Effective from: 1 January 2025

At Greater Manchester Foot Care, appointment times are reserved specifically for each patient. Late cancellations and missed appointments can leave clinical time unfilled and may prevent other patients from accessing appointments.

This policy explains how booking deposits, cancellations, rescheduling, late arrivals and non-attendance are handled. Our arrangements are intended to be fair and proportionate and are not intended to operate as a penalty.

1. Appointment Deposits

A booking deposit of £20–£50 may be required to secure an appointment. The amount may vary depending on the type, duration and value of the appointment or treatment.

The deposit forms part of the appointment charge and will be deducted from the total amount payable when you attend.

Where a deposit is required, an appointment is not confirmed until the required deposit has been received.

2. 24-Hour Cancellation and Rescheduling Policy

We require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice if you wish to cancel or rearrange an appointment.

Where at least 24 hours’ notice is provided, your deposit will normally be transferred to your rearranged appointment or refunded where appropriate.

We encourage patients to contact us as soon as possible if they know they cannot attend. This gives us the best opportunity to offer the appointment to another patient.

3. Less Than 24 Hours’ Notice

If an appointment is cancelled or rearranged with less than 24 hours’ notice, the clinic may retain some or all of the deposit to compensate for reasonable losses arising from the late cancellation.

The amount retained will be considered in the circumstances of the cancellation and will be reasonable and proportionate to the loss suffered by the clinic.

Where we are able to refill the appointment, this will be taken into consideration when deciding whether, and to what extent, the deposit should be retained or transferred.

A new deposit may be required before another appointment is confirmed.

4. Failure to Attend

If you fail to attend an appointment without giving notice, the clinic may retain some or all of the deposit to cover reasonable losses associated with the missed appointment.

Any decision to retain the deposit will take account of the individual circumstances and the clinic’s resulting loss.

A new deposit may be required before a further appointment is confirmed.

Repeated non-attendance or repeated late cancellations may result in the clinic declining to offer future appointments.

5. Late Arrivals

Patients are responsible for arriving on time for their appointment.

We will make reasonable efforts to provide treatment within the remaining appointment time where this is clinically appropriate and safe.

If you arrive too late for the treatment to reasonably or safely proceed, the appointment may be treated as a late cancellation. In these circumstances, the clinic may retain some or all of the deposit, subject to the principles of reasonableness and proportionality set out in this policy.

6. Exceptional Circumstances

We recognise that genuine emergencies and exceptional circumstances outside a patient’s reasonable control can occur.

Such circumstances will be considered individually and reasonably.

Where appropriate, the clinic may transfer or refund some or all of the deposit.

Patients should contact the clinic as soon as reasonably possible if an emergency or unexpected circumstance prevents them from attending.

7. Cancellation or Rearrangement by the Clinic

If Greater Manchester Foot Care needs to cancel or rearrange your appointment, your deposit will not be forfeited.

You will be offered the option of:

• transferring your deposit to another suitable appointment; or
• receiving a refund of the deposit where we are unable to provide the booked service.

If we cancel an appointment and you choose not to rearrange, your deposit will be refunded.

8. Specialist Treatments, Treatment Courses and Longer Appointments

Some specialist treatments, treatment courses or longer appointments may require a larger deposit or advance payment.

Any specific cancellation or payment terms applying to these services will be clearly explained to you before payment is taken.

Where treatment has already commenced, any refund will take into account services already provided and any reasonable, unavoidable costs or losses incurred by the clinic.

Any amount retained will be reasonable and proportionate and will not be intended to operate as a penalty.

9. Retaining Deposits

Our cancellation arrangements are intended to compensate the clinic for reasonable losses associated with reserved clinical time, late cancellations and missed appointments.

They are not intended to operate as a penalty.

Where a deposit may be retained, Greater Manchester Foot Care will consider the circumstances of the cancellation or non-attendance and the resulting loss to the clinic.

The clinic will take reasonable steps to minimise its loss, including attempting to offer the appointment to another patient where reasonably practicable.

Any amount retained will be reasonable and proportionate to the loss suffered by the clinic.

10. Acceptance of the Policy and Statutory Rights

This policy is made available to patients through the clinic and/or our website.

Where a deposit is required, patients will be given the opportunity to review the applicable cancellation terms before making payment.

By booking an appointment and paying the required deposit, you acknowledge the applicable appointment and cancellation terms.

Nothing in this policy affects your statutory rights under UK law.

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please contact us as soon as possible. Early notice gives us the best opportunity to offer the appointment to another patient and may reduce any loss to the clinic.