Nutritional Therapy Descriptor

Nutritional Therapy is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak performance and individual care. Nutritional therapy practitioners use a wide range of tools to assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual’s symptoms and health concerns. This approach allows them to work with individuals to address nutritional balance and help support the body towards maintaining health. Nutritional therapy is recognised as a complementary medicine and is relevant for individuals with chronic conditions, as well as those looking for support to enhance their health and wellbeing.

Practitioners consider each individual to be unique and recommend personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Practitioners never recommend nutritional therapy as a replacement for medical advice and always refer any client with ‘red flag’ signs or symptoms to their medical professional. They will also frequently work alongside a medical professional and will communicate with other healthcare professionals involved in the client’s care to explain any nutritional therapy programme that has been provided.

The Nutritional Therapist requests that the Client notes the following:

• The degree of benefit obtainable from nutritional therapy may vary between clients with similar health problems and following a similar nutritional therapy programme.
• Nutritional advice will be tailored to support health conditions and/or health concerns identified and agreed upon between both parties.
• Nutritional therapists are not permitted to diagnose or claim to treat medical conditions.
• Nutritional advice is not a substitute for professional medical advice and/or treatment.
• Standards of professional practice in nutritional therapy are governed by the CNHC Code of Conduct with which the nutritional therapist is registered.
• This document only covers the practice of nutritional therapy within this consultation, and your practitioner will make it clear if he or she intends to step outside this boundary.
• All communications will be conducted via email or the Better portal henceforth and any email or message queries will be responded to during clinic hours.
• Consultations are conducted with privacy and in confidence. 

Consultation Agreement

I agree to the following conditions for the upcoming consultations with my nutritional therapist:

• The information I have provided/will provide via questionnaires, phone, email, in-person, or by any other means of communication is accurate to the best of my knowledge.
• The recommendations I will receive from my nutritional therapist are not a substitute for medical advice from a qualified doctor.
• The advice I will receive from my nutritional therapist is personal and applies to me only. This same advice may be ineffective or even harmful when applied to other people with different backgrounds.
• I must communicate to my nutritional therapist any changes in my medical prescriptions, herbal prescriptions, supplements, or treatments for the duration of my nutrition plan.
• I must inform my nutritional therapist promptly if any of my new changes in diet or lifestyle start to cause me adverse effects.
• My GP remains my primary care physician and the appropriate contact in a health emergency.
• If I am unclear about the agreed nutritional therapy protocol/food supplement doses/time period, I should contact my nutritional therapist promptly and not proceed until I have received clarification.
• I understand any changes in my diet and lifestyle may produce effects in my body, energy, health, and condition that are gradual in nature – not instantaneous.
• I understand that the advice I shall receive will not be enough to achieve my nutrition or lifestyle goals unless I follow it diligently and commit to it fully.
• I understand that, although my nutritionist/dietitian will endeavour to help me achieve my nutrition and lifestyle goals to the extent possible, the possibility exists I may not fully attain my goals due to factors outside the control of my nutritional therapist.
• After my nutrition programme has been completed, the food, lifestyle and supplement recommendations made in my protocol are appropriate only until the date provided on the Protocol. Choosing to continue with any or all of these recommendations beyond that date is a choice made at my own risk.

Fees, Payment & Bookings 

The fees for the service are detailed in the offer letter. The Client is responsible for full payment of fees for the entire selected Service duration, regardless of whether you actually attend or complete the selected Service, and regardless of which payment option you have chosen. Failure to make the agreed payments will result in default of the agreement and your agreement may be forwarded to a third party to recoup the full amount due for the remainder of your Service plus any costs incurred.

All Services are paid for in advance (either in full or by monthly instalments for the month ahead). Timeslots or places cannot be held until booked, and bookings cannot be made until payment is received.

All payments must be made on a timely basis. If payments are not made on a timely basis, the Company reserves the right to place the Service on hold.

All bookings must be made in person or via the online booking system should this be an available option.

If a client commits to a specific package, for example, 3 or 6 months, payment must be made in full each month for the duration of the agreed term, or the total amount upfront. Cancellations and refunds are subject to regular terms stated below.

Refund, Reschedule and Cancellation Policy 

Cancellations of bookings are accepted up to 72 hours in advance, and substitute consultations may be booked (subject to availability) before the end of the program/service term.

Cancellation with less than 72-hours but more than 48-hours’ notice will receive a 50% refund.

Cancellations within 48 hours of the session are forfeited. If you are unable to attend a session due to circumstances out of your control the Company will determine on a case-by-case basis if a consultation credit may be offered. Additional evidence may be requested (e.g., a Medical Letter, evidence of flight delay etc). No refunds will be offered.

Cancellations must be made by phone call, email or via the Better system messenger service.

Appointments must be rescheduled with 48-hours’ notice. Less than 48-hours’ notice may incur a fee. The rescheduled appointment may be delayed by several weeks depending on the nutritional therapist’s other commitments.

Refunds are payable in the following circumstances:

• An undeniably unavoidable circumstance prevents you from taking part in or completing your programme (determined on a case-by-case basis by the Company). Written evidence to support this may be requested.
• We are notified of your circumstances before the commencement of the consultation.
  Service credits must be used within the allotted time frame or will otherwise be forfeited.

Refunds are not payable in the following circumstances:

• You have changed your mind.
• Refunds are not payable for Consultations that have taken place.
• You don’t complete your programme.
• You have booked a consultation and are not present to receive the session within 10 minutes of the appointed start time.

Data Protection

This Data policy tells you how we use personal information collected by the Company. Please read this privacy policy before signing this Agreement. All data and information shared is confidential and stored in accordance with GDPR regulations. Natalie Louise is registered with ICO, the UK’s independent authority set up to uphold information rights in the public interest, promoting openness by public bodies and data privacy for individuals.

Data Security and GDPR

All Client data is kept on file for 8 years and the client has the right to request access until that time. All documents shared via the Better portal are secured in accordance with GDPR. Sending documents via email does not guarantee security and is done so at the Client’s risk.

Sharing of Information

If required, the information you share with your nutritional therapist may be shared with your GP to assist in appropriate investigations and/or to make them aware of your health. It is a requirement, by the nutritional therapists’ regulators (BANT, CNHC), to make GPs aware of any symptoms considered a red flag. If you do not accept this we will not be able to continue with this Agreement. Your information may be shared with third-party healthcare providers, including supplement companies and testing companies, as we support you with nutritional therapy.

Recording of Consultations

Recording consultations using any form of electronic media is not allowed without the written permission of both me and my nutritional therapist.

If you have any questions, please email natalie@natalielouisenutrition.com