Private Patient Services – our Contract with you for Self-Funder patients
1. Introduction
1.1. The following paragraphs set out the Terms and conditions of your contract with Sciensus Pharma Services Limited (SPSL) for your care or Treatment (our “Contract”).
1.2. Your Consultant will have discussed the referral to Sciensus for your homecare treatment with you. By agreeing to receive your Treatment with Sciensus you agree that these Terms will apply to you.
1.3. You may have chosen to receive all of your planned Treatment privately, or your Consultant may have referred you to SPSL to provide Treatment which is not funded by the NHS we refer to this as a ‘top up’.
1.4. The Contract will apply throughout the time you receive your Treatment from SPSL as a Private Patient. Please read this document and any Treatment letter sent to you by your Consultant carefully. At the end of this Contract you will find definitions of some of the words and phrases we use.
1.5. SPSL may amend and/or update these Terms from time to time. However, if we make any changes these will only apply to any new episode of Treatment / treatment cycle you may receive.
1.6. SPSL works closely with your Consultant to make every effort to provide the Treatment your Consultant has prescribed and within the timescale requested. However, SPSL reserves the right to cancel or change the date of your Treatment for operational or technical reasons; as a result of an event outside SPSL control; or because your Consultant does not think it is in your best interests for you to proceed with the Treatment for medical reasons at that time. Where this happens, we will give you as much notice as possible and, where appropriate, will liaise with you to arrange an acceptable alternative date to carry out your Treatment.
2. Funding your Treatment
2.1. SPSL provides Treatment to patients who may be funded in different ways These Terms apply to Patients who are Self-Funder Patients, funding their own Treatment or who wish to fund additional “top up” treatment to NHS funded services.
2.2. SPSL accepts referrals for Patients who have elected to fund their own Treatment, or who wish to fund additional “top up” treatment to NHS funded services.
2.3. Your Consultant will have discussed your referral to SPSL with you and given you a copy of the Treatment letter.
2.4. Once we have received your referral from your Consultant, our Patient Liaison Lead will contact you to discuss your planned Treatment with you.
2.5. You will be provided with an estimate of costs for your anticipated Treatment cycle and this information will be based on the details the Consultant has provided us with at that time. You will also be given the anticipated cost of each individual treatment session. However, these costs may be subject to change. Please note it is not possible to give an exact cost of Treatment as the total cost may depend on several factors, including any other medical conditions you may have, or if you need additional treatment. This estimate of costs is personal to you and the anticipated Treatment to be provided. The estimate is confidential, but we appreciate you may wish to discuss this with your Consultant or other persons who are supporting you at this time on a confidential basis. Prior to your referral for Treatment your Consultant may have requested an estimate of costs is provided to you. We will normally share this estimate with your Consultant unless we are told you do not want us to share this.
2.6. Prior to receiving your first Treatment, we will discuss and agree payment arrangements with you. We normally ask for payment to be received in full up to 24 hours before your Treatment session is due, so that we can prepare your medication. We do not accept cheques.
2.7. SPSL Charges include the costs of SPSL nurse visits, drugs, pathology tests and Sundry Items only. You are responsible for the payment of all Treatments you receive from SPSL including any Sundry Items.
2.8. Patients who are only receiving Treatment as an NHS top up will only be charged for the cost of the additional Treatment provided to you by SPSL. You are not charged for services provided by the NHS. Your top up may include the cost of your drugs, including the dispense and delivery fee, any Sundry items, and the nursing costs. If the additional top up treatment provided by SPSL is undertaken in a hospital or clinic setting either at the same time, or just after your NHS treatment; there may also be an additional charge for the use of the clinic.
2.9. In the event the cost of your Treatment differs from the final quote due to unforeseen changes in your medical condition or specific care requirements, SPSL reserves the right to submit a supplementary invoice covering any additional costs identified this will usually be within thirty (30) days after your Treatment date.
2.10. SPSL Charges do not include the cost of medical consultations or hospital bills should you need to be admitted to hospital or be seen within an outpatient
2.11. Your Consultants Fees are dealt with separately, please see section 3.5 below.
2.12. SPSL reserves the right to amend its prices from time to time. If this happens, SPSL will give you notice of any changes to the prices relevant to your Treatment
What happens if you decide not to go ahead?
2.13. If you decide not to go ahead with your Treatment, you should inform SPSL as soon as practical. This must be no later than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the date of your Treatment. You can contact SPSL by Telephone: 0333 207 9882 or email: patientliaison@sciensus.com Please let us know as soon as practical if you need to cancel for any reason.
2.14. If you decide not to go ahead, we will retain your information on our system for six months and this will then be deleted.
2.15. Please note: If you provide less than forty-eight (48) hours’ notice, you may be charged for any costs already incurred by SPSL for your intended Treatment. These costs may include pathology tests which have been submitted, any drugs which have been manufactured for you, and any Treatment you have already received up until the point of cancellation. You may also be charged if the SPSL nurse visits you, but the Treatment does not take place. You will be invoiced directly for the costs of any Treatment already received which you should pay within 7 days of the date of the invoice.
What Happens if your treatment is cancelled due to another reason?
2.16. If your Consultant cancels your scheduled Treatment or the nurse visit, and we are unable to undertake the Treatment because they consider it is not in your best interests for medical reasons to proceed, and you have already paid for your Treatment, SPSL will refund your payment less the cost of any drugs and expenses incurred by SPSL in relation to your Treatment.
2.17. If SPSL are responsible for the need to cancel your treatment, we will refund the costs of the treatment to you within fourteen (14) days following the original planned Treatment date.
2.18. If you are unable to receive your Treatment due to a failure of the delivery device/medical device due to your error; you will be required to meet the cost of a replacement device and the drug. If a failure is deemed to be a medical device failure, SPSL will meet the replacement cost.
Could you claim for your treatment under a Private Insurance policy?
2.19. If you have access to Private Medical Insurance which would fund your Treatment you should let SPSL know as soon as possible. We have different arrangements in place to invoice Private Medical Insurers, so if you do not tell us or choose not to claim on your Medical Insurance and subsequently decide to claim on your Medical Insurance we may not be able to recover and reimburse all your charges
Additional provisions for Patients from overseas
2.20. If you are a patient who is not ordinarily resident in the UK and confirm that you have leave to enter the UK and meet all relevant immigration criteria, including holding a relevant Visa and have made adequate arrangements to pay for your Treatment, SPSL may accept your Consultant’s referral to us.
2.21. SPSL may contact the Home Office or UK Border Agency (as relevant) to clarify any information regarding your leave to enter or remain in the UK in connection with your Treatment.
2.22. Please note you will be liable to pay for all your NHS treatment whilst in the UK, whether related to your Care at SPSL or not, and you should make appropriate arrangements to cover any additional care.
3. your consultant and their role and charges
3.1. SPSL agrees to accept patient referrals from approved Consultants who meet our criteria.
3.2. Although we accept referrals for Treatment, your Consultant remains responsible for the management of your Treatment throughout the time we are looking after you.
3.3. SPSL staff, including Nurses and Healthcare Practitioners, will provide your Treatment under your Consultant’s instruction
3.4. Consultants involved in your Treatment are independent practitioners and are not employees of SPSL. SPSL are not responsible for any act or omission of a Consultant (or the company or partnership that employs or engages the Consultant) or other independent medical practitioners not employed by SPSL involved in your Treatment.
3.5. SPSL does not usually charge for any Consultant’s fees. These will be charged separately to you, or your funder, by the Consultant. Occasionally we expressly agree to collect the Consultant’s charges on their behalf. If this happens, we are acting as the agent for the Consultant only.
3.6. Your Consultant and their secretarial staff do not have authority from SPSL to provide a quote or estimate of costs for any SPSL Charges to you. Any such Charges or likely costs from SPSL mentioned by them are subject to written confirmation by SPSL to you, the patient.
4. Private patient’s obligations
4.1. By agreeing to accept your Treatment from SPSL you accept that these Terms will apply to you, and you will be responsible for paying for the Treatment provided.
4.2. You must keep SPSL updated of any changes in your contact details as we will correspond with you using your last known contact details. If we need to send you a formal notice this will be sent by first class post and will be deemed to be received by you on the third working day after SPSL post a letter to you, or on completion of a fax transmission or email.
4.3. We ask patients to let us have details of their next of kin or person, to contact in case we cannot contact you.
4.4. Patients funding their own Treatment are responsible for paying for the cost of their planned Treatment session a minimum of 24 hours prior to any treatment being delivered and for settling any supplementary invoice within 30 days of the invoice date.
4.5. If you do not pay SPSL in accordance with any valid invoice/ estimate of costs received by you within the time limits specified, SPSL may refuse to provide any remaining Treatment planned for you with immediate effect until you have paid the outstanding amounts due from you
4.. If your circumstances change and you are no longer able to fund your own Treatment, please let us know and we can refer you back to your Consultant to discuss alternative options.
4.7. SPSL reserves the right to charge interest on late payments. Such interest will be charged at 4% per annum in accordance with the late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998, as amended.
5. SPSL – our commitment and obligations to you
5.1. SPSL is a regulated homecare provider and is registered and approved with the relevant Regulatory Bodies in the UK. All our Nurses are registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (“NMC”) and have the relevant additional training and experience for the Treatment to be provided. We may also use experienced Healthcare Practitioners to provide parts of your Treatment.
5.2. Where we accept your referral, we will, subject to these Terms, use our best efforts to provide your Treatment promptly and in accordance with the relevant professional standards.
5.3. SPSL maintains appropriate Indemnity Insurance to cover the Treatment provided to you.
6. events outside our control
6.1. SPSL will not be liable or responsible for any failure to perform, or delay in performance of any obligations under these Terms that are caused by circumstances or an event outside SPSL’s’ reasonable control, such as the effects of wars or strikes, severe weather events, major traffic incidents or accidents, global pandemic, or failure of national networks or IT infrastructure or similar events.
6.2. If an event outside SPSL’s’ reasonable control takes place that affects your Treatment, we will try to contact you as soon as possible to notify you and endeavour to put alternative arrangements in place.
6.3. If this happens our obligations under these Terms will be suspended to the extent needed and the time for performance of our obligations will be extended while the event outside SPSLs’ reasonable control continues.
7. data protection act – looking after your personal data
7.1. In order to provide your Treatment it is necessary for us to process your personal information and to share this with third parties including your referring Consultant; your funder, where relevant (e.g. Insurer, or Solicitor managing your claim), and other organisations who support the provision of our services, such as our delivery company, pathology labs for blood tests, or other providers of services used in your Treatment; and our insurers in the event of a complaint.
7.2. We only share relevant information which is necessary to provide your Treatment and SPSL will always keep your data safe and secure.
7.3. For further details on how we review your personal data please refer to our Privacy Policy which can be found on our website at sciensus.com
7.4. By agreeing that SPSL will provide your Treatment, you accept we will be processing your information in accordance with our Privacy Statement.
8. managing any complaints
8.1. Whilst we always try to ensure your Treatment is provided on time, and in the way we have agreed, we recognise that sometimes things may not be provided as you have expected.
8.2. In the event that you would like to make a complaint in respect of the service provided by SPSL, you can:
- call our main switchboard on 0333 103 9499 at any time between the hours of 8:00am – 8:00pm – Monday to Friday 8:00am – 4:30pm – Saturday/ Sunday.
- e-mail our complaints team at patientadvocacy@sciensus.com
- or write to us at. FAO of Complaints Department, SPSL, 107 Station Street Burton on Trent Staffordshire DE14 1SZ
8.3. Please provide us with your name, any account information you may have to hand, and details of your complaint and your contact details.
What happens if you suffer any complications after your treatment?
8.4. If you have a clinical issue and need to speak to a SPSL clinician you can contact our nursing service called Care Bureau on 0800 756 7589. Lines are open 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
8.5. If you need urgent clinical assistance, please call your local emergency services.
9. Changes in Applicable Law
9.1. You acknowledge and accept that Applicable Law may change, and this may affect SPSL, some Treatment or parts of Treatment to you. If such a change occurs and the change has an effect on your Treatment, then SPSL will contact you to inform you of the change and the consequences of the change.
10. What happens if part of this Contract becomes invalid?
10.1. If any part of this Contract becomes invalid or unenforceable under Applicable Law, the rest of the Contract will remain in place, and we will work together to amend the Contract as far as possible to achieve the original intention.
11.1 SPSL is a homecare company, and we work with other companies in our group. Subject to any restrictions or requirements imposed by Applicable Law, SPSL may transfer and assign this Contract to any member of our group who is capable of providing your Treatment, or to a person who acquires all or substantially all of the business or assets of SPSL.
12.1. A person who is not a party to this Contract shall not have any rights under or in connection with it.
13.1. SPSL may vary these Terms from time to time. In the event SPSL vary these terms any changes which affect you will not apply during your Treatment episode or specific Treatment Cycle but will apply to any new Treatment Cycle which starts after the changes take place.
13.2. Our current Terms are published on our website at: https://www.sciensus.com/self-funder-patients-terms-and-conditions/
14.1. If you or SPSL decide not to enforce any right or remedy under this Contract it does not mean that the rights are waived, and you or SPSL may enforce that right or remedy in the future.
15.1. These Terms are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English Law and the English Courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction.
16. Definitions and meanings
| “Applicable Law” | means any and all laws, regulations, guidelines and professional obligations applicable to this Contract; the provision of your Treatment; the performance of services for you, including looking after your personal data; |
| “Charges” | means the costs for providing our services including products, nursing time, tests and other Sundry items required for your Treatment. For Private patients funded by an Insurer or Solicitor the approved Charges will be payable by them;
|
| “Consultant” | means a senior hospital based physician or surgeon who has completed all of his or her specialist training and been placed on the General Medical Council ( GMC) (specialist register in their chosen speciality who is involved in your Treatment) (including those doing so on behalf of a company or partnership);
|
| “Contract” | means these Terms, as updated from time to time;
|
| “Privacy Statement” | means the statement set out on the SPSL website, setting out how we manage your personal data;
|
|
“Private Patients” Or Patient |
means all patients that are not NHS funded patients and includes patients who are covered by medical insurance and patients who are paying for their own Treatment;
|
| “Patient Liaison Lead” | means the person who is allocated to liaise between SPSL Clinical Pathway Nurse and your Consultant:
|
| “Party” | means either SPSL or you, depending on context and “Parties” means both SPSL and you
|
| “SPSL”, “we” or “us” | means Sciensus Pharma Services Limited and where relevant may include other members of our group of companies. |
| “Sundry Items” | means items associated with your Treatment provided by SPSL, including but not limited to scalp cooling, take home drugs, pumps, medical consumables and ancillaries.
|
| “Terms” | means the terms and conditions set out in this document, as updated from time to time
|
| “Treatment Letter” | means the letter provided by your Consultant setting out the care and treatment recommended for you
|
| “Treatment” | means all the treatment, care and services provided for you including all prescribed drugs for your treatment, drugs and medical products, all tests required to support your treatment and all Sundry Items.
|
17. ACCEPTING THESE TERMS
17.1. If you agree to your Treatment being provided by SPSL these Terms will apply to you. It would be helpful if you can confirm your acceptance by signing and returning the attached Acknowledgement of Acceptance. Please return to SPSL by email or post or respond to the email sent to you with these terms attached.
17.2. NOTE: If you do not return these but continue to accept Treatment, we will treat this as your acceptance.
ACCEPTANCE of Terms for Self-Funded Patients
I confirm that I have read the SPSL Terms and Conditions for provision of Treatment and understand that these will apply to my Treatment.
I understand that:
I must inform SPSL if my contact details change
I must inform SPSL in the event that my circumstances change
I can cancel my Treatment at any time but will be responsible for any SPSL Charges incurred up to the date of cancellation.
| Signed:
|
If returning by email please use your electronic signature or type in your full name |
| Full name |
|
| Date: |
|
:
Please return to:
By email to Privatereferrals@sciensus.com
Or by post to
FAO Private Patient Services
Sciensus Pharma Services Limited (SPSL)
107 Station Street
Burton on Trent
Staffordshire
DE14 1 SZ