2026 (v.2)
What is a Service Agreement?
A Service Agreement is a contract between you and The Cotswold Psychologist. It clarifies issues of confidentiality, risk, accountability, attendance, fees, and cancellations. You will be asked to agree to these terms as part of your registration with The Cotswold Psychologist.
Professional Accountability
Clinical Psychologists at The Cotswold Psychologist are HCPC registered and adhere to the BPS Code of Ethics. All clinicians maintain professional indemnity insurance and hold Enhanced DBS clearance. Each therapist discusses cases in supervision and maintains high standards in therapy, note-taking, and professional behaviour.
Limits of Service
The Cotswold Psychologist provides scheduled psychological therapy and assessment. Please be aware of the following structural limits to our service:
Scope of Practice: While our psychologists are highly trained, if your clinical needs exceed the scope of outpatient private practice (e.g., requiring multi-disciplinary team support or intensive psychiatric intervention), we reserve the right to pause treatment and support you in transitioning to a more appropriate level of care, such as NHS Secondary Care.
Not a Crisis Service: We do not provide an emergency or “on-call” service. Our clinicians are only available during scheduled appointment times and do not monitor email, text, or voicemail 24/7. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, feeling suicidal, or are concerned about immediate harm to yourself or others, do not wait for a response from your therapist. Please use the following resources immediately:
Call 999 or attend your nearest Accident & Emergency (A&E) department.
Call 111 (NHS non-emergency) to speak with a mental health advisor.
Contact your General Practitioner (GP) and request an urgent appointment.
Contact the Samaritans by calling 116 123 (free, 24/7 support).
Communication Boundaries: Digital communication (email/SMS) is strictly for administrative purposes, such as rescheduling or billing. It is not a secure or appropriate medium for therapeutic processing or reporting a deterioration in your mental health.
Personal Data & AI Notetaking
We collect and store data to provide effective Clinical Psychology services, including assessment and therapy. Your personal data, including clinical notes, are password-protected, accessed only by those within this service, and held for seven years in accordance with legal guidelines. For more information please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy
To ensure high-quality clinical focus, we may use GDPR-compliant AI tools (e.g., Google Gemini, Heidi Health) to assist with drafting notes and reports. This is optional, requires a separate signed consent.
Confidentiality & Duty of Care
Confidentiality is fundamental. Confidentiality of your clinical notes and therapy attendance are held within the service. However, a ‘Duty of Care’ overrides confidentiality if there is a risk of serious harm to yourself, a child, or a vulnerable adult. In such cases, we may contact your GP, next of kin, or safeguarding authorities. Your psychologist will also disclose information if they are legally obliged (e.g. due to a court order). We aim to discuss this with you first, where safe and possible. For more information please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy
Third-Party Payers: If a third party (e.g., a parent or employer) pays for your sessions, we only share information regarding attendance/billing, not clinical content, unless explicitly agreed.
It is agreed that neither party will record any of the sessions with any type of recording device unless written prior agreement of both parties has been given.
Fees & Cancellations
Session or assessment fees are confirmed at the time of booking. Fees may be subject to revision with 60 days’ notice for existing clients.
Cancellation Notice: 24 hours’ notice is required for all cancellations. Cancellations between 24–6 hours incur a 50% fee. Cancellations under 6 hours or “No Shows” incur the 100% fee.
Insurance: Most insurers do not cover missed sessions. You are personally liable for these fees and any “excess” payments on your policy.
Multiple cancelled appointments may mean it is not the right time for therapy for you, and we may recommended suspending treatment until regular attendance is possible.