typically occur either after an initial consultation, an assessment or therapy session. However, we reserve the right to withdraw services at any time. We will always let you know, and if possible we will make onward recommendations for services that we think may be able to better support you.

 

Therapists reserve the right to discontinue therapy at any time, including before the completion of a package. If we or the therapists decline service, we will endeavour to signpost you to other services, where appropriate. If we or the therapists decline to offer services, we will refund the cost of any sessions that you have paid for which have not been used (have not started).

 

Crisis

We are unable to offer help for acute or suicidal crises. If you you might harm yourself or are feeling suicidal, you should your local emergency services, or go to your nearest emergency hospital, or contact a crisis hotline (Global hotline numbers are available on our resources page.

 

We are unable to offer services to people under the age of 18. If you are under 18 and looking for support, you may find information on Childline (www.childline.org.uk).

Legal Disclaimers and Liability

Disclaimer

True North Psychology Ltd (TNP) operates as a consultancy and cooperative practice website, where therapists listed on our website offer therapeutic and consultancy services to clients. fThis disclaimer outlines the nature of our services and the extent of our responsibilities.

 

Platform Function and Liability

  1. TNP is not the direct provider of therapy services to clients. The provider of such services is the individual therapist, who is regulated by their own regulatory bodies and insured with their own liability insurance

  2. We do not accept liability for:

    • Information provided by therapists

    • Any loss or damage resulting from contact or work with therapists

    • The therapist's ability to deliver results

    • Any fraudulent claims made by therapists advertised on our website

    • Costs, damages, injury, loss, or false information given with regard to our services, external contracts or websites

  3. Complaints about therapists should be directed to the individual therapist or, if necessary, to their respective member organisation.

 

Practitioner Regulation

Our practitioners are regulated by one or more of the following:

 

We advise clients to verify the current standing of their therapist with the relevant professional body before beginning therapy, as this may have changed since their initial registration with us.

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Nature of Services

The TNP website, services, educational content and resources obtained through its use are not substitutes for clinical mental health or medical care. We provide a platform for you to meet therapists who can support your personal goals. Our therapists do not claim to provide services intended to treat, cure, or diagnose mental health conditions (with the exception of diagnosing adult ADHD through the comprehensive assessment process).

 

Website Content and Use

  1. The content of our website, associated apps and social media are for information purposes only. We cannot guarantee its usefulness or accuracy.

  2. We do not guarantee that our site will be secure or free from viruses. Users are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and virus checks.

  3. It is the user's responsibility to ensure they have sufficient technology, hardware, software, and reliable internet access to use our website and digital services.

  4. Please refer to our Terms and Conditions of Use  policy before engaging with our website.

 

Limitations of Liability

We do not limit or exclude our liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

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Beyond this, we are not liable for any loss, harm, or damages (direct, indirect, consequential) whatsoever that arises as a result of the use of our website, platform, or services.

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Last updated: 9 August, 2024

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