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Patient Charter
Our Goal
• To continuously enhance our patients’ health and well-being through expert, affordable and friendly care based on the
principles of chiropractic*
What we do:
• Explain any proposed treatment, including any risks involved in that treatment and any alternatives, clearly to you before you
decide whether you wish to proceed
• Explain clearly to you the difference between acute, chronic and maintenance care regimes so that you understand why we are
treating you as we are and what we hope to achieve with you in the treatment
• Encourage and help you to take responsibility for your own health by advising you on various lifestyle issues
when appropriate
• Offer you a confidential (and anonymous if you prefer) feedback system which you can use to inform us if you are unhappy
with any aspects of the treatment/service we offer
What we do not do:
• Cold call or cold contact directly patients with whom we do not have an existing relationship
• Insist upon discounted volume or up front payment plans – you pay as you receive care. If you have difficulty with our fees
please do raise your difficulty with us and we will work with you to make the payment for your care more convenient for you
• Encourage more visits than you need – Acute or chronic conditions may require a regime of chiropractic care, particularly
early on in the treatment of the condition. Preventative maintenance treatment requires a different regime. We will thoroughly
explain to you the likely care you will need and we will review your treatment on at least every 6th visit before advising you
on any further appointment
Our Policies on:
• Waiting times – we endeavour to keep your waiting time to minimum however we will always try to see anyone contacting us
in pain as quickly as possible. On rare occasions we have a coincidence of several patients without appointment and this may
delay you. We ask for your understanding in this. You may one day need to be seen yourself without an appointment
• Cancellation of appointments – If you cannot make your appointment we ask that you inform us at least one day before it.
We reserve the right to charge patients who fail to show for appointments without one days’ notice
• Reminders of appointments – It is our policy to remind all patients of their appointments, usually on the day before it is due
• Feedback – we welcome our patients’ opinions, comments, criticisms and feedback. Feedback sheets are routinely given to
newer patients, but are certainly not limited to newer patients. If you have an opinion, good or bad, about us we want to hear
it. Please feel free to request a confidential feedback form from reception, if you have not already received one – we value
our patients opinions and we will act on suggestions when appropriate
*Chiropractic Principles
1. Health is the natural state of individuals, and any departure from this state represents a failure of the individual to adapt to the internal and external environment, or the result of adverse
adaptation. The innate tendency of the body is to restore and maintain health and this is accomplished by (compensating) homeostatic mechanisms, reparative processes and adaptive
responses to genetic and acquired limitations.
2. Health is an expression of biological, psychological, social and spiritual factors, and disease and illness is multi-causal. This is a holistic philosophy of health.
3. Optimal health is unique for any individual. It involves enabling persons to realistically fulfill their biological, human and social potentials. This also implies individual responsibility for
health. The chiropractor is simply the facilitator and, through co-operation with the patient, patient education and adherence, they together achieve health for the patient. Health also implies
a belief in healthy living (good nutrition, constructive exercise, stress management and good posture).
4. The structure and functioning of the neuromusculoskeletal system is central to the maintenance of good health and the combating of disease. The functioning of the musculoskeletal system
is integrated with neurological function, and is expressed by the various regulatory systems of the body.
Taken from: Philips, RB; Coulter, ID; Adams, A; et al (1994) A contemporary philosophy of chiropractic for the Los Angeles College of Chiropractic in Journal of Chiropractic
Humanities 4, 20-25
Patients Charter.indd 1 28/07/2006 18:12:12
