The Skin Pod (Amanda Penny Ltd) Terms & Conditions

Please ensure you have read and fully understood the below policies prior to booking an appointment at the Skin Pod (Amanda Penny Ltd). Honestly and transparency are extremely important to us. The terms and conditions below help to clarify subjects such as payment, appointment cancellations, deposits and the type of information that you will be asked to provide.

Pre-Consultation Paperwork

24 hours prior to your initial consultation, you will be sent an automated SMS and email reminder, with links to your pre-consultation paperwork. These help to inform the consultation and treatment planning process plus help you to get the most out of your time at the Skin Pod. These forms must be completed online prior to attending the clinic for your initial consultation and there is no waiting groom at the clinic. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule your appointment until these records are completed.

All patients are required to provide personal details for their medical records, including address, postcode, telephone, email and date of birth to secure an appointment. All information will be treated as confidential and protected in accordance with Data Protection legislation. Your information will not be shared with third parties without written permission, and you will not receive unsolicited information from us. You may choose to remove yourself from our mailing list at any time, by unsubscribing.

Initial Consultations

As per GMC Good Medical Practice guidelines, to provide a safe and enjoyable experience throughout the treatment journey at the Skin Pod, all new patients are required to attend an initial consultation and assessment with a medically qualified practitioner prior to any treatment.

‘Cooling-Off’ Period

Following your initial consultation and assessment, your practitioner will create a bespoke treatment plan for you. We do not offer treatments on the same day as the initial consultation. We offer a ‘cooling-off’ period, to consider your options (including that of having no treatment) before making any booking for treatment at a later date. This is to ensure that you are suitable for the treatment, that you are satisfied with your treatment plan and that you have adequate time scheduled for your treatment. Please note that treatment is not provided on the first visit except in exceptional circumstances, with prior arrangements.

Deposits and Payments

A £100 deposit is required, at the time of booking, for initial consultations at the Skin Pod. This is redeemable against treatments booked within 1 month of the initial consultation. (The treatment appointment itself may be at a later date.)

Amanda Penny Ltd reserves the right to request a deposit for some appointments and/or treatments under certain circumstances, including repeated ‘no-shows’, cancellations, amendments or lateness.

You will be advised of the full costs of any treatment plan proposed and agreed, including that of any maintenance treatment before any treatment is undertaken.

Amanda Penny Ltd accepts cash and major debit/credit cards including American Express.

Arriving for your Appointment

We kindly ask for you to allow sufficient time to arrive on time for your appointments. There is no waiting room at the clinic. As a courtesy to other patients, please do not arrive early for your appointment, unless agreed with the clinic in advance.

Please note, the entrance to the Skin Pod is to the rear of the property, on FOURTH CROSS ROAD, opposite Twickenham Salon, TW2 5EL. The Skin Pod entrance  is a grey door marked ’25 Trafalgar Road’, with an intercom at the wall. (Please see google maps for images.)

There is very limited parking in the area and parking charges apply. Please only park in designated visitor parking bays, generally at the ends of Fourth Cross Road, Gothic Road and Trafalgar Road (including directly in front of 25 Trafalgar Road); also on Hampton Road and Staines Road. We do not accept any liability for any damages, theft of penalty charges incurred while travelling to and from, or during your time at the Skin Pod.

Local bus services:- 267, 281, 290, R70, 110, 490, H22

Nearest train stations:- Twickenham, Strawberry Hill, Fulwell

Children & Pets

We do not treat children or young adults under the age of 21.
Please do not bring children or pets to the clinic. We reserve the right to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Appointment Cancellation

We kindly ask that if you wish to cancel or reschedule your appointment, you provide at least 48 hours’ notice, as this allows other patients, including those on the waiting list, to be booked in.

If at least 48 hours’ notice is given for cancelling or rescheduling your appointment, we will fully refund your deposit or arrange a new appointment time, without additional charge.

If less than 48 hours’ notice is given, the deposit paid for the appointment will be forfeited.

Notifying us about cancelling or rescheduling an appointment:

In the Event of Illness

Please do NOT attend the clinic for an appointment if you are unwell. If you are unsure, please call and discuss. Many treatments are contraindicated if you are unwell - this includes colds, flu, cold sores, local skin infections, ongoing dental work or recent surgery/trauma.

Lateness

We kindly ask for you to arrive on time for your appointments. If you are running late for your appointment, please contact us on 020-3633-9906 or reply to your automated SMS reminder sent 24 hours prior to your appointment.

We will try our best to accommodate your appointment although it may result in reduced appointment time. If in the unfortunate event that you are running more than 15 minutes late, we may have to reschedule your appointment and your deposit will be forfeited.

Consent

All patients will be required to sign a consent form prior to any treatment. Please ask any questions you may have; we encourage questions and aim to ensure a thorough understanding of the procedure. Consent may be verbally withdrawn at any time prior to the treatment taking place.

Follow-up/Review Appointments

Follow-up appointments form part of your ongoing aftercare and are included within the treatment price. If you have received treatment, you are advised to attend a treatment follow-up appointment within 2-4 weeks after your treatment. Routine review appointments are offered after treatment with botulinum toxin as a courtesy. If you are unable to attend the review appointment at 2 to 3 weeks, no additional review treatment (also known as a ‘tweak’ or ‘top up’) is provided once the review period of 2 to 3 weeks has passed and no further treatment can be given until your next full treatment. The cancellation policy applies to all follow-up appointments.

Annual Review

All patients are advised to attend for a longer consultation at least once per year as their needs and/or aesthetic concerns may change during this time. An annual review is an opportunity for patient and clinician to reflect on your treatments over the previous year, to update your treatment plan and provide the best ongoing patient care.

Video Consultation

Face-to-face consultation is always preferred, however we acknowledge that this may sometimes be difficult, especially for those who travelling long distances. For such patients, an appointment for an initial pre-consultation, skin care advice or treatment review may be carried out in a 20-30 minute video or telephone call, subject to approval by your clinician. We request that you be ready to join the video or telephone call at the scheduled appointment time. A non-refundable deposit of £40 is required upon booking to secure the appointment. Please refer to our terms and conditions for our policy on cancellations.

Complications

Complications are extremely rare, however, some procedures have documented complications that will be explained to you during your consultation and consent process. In the unlikely event of a complication, we are trained in dealing with complications. We advise calling the Skin Pod and we will arrange an urgent appointment.

Depending on the day, you may have to travel to a clinic other than where you were treated initially. In the event of a more serious complication, we will arrange for treatment at a hospital. Please bear in mind many insurance companies may not cover cosmetic procedures.

Again, complications are rare, and we would like to reassure you that if one does occur, we will support you in every way possible.

Refunds

Fees charged for treatment are for the delivery of a treatment and the accompanying service, inclusive of:-

  • Consultation and assessment

  • Provision of information and advice

  • Safe treatment with evidence-based products

  • Follow-up appointments and aftercare advice and support as appropriate

We undertake to provide excellent service as well as information, honest advice, safe expert treatment in experienced hands and only the best products. However, we cannot guarantee your results and cannot offer refunds if the results achieved fail to meet expectations. We will not provide refunds on treatments that have been provided in good faith or refunds on treatments if the patient has had an adverse reaction to treatment.

Feedback

Any feedback is much appreciated, both positive and negative. Feedback is used to review and improve quality of service as well as continuing to provide a superior customer experience. You may submit feedback verbally, via email (info@dramandapenny.co.uk), website (www.dramandapenny.co.uk), Google or the Save Face website.

Complaints Policy

If you are unhappy with your treatment or any part of your experience at the Skin Pod, please inform us as soon as possible, and we will try our very best to resolve your concern as quickly as possible. A copy of our Complaints Policy is available on request

Aims & Objectives

  • We aim to provide a service that meets the needs of our patients and we strive for a

high standard of care.

  • We welcome suggestions from patients and from our clinicians and staff about the safety and quality of service, treatment and care we provide.

  • We are committed to an effective and fair complaints system.

  • We support a culture of openness and willingness to learn from incidents, including complaints.

Promoting Feedback

Information is provided about the complaints policy and external complaints bodies that patients can go to with a complaint, such as Save Face in a variety of ways, including:-

  • On our website www.dramandapeny.co.uk

  • In person

  • Email info@dramandapenny.co.uk

  • Call 020-3633-9906

  • In writing to Dr Amanda Penny, The Skin Pod, 25 Trafalgar Road, Twickenham TW2 5EJ

  • Publicity about the service

  • By requesting a link to our patient feedback form to complete online

  • Through the Save Face website

  • By the clinician inviting feedback and comments

  • Please note - complaints are not monitored over social media.

If you have a concern or wish to make a complaint

Please advise us as soon as possible, an appointment will be made for you to be seen. It may be possible to discuss over the phone, or by email, if your concern is not related to a treatment outcome.

If your concern is related to a treatment outcome, we will need to see you in order to assess and document for the medical record.

Be assured:

  • We will Listen to your views on your experience and concerns.

  • We will document your views and concerns in the medical record and confirm with you that this record reflects your views and concerns accurately.

  • We will treat you with respect, sensitivity and maintain confidentiality.

  • All complaints are handled without prejudice or assumptions about how minor or serious.

  • The emphasis will be on identifying the problem and how we might resolve the problem.

  • We will establish what kind of resolution you expect.

  • If possible your clinician will provide you with an explanation of what has happened, based on the known facts.

  • If appropriate, your clinician will provide you with support, advice and/or propose a management plan depending on the assessment and diagnosis of the concern presented.

  • We will provide you with a written summary of the assessment and discussion within 2 business days.

  • You may request a copy of your medical record and report should you wish to seek a second opinion.

Staff and affiliates refer complaints to Dr Amanda Penny if:

  • After attempting to resolve the complaint, they do not feel confident in dealing with the complainant.

  • The outcome you are seeking is beyond the scope of their responsibilities.

  • They or you believe the matter should be brought to the attention of someone with more authority.

Dr Amanda Penny manages and coordinates resolution of formal complaints in close liaison with the patient and other staff or affiliates who are directly involved.

Dr Amanda Penny carries out investigations of complaints to identify what happened, the underlying causes of the complaint and preventative strategies.

Information is gathered from:

  • Talking to clinicians and staff directly involved.

  • Factual written reports provided by staff involved in the incident.

  • Listening to the complainant’s views on their experience and concerns.

  • Establishing what kind of resolution is expected.

  • Reviewing medical records and other records, thus creating a coherent timeline of treatment episodes, reviews and communications.

  • Gathering and reviewing any supporting documents and records.

  • Reviewing relevant policies, standards or guidelines.

At the conclusion of an inquiry or investigation, the complainant and relevant clinicians and staff are provided with all established facts, the causal factors contributing to the incident and any recommendations to improve the service, and the reasons for these decisions.

Records and Privacy

  • The complaints manager maintains a complaints and patient feedback register ( e.g. Save Face portfolio), with records of informal feedback (Suggestions for improvement and patient feedback forms) and formal complaints.

  • All interactions with the complainant, including face to face, telephone, email or SMS are documented in the patient record.

  • Personal information on individual complaints is kept confidential and is only made available to those who need it to deal with the complaint.

  • Complainants are given notice about how their personal information is likely to be used during the investigation of a complaint.

  • Individual complaints files are kept in a secure filing cabinet at the Skin Pod and in a restricted access section of the computer system’s file server.

  • Patients are provided with access to their medical records, in accordance with the confidentiality policy. Others requesting access to a patients’ medical records as part of resolving a complaint are provided with access only if the patient has provided authorisation, in accordance with the confidentiality policy.

Timeframes

  • Formal complaints are acknowledged in writing or in person within 2 business days.

  • The acknowledgment provides contact details for the person who is handling the complaint, how the complaint will be dealt with and how long it is expected to take.

  • If a complaint raises issues that require notification or consultation with an external body, the notification or consultation will occur within three days of those issues being identified.

  • Formal complaints are investigated and resolved within 10-35 days.

  • If the complaint is not resolved within 20 days, the complainant, clinicians and staff who are directly involved in the complaint will be provided with an update.

The process of resolving the problem will include:

  • An expression of regret to the patient for any harm or distress suffered;

  • An explanation or information about what is known, without speculating or blaming others;

  • Considering the problem and the outcome the patient is seeking and proposing a solution; and confirming that the patient is satisfied with the proposed solution.

Assessing Resolution Options

  • Formal complaints are normally resolved by direct negotiation with the complainant, but some complaints are better resolved with the assistance of an alternative disputes’ resolution provider.

  • Dr Amanda Penny will sign post the complainant to an appropriate external body if:

  • There is a serious question about the adequacy and safety of a health practitioner.

  • There is a perception of a lack of independence.

  • The complaint raises complex issues that require external expertise.

  • The complaint cannot be resolved internally to the patient’s satisfaction.

  • The Skin Pod undertakes to signpost patients to Cosmetic Redress Scheme (https://www.cosmeticredress.co.uk/consumers)

Review Date: 24/02/2025