Client Policy — The Kate Aesthetic
1. Appointments
– Booking confirmation: Your appointment is confirmed once you receive written confirmation by email or SMS.
– New clients: Please arrive 10 minutes early to complete your medical history and consent forms before treatment begins.
– Medical history: All clients must complete a full medical history and consent form before treatment. You must inform us of any changes to your health, medications, or circumstances at every visit.
– Age policy: We do not treat anyone under 18. A valid photo ID may be requested at any appointment.
2. Deposits
– Deposit required: A non-refundable £40 deposit is required to confirm every booking. This amount is deducted from your treatment balance when you attend.
– Packages and courses: A £40 deposit is taken at the time of booking your package and deducted from your overall balance. The same deposit and cancellation terms apply to all sessions in the package.
– Transfer: Your deposit may be transferred once to a new appointment date, provided you give at least 48 hours’ notice.
– Forfeiture: Your £40 deposit is forfeited if you cancel with less than 48 hours’ notice, do not attend, or arrive more than 15 minutes late, and we are unable to proceed safely.
3. Cancellations, Rescheduling, and No-Shows
– Notice required: Please give at least 48 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule.
– Late cancellation: Cancellations made with less than 48 hours’ notice will result in your £40 deposit being retained.
– No-show: If you do not attend without notice, your £40 deposit is retained. A new £40 deposit will be required before rebooking.
– Late arrival: We allow a grace period of up to 15 minutes. After this, we may need to shorten or cancel your treatment for safety and quality reasons. Your deposit will be retained, and full fees may apply.
– Repeated no-shows: We reserve the right to request full prepayment or decline future bookings.
4. Pricing and Payment
– Pricing: All current prices are listed on our website and treatment menu. Prices are subject to change without prior notice.
– Quotes: Any quoted price is valid for 30 days from the date of issue.
– Payment: The remaining balance is due in full at your appointment (or per session for packages). We accept [card/cash/bank transfer].
– Packages and vouchers: Non-transferable between clients. Subject to the stated expiry dates and the same cancellation terms as individual appointments.
5. Clinical Assessment and Right to Refuse Treatment
– Suitability: Your practitioner will conduct a clinical assessment before each treatment. If a treatment is deemed unsuitable on the day, we may decline it or recommend an alternative. This decision is made in your best interests.
– Contraindications: Certain medical conditions, medications, allergies, or recent procedures may preclude treatment. Please disclose all relevant information at the time of booking and at each visit.
– Pregnancy and breastfeeding: We do not perform most aesthetic treatments during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
– Prescriptions: Some treatments at The Kate Aesthetic (including botulinum toxin) are prescription-only medicines (POMs). These are prescribed and administered within an appropriate clinical governance framework, in accordance with UK law and HCPC standards.
6. Results and Follow-Up
– Individual results: Treatment outcomes vary with skin type, lifestyle, metabolism, and adherence to aftercare. No specific result can be guaranteed.
– Aftercare: Written aftercare instructions will be provided after each treatment. Following them carefully is essential for safety and the best results.
– Review appointments: Where applicable (e.g. anti-wrinkle treatments), a review appointment may be offered at 2–3 weeks post-treatment. Reviews must be attended within 4 weeks of your original appointment.
7. Photographs and Records
– Clinical photography/videos: We take confidential before-and-after photographs/videos at every appointment for your clinical record and for insurance purposes. These are stored securely and are not shared or used for any other purpose without your explicit written consent.
– Marketing use: We will use your photographs only for marketing, social media, or promotional material, with your separate, signed written consent. You may withdraw this consent at any time.
– Record keeping: Your records are securely stored in accordance with UK data protection law and clinical record-keeping standards. 8. Health, Safety, and Hygiene
– Infection control: We adhere to strict hygiene and infection-prevention protocols throughout all treatments.
– Illness: Please reschedule your appointment if you are unwell, have a cold sore near the treatment area, or have any contagious condition. Please contact us as soon as possible so we can reallocate your slot.
– Alcohol and substances: Please avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours before your appointment. We reserve the right to decline treatment to anyone who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or other substances.
– Skin condition: Please arrive with clean skin, free of active infections, open wounds, or undiagnosed rashes in the treatment area.
9. Refunds and Complaints
– Completed treatments: We do not offer refunds for treatments that have been carried out. If you experience an unexpected reaction, an adverse outcome, or have concerns about your result, please contact us within 72 hours so we can assess and advise accordingly.
– Retail products: Unopened products may be returned within 14 days, provided proof of purchase. Opened skincare products cannot be returned unless faulty.
– Complaints: To make a formal complaint, please contact us at [email] within 14 days of your appointment. We will acknowledge your complaint within 3 working days and provide a full response within 10 working days.
– Escalation: If your complaint is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may escalate it to our insurer or the relevant professional body. Details are available on request.
– Statutory rights: Nothing in this policy affects your legal rights as a consumer.
10. Privacy and Data Protection
– We collect and process your personal and medical data solely to provide safe, appropriate treatment.
– Your data is securely held and never sold or shared with third parties without your consent, except where required by law or in a clinical emergency.
– Full details are set out in our Privacy Notice, which is available on request or on our website.
11. Children and Companions
– Children under 12 are not permitted in the treatment room. Children under 16 must always be supervised by a responsible adult in the waiting area. Companions: We ask that companions remain in the waiting area during treatments to maintain a calm clinical environment.
– Pets: Only registered assistance dogs are permitted on the premises.
12. Insurance and Practitioner Credentials The Kate Aesthetic holds current professional indemnity and public liability insurance.
All treatments are performed by a qualified, HCPC-registered anaesthetic practitioner with appropriate training, CPD, and insurance for each treatment.
Prescription-only treatments are administered within a fully compliant clinical governance framework, including independent prescriber oversight where required by UK law.
13. Communication and Reminders
– Reminders: We may send appointment reminders by SMS or email as a courtesy. Being on time remains your responsibility, whether or not you receive a reminder.
– Out-of-hours: Messages received outside business hours will be responded to on the next working day.
– Emergency aftercare: If you have an urgent post-treatment concern, contact us on 07706 275 881. In a medical emergency, call 999 or attend your nearest A&E.
14. Agreement
By booking or attending an appointment with The Kate Aesthetic, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to this Client Policy, together with our Consent Form, Aftercare Instructions, and Privacy Notice.
