You can either call or email The Natural Practice to arrange an appointment at one of our integrated medical practices. A member of our reception team will be able to advise you which health practitioner it is best for you to consult with first and their availability. They will advise you on first appointment length, fee rates and the information they require you to bring with you at your first appointment and send you any questionnaire that needs completing before your consultation. Questionnaires can be emailed to you or you can access them through individual practitioner pages.
Book an appointmentYou will be asked to complete a questionnaire, usually before your consultation, giving a full medical history. This will give the doctor or medical health practitioner more time to talk through your symptoms and medical history to gain a full understanding of your condition. We are happy for you to have a relative or friend with you during your consultation. An adult must accompany patients under the age of 18.
If remedies or medicines are prescribed, you may have to wait to have them made up if you wish to take them away with you following your consultation. Alternatively, items may be posted out to you later that day. Postage charges will apply. All medication must be paid for before it is sent out to patients. Any tests recommended to be undertaken on the advice of your practitioner will be an additional cost. Please ensure you are happy with the cost of the test before you agree to it.
When booking an appointment with any one of the practitioners for the first time, you will be asked to pay the full new patient consultation fee in advance. This sum will be refunded to you in full should you wish to cancel your appointment on condition that 2 working days notice is given (see Cancellation Policy below).
A telephone or video consultation may be made by arrangement with our reception team. These can be easier to schedule and you can arrange either by speaking to or emailing our receptionist at enquiries@thenaturalpractice.com.
For video consultations we prefer a secure and easy to use service called doxy.me. Reception will email you a link which can be used each time you consult this way.
We also offer appointments by Skype but please make sure we have your Skype address. Please provide reception with your telephone number too in case there is a problem with the connection.
All remedies or medicines prescribed will be posted out to you via our DPD courier service. Payment for consultation fees and remedies will be taken over the phone by credit/debit card.
The Natural Practice believe payment should be made for consultation fees and remedies at the time of your appointment. Invoices posted out to patients must be settled within 7 days. We accept all major credit cards (except American Express), cash and cheques.
We require 2 working days notice for a cancellation of your first consultation. Failure to do so will result in non refund of the deposit given.
We also require 2 working days/48 hours notice for cancellations of all follow-up appointment. If sufficient notice is not given or if an appointment with one of the health practitioners is missed, 50% of the consultation fee will be charged. This fee may be wavered under exceptional personal circumstances.
Please be advised that we would not recommend a patient suffering from a heavy cold, flu or a stomach bug who is booked in to see a practitioner who is not a doctor, to attend their appointment whilst unwell to prevent any cross contamination. If you are unsure, please contact Reception who will advise you and reschedule your appointment if necessary. No cancellation charge will be made under these circumstances.
To balance both the need for on-going professional support and speedy communication, we request that medication and dispensary queries are first directed to the dispensary team at dispensary@thenaturalpractice.com or 01962 858227. Appointment queries should be addressed to the reception team on enquiries@thenaturalpractice.com or 01962 856310.
If you have a query for your doctor, this can be addressed to the reception team who will either forward a message to the doctor, arrange a telephone consultation or bring your next appointment forward. Please note that with the exception of emergencies, doctors will only be able to deal with queries on the days on which they work at The Natural Practice.
Due to the volume of requests our doctors receive for advice between appointments, we have to make a charge for these email and telephone calls. Charges are made as follows:
a) For a straightforward, single query arising from a consultation, there is no charge.
b) For a more lengthy query beyond matters covered in the consultation, a charge of 50% of the standard consultation fee is made.
c) For a query which is essentially a full consultation, it is recommended that you book a further consultation with the doctor. This consultation can be in person, over the telephone, by Skype or by email. All consultations will be charged at the standard rate. If you are unable to arrange a further consultation but require a response to your email, this will be charged at the standard consultation fee.
The Natural Practice does not run an emergency service. If you have a medical emergency please contact either the emergency services or NHS Direct on 111.
If you are an existing patient and have an urgent query related to treatment received at the practice which cannot wait for a reply during opening hours, our out of hours number is given on the answerphone. A follow up appointment fee will be charged for the advice given by one of our doctors. Any messages left on the answering machine will be dealt with during practice opening hours. Please do not leave any messages requiring action on our Facebook page.
If you require a repeat prescription from a doctor in-between appointments, there will be a charge of £25.
Directions and parking advice is available in the information given for each practice. If you need further help, please contact our reception team on 01962 856310.
Some of our consulting rooms are on the first floor. If you have problems with stairs, please ensure the receptionist is aware of your needs and she will try to book a ground floor consulting room.
A copy of our complaints procedure can be requested from reception. We will ensure that all complaints are dealt with properly.
As a patient at The Natural Practice, certain personal and health information will be kept about you in our manual and computerised systems. All such information is treated as being confidential and is subject to the practice's Confidentiality Policy and the Data Protection Act (1988). The use and disclosure of patient health data by the practice can only be undertaken where certain conditions are met, the essential ones being:
As a patient, you have the right under the Data Protection Act (1988) to request access to the records the practice holds on you. All such requests should be put in writing to The Practice Manager.
Many of our practitioners are providers of private health care. Please check your private health insurance policy to ensure you have cover before you make an appointment.
We ask patients who have private health insurance policies to settle their invoices directly with the practice and to then claim reimbursement directly from their insurance provider. The practice will provide you with a receipt to assist your claim.
Patient Guidance for Practitioner Appointments at The Natural Practice 19/7/21
Please read before you attend your appointment and email or telephone reception on 01962 856310 if you have any questions.
The purpose of these guidelines is to prevent the spread of infection from the coronavirus between practitioners, staff and patients and maintain a safe distance apart where possible. A revised risk assessment has been carried out and is the result of these guidelines being drawn up.
All patients must adhere to the following guidelines if they wish to have an appointment at the practice in person. ‘Virtual’ doctors appointments will continue to be available or ‘face to face’ if required.
Before your appointment:
You must not visit the practice if:
If you are experiencing any symptoms of Covid-19 or have done so within the last 2 weeks
If you have had a positive Covid-19 test
If you are self-isolating or live with someone who is self-isolating
Face masks must be worn when visiting the practice. You may only remove your face mask if you are invited to do so by your practitioner. Either way, you should replace your face mask before leaving the consulting room and entering the common areas. Only those exempt from wearing a face mask may enter without one.
If you are coming to the practice to be treated by the massage therapist, please bring to your appointment 2 large clean towels previously washed at 60°C. If you fail to do so, you will be charged an additional £2 for disposable couch covers.
If you have hand sanitiser please bring it with you to use on entering the practice. Alternatively, hand sanitiser is available at the practice.
Your appointment:
Do not arrive more than a couple of minutes early for your appointment. When you arrive, please either wait outside the building or in your car but please telephone reception on 01962 856310 to let them know you have arrived. Do not bring another family member with you unless absolutely necessary or unless the appointment is for a child or a vulnerable person.
After your appointment:
We now take in person card payments at the practice.
If the practice is not busy, you may wait in the waiting room for your medicines to be made up after your appointment. If the practice is busy, you may be asked to wait in your car. If you would prefer not to wait, you medicines will be posted out to you but there is a charge for this service.
Consulting rooms will be wiped down with a disinfectant solution between each patient visit.
We very much appreciate your support with following this guidance. If you have any suggestions or feedback, please email the Practice Manager at practice.manager@thenaturalpractice.com.