Terms of Service: Essential Information for Clients

1. Booking and Cancellation Policy

Overview

At Apex Speech & Language, we:

  • Devote significant time preparing for each client’s assessments;

  • Ensure thorough preparation for all therapy and other appointments;

  • Limit our daily client load to maintain a high standard of service.

Assessments: Time-Intensive and Challenging to Arrange

Prior to conducting an assessment, we invest considerable time in reviewing intake information, questionnaires, and other materials, tailoring the assessment to your specific concerns, and preparing the necessary forms. If you book an assessment but fail to attend or cancel with less than seven days' notice, we face lost time, revenue, and preparation expenses. To reduce this risk, we require a deposit of 50% of the assessment fee when booking.

Therapy Sessions

If you miss a therapy session or cancel with less than two working days’ notice, the following consequences arise:

  1. Time spent preparing for your session is lost, time that could have been allocated to another client.

  2. It may not be feasible to schedule another client in your slot, limiting the number of clients we can help that day.

  3. It reduces our income, which impacts our ability to invest in staff and resources and may affect staff pay.

Consistency and mutual trust are vital in speech therapy. While we understand that unforeseen circumstances occur, frequent cancellations or no-shows can strain the therapeutic relationship and compromise care quality. We strive to avoid such disruptions.

Agreement

Booking any assessment, therapy session, consultation, training, workshop, group session, or similar appointment (collectively referred to as an "Appointment") establishes a legally binding contract, known as the "Agreement", between you (the client) and Apex Speech & Language. Our registered address is 30 Elizabeth Street, Parramatta, NSW 2150, Australia (ABN: 83 590 679 171).

By booking on behalf of yourself or a child, you confirm your authorization to accept these terms and conditions. This Agreement governs the provision of our services. We may update these terms, and the most current version will be available on our website. Continued use of our services implies acceptance of any changes.

Assessment Booking Deposit

When scheduling an assessment, your booking will only be confirmed after:

  • You receive an email with the assessment time and fee details.

  • We receive a 50% deposit of the assessment fee.

We reserve the right to decline bookings for any valid reason. Upon receiving the deposit, we will typically send a confirmation email. If you do not receive confirmation within 48 hours, please check your junk/spam folder and contact us if necessary.

The remaining assessment fee, as well as fees for future appointments, must be paid in full by the date of the scheduled appointment.

Cancellations, Changes, and Payment

For assessments, cancellations are accepted up to seven days prior to the scheduled appointment. For other types of appointments, we accept cancellations up to two working days in advance.

  • If you cancel or reschedule with less than seven days’ notice for an assessment, you forfeit your deposit and may still be responsible for the remaining balance.

  • For other appointments, cancelling within two working days may require full payment without a refund.

Failure to attend multiple appointments may result in discharge from our services. Payment is due on the date of the appointment, and failure to pay may also lead to discharge.

If we need to cancel an appointment, we will refund any fees or offer an alternative date. However, we are not responsible for additional costs you may have incurred in relation to the appointment.

Attendance and Conduct

Please arrive on time for your appointment. We cannot accommodate late arrivals beyond 15 minutes past the scheduled time, and you will remain responsible for the appointment fee without a refund.

We may occasionally record appointments as part of our services or child protection policies, and by entering into this Agreement, you consent to this on behalf of yourself and any child under your care.

You are also required to comply with our Zero Tolerance Policy and health and safety guidelines. Failure to do so may result in being asked to leave, with no refund provided.

Therapy Blocks, Breaks, and Discharge

Following an assessment, we may recommend a therapy block consisting of a set number of sessions over a fixed period, followed by a break. Recommendations will typically be provided in writing. Therapy breaks allow for better skill retention and fairer service distribution due to limited availability.

Your access to services following a therapy block depends on various factors, including attendance, home practice, staff availability, and clinic priorities.

Liability Limitations

While we aim to provide a high standard of care, there are limitations to our liability as permitted by law. Attendance and participation in appointments are at your own risk. We are not responsible for lost property, personal injury (except where required by law), or loss of business, profit, or data resulting from attendance.

General Provisions

  • Privacy: We adhere to applicable privacy laws. See our Privacy Policy for details.

  • Intellectual Property: Materials provided to you remain our property. You may make a personal copy, but further use is prohibited.

  • Force Majeure: We are not liable for breaches caused by events beyond our control.

  • Jurisdiction: This Agreement is governed by the laws of New South Wales, Australia.

2. Privacy Policy

Please refer to our Privacy Policy here.

3. Approach to Client Care and Feedback

If you have questions or concerns, feel free to contact Cherie Finocchiaro, our principal speech pathologist, at any time, via phone or through our “Contact” page.