Can I get a refund for a service that I was not made aware of been charged for ?

sheramber

What did you think the tests were for if they were not an assessment. The time to query what it was for was when they mentioned doing tests. You could have declined the tests. 

macman

Physios don't carry out shockwave therapy without doing an assessment first, because it can be potentially dangerous with certain conditions. But I've never hear of it being used as a treatment for osteo-arthritis.
You would have received an assessment and a consultation, for which a fee of £65 is not unreasonable. Since they deduced that shockwave was unsuitable, it's reasonable for them to carry out tests to determine a more suitable therapy.
I assume it was  a physiological assessment, not a psychological one...

frank1978

macman said:

Physios don't carry out shockwave therapy without doing an assessment first, because it can be potentially dangerous with certain conditions. But I've never hear of it being used as a treatment for osteo-arthritis.
You would have received an assessment and a consultation, for which a fee of £65 is not unreasonable. Since they deduced that shockwave was unsuitable, it's reasonable for them to carry out tests to determine a more suitable therapy.
I assume it was  a physiological assessment, not a psychological one...

That does make sense and I agree with you. But my problem is on there services page Shockwave and the physiological assessment are priced as seperate treatments.And surely as a new patient I shouldn't have been allowed to book shockwave without having the physiological assessment first instead. The shockwave treatment dosen't mention anything about needing any the physiological assessmen or any consultation. So as a buyer I feel its been mis sold as something else.

Manxman_in_exile

Alderbank said:

Manxman_in_exile said:

Did you check whether the practice was staffed by qualified physiotherapists?

I think the psychological exam thing is some sort of typo.

I know.  That's why I asked the OP if the practice was staffed by qualified physiotherapists.  [Edit:  and not psychologists or psychotherapists]

Having been involved in the commissioning of pre-reg training for physios and other AHPs in the NHS, I wouldn't pay anything to see a physio privately unless I'd checked that they were registered with the Health & Care Professions Council and/or the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists

Check the Register and find a registered health and care professional | (hcpc-uk.org)

Find a physiotherapist | The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (csp.org.uk)

Even then I wouldn't use a physio practice that allowed patients to book their own treatment without first having a clinical assessment.

Manxman_in_exile

frank1978 said:

macman said:

Physios don't carry out shockwave therapy without doing an assessment first, because it can be potentially dangerous with certain conditions. But I've never hear of it being used as a treatment for osteo-arthritis.
You would have received an assessment and a consultation, for which a fee of £65 is not unreasonable. Since they deduced that shockwave was unsuitable, it's reasonable for them to carry out tests to determine a more suitable therapy.
I assume it was  a physiological assessment, not a psychological one...

That does make sense and I agree with you. But my problem is on there services page Shockwave and the physiological assessment are priced as seperate treatments.And surely as a new patient I shouldn't have been allowed to book shockwave without having the physiological assessment first instead. The shockwave treatment dosen't mention anything about needing any the physiological assessmen or any consultation. So as a buyer I feel its been mis sold as something else.

Sorry if I've missed it, but did they make you pay at the time (in which case why didn't you complain at the time?) or did they bill you later?

In either case you need to make a formal complaint now.  As you say, it should not have been possible for you to book a particular course of treatment by yourself without first having a clinical assessment of your condition.  Ask them why they allowed this to happen.

Then ask them why they didn't also explain to you that they would charge for the assessment, because if they had told you, you would have refused it.

The fact that their time was taken up by a supposed shockwave session that they couldn't (or wouldn't) deliver to you is not your fault - it's a fault in their system that allowed you to book it when it wasn't indicated for you.

(Out of curiosity, do you have the name(s) of the Physio(s) and are they registered on the sites in my previous post?)

frank1978

Manxman_in_exile said:

frank1978 said:

macman said:

Physios don't carry out shockwave therapy without doing an assessment first, because it can be potentially dangerous with certain conditions. But I've never hear of it being used as a treatment for osteo-arthritis.
You would have received an assessment and a consultation, for which a fee of £65 is not unreasonable. Since they deduced that shockwave was unsuitable, it's reasonable for them to carry out tests to determine a more suitable therapy.
I assume it was  a physiological assessment, not a psychological one...

That does make sense and I agree with you. But my problem is on there services page Shockwave and the physiological assessment are priced as seperate treatments.And surely as a new patient I shouldn't have been allowed to book shockwave without having the physiological assessment first instead. The shockwave treatment dosen't mention anything about needing any the physiological assessmen or any consultation. So as a buyer I feel its been mis sold as something else.

Sorry if I've missed it, but did they make you pay at the time (in which case why didn't you complain at the time?) or did they bill you later?

In either case you need to make a formal complaint now.  As you say, it should not have been possible for you to book a particular course of treatment by yourself without first having a clinical assessment of your condition.  Ask them why they allowed this to happen.

Then ask them why they didn't also explain to you that they would charge for the assessment, because if they had told you, you would have refused it.

The fact that their time was taken up by a supposed shockwave session that they couldn't (or wouldn't) deliver to you is not your fault - it's a fault in their system that allowed you to book it when it wasn't indicated for you.

(Out of curiosity, do you have the name(s) of the Physio(s) and are they registered on the sites in my previous post?)

I paid right away after they showed me out with contactless debit card. I thought it would be best to pay then and argue it later through the proper process rather than create a scene. I also thought later the receptionist might of booked me the wrong appointment. But the physio did say before payment I won't charge you the £80 for Shockwave its £65 instead for the asessment trying to convice me she was doing me a favour. She's a well known physio with 20 years experice according to the bio on there page. I'll make a complaint with your suggestions above then thanks.

born_again

frank1978 said:

macman said:

Physios don't carry out shockwave therapy without doing an assessment first, because it can be potentially dangerous with certain conditions. But I've never hear of it being used as a treatment for osteo-arthritis.
You would have received an assessment and a consultation, for which a fee of £65 is not unreasonable. Since they deduced that shockwave was unsuitable, it's reasonable for them to carry out tests to determine a more suitable therapy.
I assume it was  a physiological assessment, not a psychological one...

That does make sense and I agree with you. But my problem is on there services page Shockwave and the physiological assessment are priced as seperate treatments.And surely as a new patient I shouldn't have been allowed to book shockwave without having the physiological assessment first instead. The shockwave treatment dosen't mention anything about needing any the physiological assessmen or any consultation. So as a buyer I feel its been mis sold as something else.

Have you got a link to their website?

Also what did your doctor/consultant say about shockwave treatment?

macman

So you paid without even registering a complaint (it's perfectly possible to make polite complaint without 'causing a scene'), but now is it your view that you don't owe them anything for the assessment? Even though, without an assessment, they can't determine any suitable treatment?

tightauldgit

frank1978 said:

macman said:

Physios don't carry out shockwave therapy without doing an assessment first, because it can be potentially dangerous with certain conditions. But I've never hear of it being used as a treatment for osteo-arthritis.
You would have received an assessment and a consultation, for which a fee of £65 is not unreasonable. Since they deduced that shockwave was unsuitable, it's reasonable for them to carry out tests to determine a more suitable therapy.
I assume it was  a physiological assessment, not a psychological one...

That does make sense and I agree with you. But my problem is on there services page Shockwave and the physiological assessment are priced as seperate treatments.And surely as a new patient I shouldn't have been allowed to book shockwave without having the physiological assessment first instead. The shockwave treatment dosen't mention anything about needing any the physiological assessmen or any consultation. So as a buyer I feel its been mis sold as something else.

You might feel mis-sold but they didn't charge you for the treatment that you didn't receive so I don't really see what more they could do specifically on that front. 

frank1978

Thank you to all the members who saw my side on here. I sent them this e-mail with helpful ideas from members here below at midnight. And they called at lunchtime to ask for my card details to issue a refund. No apology or any hint they were going to change there booking process so this could'nt happen. But a refund is all I wanted.

I haven't mentioned this in this thread yet. But I do have Autism and don't pick up on things as quickly in real time as normal people do. I told the physio I had Autism within the first 10 mins when she asking about other medical conditions. And I feel she tried to hoodwink me for some easy money. (Obviously I can't prove this but is a strong feeling of certainty).

My email I sent

Hello, my name is Mr.... I would like to ask for a full refund of £65.00 as I feel I was misled by your staff and there was a possible flaw in your appointment booking process.
I initially called on Wednesday, April 5th, to book an appointment for "Shockwave" not a physio assessment. The lady at reception booked me in for 3 p.m. the next day to see head physio S R . Upon 10 minutes into my appointment, after discussing my problems as being arthritis-related instead of tendon-related, Sarah declined that I was suitable for shockwave. Then she carried out various tests and gave advice. After this, she escorted me to the reception desk and said, "Instead of charging you £80 for Shockwave, I'll charge you £65 for a physiotherapy assessment. At no point after she declined me for shockwave therapy within the first 10 minutes did she make me aware or warn me that she was going to carry out this assessment and would I be ok with proceeding? Also, I was not made aware of the cost of this assessment at any point. The appointment should've been terminated within the first 10 minutes.

The fact that her time was taken up by a supposed shockwave session that she wouldn't deliver to me is not my fault; it's a fault in your system that allowed me to book it when it wasn't indicated for me.

Again, I would like to reiterate the point that it should not have been possible for me to book a particular course of treatment by myself without first having a clinical assessment of my condition. I never asked or at any point agreed.

I look forward to hearing a response soon or I may have to initate a chargeback via my Bank. For been misled by paying for a service that I didn't accept or was made aware was happening.