Terms and Conditions
Last updated
16/05/2025
Table of Content
About Us and Our Care
Our Purpose
Welcome to Porthia Clinic! We’re here to provide personalized mental health care for adults, tailoring our services to meet your individual needs and circumstances.
Our Team
Porthia Clinic is led by Dr. Claudia Murton, an experienced consultant psychiatrist who brings extensive expertise to your care. As your healthcare provider, you’ll be supported by Dr. Murton, who:
- Is a fully qualified Consultant General Adult Psychiatrist
- Holds specialist expertise in Liaison Psychiatry
- Is registered on the General Medical Council’s specialist register
- Is a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Maintains active NHS practice as a Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist
Dr. Murton is currently the sole practitioner at Porthia Clinic and personally oversees all aspects of patient care.
Our Vision & Values
Dedicated to Your Mental Health
At Porthia Clinic, we’re committed to providing expert mental health care that puts you at the centre of everything we do.
Our Approach to Care
We believe in comprehensive care that considers the whole person. Our service includes:
- Expert psychiatric assessment of adult mental health conditions
- Clear diagnosis and understanding of your experiences
- Treatment plans created together with you
- A range of evidence-based approaches including medication, therapy, and lifestyle support
- Practical strategies for wellbeing and recovery
Working Together
We provide:
- Professional expertise with a personal touch
- Evidence-based treatments tailored to your needs
- A supportive and understanding environment
- Clear communication throughout your care
- Flexibility to work alongside NHS services when helpful
Important Service Information
Our Service Structure
At Porthia Clinic, we want to be clear about what we can and cannot provide to ensure you receive the most appropriate care for your needs.
Current Practice Setup
- Porthia Clinic is currently a single-doctor private practice led by Dr. Murton. We have plans for future expansion and CQC registration.
- Some recommended treatments may need to be accessed through other providers
- Face-to-face appointments are our primary mode of care, with online consultations available when travel is difficult.
Please note that we operate as a paperless clinic (except where there are legal requirements).
All patients are required to use our secure patient portal, Carebit, for:Registering and maintaining personal information.
Completing required questionaires relating to assessments
Booking appointments
Accessing their medical record, letters, correspondence, and prescriptions.
Availability and Response Times
- Appointments are available on designated clinic days, currently mondays only.
- We aim to respond to queries within 3 working days
- We do not provide emergency mental health services
For urgent care, please contact:
- Emergency services (999)
- NHS 111
- Your GP
- NHS crisis lines
- Samaritans
Privacy and Information
- We securely store all personal information
- Information is shared only with your consent
- Exception: legal obligations or significant risk concerns
Service Boundaries
We can provide care for you if you:
- Are aged 18 or over
- Are based in the UK
- Need general adult psychiatric care
We cannot provide:
- Emergency mental health services.
- Court reports.
- Specialist dementia care.
- Primary perinatal psychiatric care.
- Assessment or care for people with an intellectual disability (Learning
disability). - We are not currently affiliated with insurance companies or a private hospital,
therefore if you are unwell enough to require admission to hospital or a team around you, we will ask you to see NHS services.
In these circumstances we may refer to or ask you to visit NHS services.
Our Mental Health Services
We provide expert assessment for a range of mental health conditions. However for people who are unwell enough to require a team to support them, we may need to recommend other services e.g. NHS. For example, we would be able to assess and treat people who are stable or have chronic problems without severe acute risk, but we may not be able to safely manage people in acute crises such as during a psychotic episode, manic episode or those who are severely and actively suicidal:
Mood and Psychotic Disorders
- Depression
- Mania
- Bipolar Affective Disorder
- Psychosis
Anxiety & Trauma
- Anxiety Disorders
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Phobias
- Complex PTSD
- Personality Disorders
Neurodiversity
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Dr Murton is trained in evidence based, structured assessment methods for Autism (ADOS and ADI-R). The assessment will be influenced by these structured methods.
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- While we may notice signs of dyslexia or dyspraxia during assessments, we don’t provide specific assessments for these conditions
Treatment & Support
- Detailed descriptions of your difficulties including a diagnosis if one is appropriate.
- Detailed management plans
- Practical recommendations
- Communication with your GP
- Prescribed medication when appropriate (private prescription charges apply)
Limitations
- Due to our status as a single practitioner practice, we may not be able to manage certain situations
- What we can and cannot manage is at the sole discretion of Dr Murton
- We may be able to tell you this before you book with us, but this may not be apparent until we have done an assessment.
- We cannot provide refunds if at assessment it appears that a patient would not be suitable to continue seeing us after they have started an assessment
Examples of situations we could not manage include but are not limited to:
- Someone presenting with a psychotic episode or acute manic episode
- People presenting with a perinatal mental health condition or crisis
- People presenting in an acute crisis involving significant suicidality with intent, or other serious risks
- People who need a team around them to best care for them, due to the severity of their condition
In situations such as these we will recommend seeking treatment under e.g. NHS services.
Payment & Pricing Information
Consultation Fees
General Adult consultation- £590
- Must be paid before appointment
- Bookable through patient portal
- Payment must clear before consultation
- Includes 60 minute initial assessment
- Includes one subsequent 30 minute treatment planning and discussion
ADHD assessment: £990
- Includes a 30 minute pre session information review pre consultation
- 90 minute initial assessment and subsequent
- One 30 minute discussion and treatment planning session
Autism assessment: £1190
- Includes a 60 minute information review pre consultation
- 90 minute initial assessment
- One 30 minute subsequent discussion and treatment planning session
Follow-up Appointments: £190
- 30-minute duration
- Includes a letter
- Additional follow-up letters included
- Mandatory for medication prescriptions
Additional Administrative services
- Standard administration time for general adult or persistent physical symptom assessment includes standard appointment related correspondence, report writing including your treatment plan, reviewing of any required documentation, liaison with GP’s including time taken to contact them and discuss background, initial prescription letter (where appropriate); 60 minutes maximum. Anything taken over this time will be charged at the standard administrative fee.
- Neurodiversity assessments require more time to review the corroborative developmental information required for the assessment and therefore include 90 minutes administrative time in the assessment fee for the administrative tasks specified above as well as reviewing developmental and corroborative information. This assessment fee also includes the extra time required to write the reports. Any administrative time taken in excess of this will be charged at the standard fees below.
The additional standard administrative charges are:
- Minimum charge £30 (10 minute block)
- Additional time £30 per 10 minute block
Examples of chargeable administrative services:
- Report revisions (after the first revision if a mistake was made and at the discretion of Dr Murton) £30 minimum
- Complex GP correspondence beyond standard minimum (£30 minimum)
- Extended treatment plan modifications £30-£90
- Multiple prescription adjustments requiring documentation (£30 minimum)
Notification and Consent:
We will notify you before incurring additional administrative charges and seek your consent for these. We will try to provide an estimate of costs beforehand.
Notification of Charges:
You will be notified of any additional administrative charges via email through our patient management system, Carebit. The notification will include a breakdown of the charges, the services provided, and payment instructions. Please ensure your email address is current in the Carebit system to receive these important communication.
Payment Terms
Before Your Appointment
- All payments required in advance
- Appointments confirmed only after payment clears
- Services cannot begin without payment
- Booking available through our website portal.
Any additional administrative charges should be settled within 7 days of notification. To ensure continuity of care, we may need to postpone further services until outstanding payments are resolved. If you anticipate any difficulty meeting this payment timeline, please contact us to discuss payment arrangements.
Documentation of administrative time and charges will be made and can be provided upon request.
Additional Charges
- Private prescriptions: Charged separately
- Administrative services: Priced individually
- All additional services require advance payment
Time Extensions
- Charges for consultation overrun
- Fees for extensive communication
- Costs for additional note review
- Rate: £6.00 per minute
Outstanding Payments
- Balance due within 7 days of notification
- Interest charged at 3% above bank lending rate
- Interest applies after 7 days
- Collection costs may be added
- Legal fees may be charged if necessary
Disputed Charges
If you question any charge:
- Contact us immediately
- No interest during investigation
- Prompt resolution promised
- Clear explanation provided
Consultation Information
Booking & Confirmation
- Advance booking available
- Confirmation sent within 24 hours
- Contact us if confirmation not received
- Valid ID required at assessment. ID which will be accepted includes UK drivers license or passport.
Pre-Assessment Requirements
For ADHD and Autism Assessments
- Completion of specific assessment forms required using the patient portal carebit.
- Corroborative information needed from someone who knew you before age 12
- Alternative arrangements possible if childhood information unavailable
- These are detailed forms which take the clinician 30-60 minutes to review before the assessment, along with information provided from the patient’s GP.
- Please discuss options with us if you have concerns
Important: Incomplete forms may result in:
- Unable to complete assessment
- Additional charges for extra time needed
- Delayed diagnosis process
For Persistent Physical Symptoms Assessments
- If we are unable to obtain required medical information from your GP we may not be able to complete the assessment and you will be refunded.
Assessment Outcomes
You will receive in the Patient Portal Carebit:
- A detailed assessment of your difficulties
- This may include:
- A specific diagnosis when appropriate
- A narrative description of your experiences
- A formulation of your difficulties
- Recognition of multiple overlapping challenges
- Practical recommendations and management plan
- Clear next steps
Content and scope of Patient Reports
The reports are based solely on the information gathered in the assessment from the patient and any documentation they provide. They are also based on corroborative information given by the patients GP. Reports cannot be significantly changed after they are written. However if I have made a mistake in your report, please notify me within 7 days and this will be considered and an amendment made if that is appropriate. Any further amendments raised at a later date will either not be made, or will be charged at the standard administrative fee specified above, if the amendment is appropriate. The decision to make an amendment or not is at the discretion of Dr. Murton.
Separate Legal documents or Court reports or reports to social care or the benefits system will not be provided, but you are welcome to use your report in any way you need.
We are paperless and cannot post documents.
Treatment Concerns
1. Is treatment guaranteed to work?
Unfortunately not, although we use treatments that are evidences based ie medical research has shown them to be effective and safe, there is no guarantee in psychiatry that a particular treatment will definitely be effective for a person. All medicine treatments have potential side effects some of which can be serious. Even psychological treatments can sometimes be difficult and potentially not be right for a person, even if evidence suggests they may benefit from them
2. What if I disagree with my doctor's opinion or do not like them
Due to the small size of the practice we cannot offer second opinions or a different clinician. Decisions are made based on expert clinical assessment and judgement but we appreciate that sometimes there may be differences of opinion. There is no guarantee of a particular diagnosis or particular treatment recommendations following our assessments.
3. Are sessions confidential
We abide by data protection rules around your data. We need to share information with your GP. The content of the consultation is confidential unless something specific comes up which we are legally obliged to share e.g. risks to others or risks to self. In this circumstance only relevant information would be shared.
How We Are Regulated
Professional Regulation & Insurance
- Dr. Murton works in an NHS trust with CQC approval. As the sole medical practitioner at Porthia, she is responsible for all patient care and data, so there is an exemption from requiring CQC approval. However as the clinic expands in the near future, CQC registration will be sought.
- GMC Registration: Dr. Murton is on the specialist register (GMC number 6115183)
- Medical Protection Society provides our practice insurance
- Registered with Information Commission under Data Protection Act 1998
Practice Structure
Operating as a limited company, with Dr. Murton personally responsible for:
- All medical care
- Data protection and management
- Clinical decisions and oversight
Service Delivery
Initial Consultation
- Optional 5-10 minute preliminary discussion available (£20)
- This fee is deducted from full consultation if you proceed to book
Payment & Cancellation Policy
- All fees must be paid at time of booking
- Cancellation charges:
- Within 1 week: 50% of consultation fee can be refunded to you
- Within 2 working days: 100% of consultation fee will need to be paid by you even if you do not attend the appointment.
- We reserve the right to adjust our fees
- Services cannot proceed with invalid payment information
Prescribing Guidelines
Our Prescription Policy
- Prescriptions are provided only when clinically appropriate
- No guarantee of medication prescription
- We typically coordinate with your GP for medication recommendations
Important Information
- All prescriptions issued are private prescriptions
- Additional charges apply for:
- Prescription writing
- Medication costs
- We cannot guarantee pharmacist dispensing decisions
- Replacement prescriptions or letters:
- Available at doctor’s discretion
- Subject to additional charges
- Not guaranteed
Requirements for Prescribing
- Mandatory GP information sharing consent
- Must provide access to health summary from GP
- Clear communication channels with primary care
Document Delivery & Communication
Patient Portal and Mail Delivery
- All letters will be delivered through the secure CareBit patient portal
- Letters are considered delivered when our system marks them as sent.
- Administration fees include one-time delivery of documents in relation to prescriptions only.
Email and Patient Portal Communication
- Documents are considered delivered when our system marks them as sent
- Please check your spam/junk folders regularly
- We cannot be responsible for:
- Email provider filtering
- Spam folder redirections
- Other email delivery issues
- Email delivery issues should be addressed with your email provider
Delivery Confirmation
Unless you notify us otherwise, we assume:
- Digital documents (portal/email) are received within 24 hours of sending
- Posted items are received within 72 hours of sending
Electronic Medical Records (EMR)
Your Medical Record
- Information shared during consultations
- Your medical history
- Current health conditions
- Medications
- Treatment plans
- Clinical observations and decisions
Record Keeping
- Direct consultation notes
- Related clinical communications
- Assessment findings
- Treatment recommendations
Your Responsibilities
- Provide complete information during consultations
- Confirm important details with Dr. Murton
- Request specific additions during your consultation
- Keep your personal information up to date
Information Sharing
By booking a consultation, you:
- Agree to share your full medical record with Dr. Murton
- Understand we may share information with other healthcare providers when legally required
- Accept that we’ll obtain necessary consents for information sharing
- Acknowledge our obligation to maintain confidentiality
- Accept that we will need to communicate with your GP to gather information and share the outcome of the assessment
Record Management
Porthia Clinic:
- Securely processes and stores all medical records
- Reviews and maintains records according to our Privacy Policy
- May delete or archive communications as appropriate
- Follows legal requirements for record retention
Accessing Your Records
- You can request a copy of your medical records at any time, these are available from the Patient Portal Carebit.
- Contact us directly to arrange access
- Additional information available in our Privacy Policy
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Cancellation Terms
- 7+ days notice: Full refund provided
- 2-7 working days notice: 50% fee charged
- Less than 2 working days notice: Full fee charged
Example: For a Monday appointment:
- Cancel by previous Monday: Full refund
- Cancel by previous Thursday: 50% refund
- Cancel after previous Thursday: No refund
Late Arrival Policy
If You Are Late
- Appointment will end at scheduled time
- No additional time added
- May require additional paid follow-up
- Assessment may not be completed in allocated time
If Dr. Murton Is Late
- Full consultation time guaranteed
- Time made up either:
- Same day extension, or
- Additional time at later date
- No extra charge
- Arrangement at Dr. Murton’s discretion
Refund Eligibility
Refunds Provided For:
- Building evacuation required
- Technical issues with our consultation platform
- Clinician unable to attend
- Dr. Murton’s non-attendance
Refunds Not Provided For:
- Pharmacy issues with valid private prescriptions
- Disruptions caused by patient actions
- Patient internet/computer problems
- Missed appointments
- Non-receipt of prescriptions/referral letters/sick notes
- Consultation waiting times
- Unused appointment time
- Patient-side technical issues
Service Termination
We may terminate services if:
- We cannot provide services for reasons beyond our control
- Fees remain unpaid 14 days after payment reminder
- Required information not provided within reasonable timeframe
- Terms and conditions breached
Service Limitations & Circumstances Beyond Our Control
Unexpected Disruptions
- Service may be affected by circumstances outside our control
- We will:
- Contact you promptly about any delays
- Take steps to minimize disruption
- Offer refunds for unprovided services if substantial delays occur
- You may cancel and receive a refund for paid but undelivered services
Professional Judgment & Documentation
- All clinical decisions based on professional judgment
- Prescriptions and letters reflect:
- Clinical assessment
- Legal obligations
- Information you provide
- Professional opinion
Important Notes:
- Documents cannot be altered
- Content based on clinical necessity, not patient preference
- No guarantee of specific content in letters or prescriptions
Clinical Opinions
- Different clinicians may provide varying opinions
- Differing professional opinions don’t indicate poor service
- All opinions based on reasonable clinical judgment
Professional Conduct
We maintain a respectful environment:
- Zero tolerance for abuse
- No offensive behaviour toward staff
- Right to terminate services if professional boundaries breached
Use of Personal Information & Consultation Recordings
Data Protection Commitment
- We process personal information in accordance with:
- Data Protection Act 2018
- UK GDPR
- Current privacy legislation
- Full details available in our Privacy Notice, https://porthiaclinic.co.uk/privacy/
- Privacy Policy forms part of these Terms and Conditions
- We will notify you of relevant policy updates
Online Consultation Recordings
Why We Record
- Clinical quality audits
- Professional safeguarding
- Training purposes
- Service improvement
Benefits for Patients
Recordings help you:
- Review important medical advice
- Share information with family members
- Remember complex information
- Manage memory or cognitive difficulties
- Participate in care decisions
Recording Process
Before recording:
- Dr. Murton will request explicit consent
- You have the right to decline recording
- Clear records will still be maintained
- Written notes taken regardless of recording
Data Security
We ensure:
- Secure storage of all recordings
- Strict retention schedules
- Limited access to authorized staff
- Access only for direct care purposes
Feedback & Complaints Procedure
Your Feedback Matters
- Maintain high standards
- Improve our services
- Better meet patient needs
- Continue best practices
How to Provide Feedback
Compliments & Comments
- Email us at: info@porthiaclinic.co.uk
Making a Complaint
- Email your concerns to: info@porthiaclinic.co.uk
- Include relevant details about:
- Your experience
- Specific concerns
- Desired outcome
Our Complaint Process
- Acknowledge your complaint promptly
- Investigate thoroughly
- Keep you informed of progress
- Discuss findings with you
- Provide a clear explanation
- Apologize if we’re at fault
- Take corrective action where needed
Professional Standards
If your complaint concerns clinical care:
- Dr. Murton will review as a registered healthcare professional
- We follow formal complaints policy procedures
- Issues handled with strict confidentiality
- Professional standards maintained throughout
Further Action
If you’re unsatisfied with our response:
- You can report concerns to the General Medical Council (GMC)
- Visit the GMC website to file a formal complaint
Important Notices & Disclaimers
Medical Care & Treatment
Medical Advice
- No warranty provided for treatment outcomes
- Always consult qualified healthcare providers
- Treatment decisions require professional guidance
- Consultation may not be suitable for all conditions
Emergency & Urgent Care
- Worsening symptoms
- Changed medical condition
- Urgent medical concerns
Please:
- Contact emergency services immediately
- Visit nearest emergency department
- Contact your GP
- See our website for emergency support information
Website & Service Disclaimers
Content Accuracy
- Website security
- Freedom from viruses/bugs
- Accuracy of non-clinical content
- Third-party information
Service Limitations
We Do Not:
- Endorse third-party products/services
- Validate external advertisements
- Guarantee medication availability
- Take responsibility for external website content
Use of Our Services and Intellectual Property Rights
Copyright and Intellectual Property
- Our website and digital platforms
- Our services and their content
- All consultation recordings
- Our medical record and consultation systems
Permitted Use
You may:
- Access and use services for personal healthcare purposes
- Store relevant information on your personal devices
- Print materials for your personal use
- Share your medical information with healthcare professionals involved in your care
- Create copies of your medical records for healthcare purposes
Restrictions
You may not:
- Copy or distribute our content for business purposes
- Remove or alter any copyright notices or branding
- Use our content for commercial purposes
- Modify or adapt any materials without our permission
- Share access to your account with others
Legal Terms & Conditions
Contract Rights
Individual Agreement
- Contract exists between you and Dr Murton at Porthia Clinic only
- Dr Murton is the sole practitioner and is responsible for your care at the clinic and your data.
- No third-party rights granted
- Only you can enforce these terms
- Personal service agreement
Legal Framework
Court Proceedings
You can bring legal proceedings in:
- English courts (all UK residents)
Safeguarding
The safety and wellbeing of our clients is very important to us and we have measures in place to help you if you are experiencing harm or abuse. This may be physical or sexual abuse, bullying and emotional harm, neglect or financial exploitation amongst other types of harm.
Issues such as these can have a serious impact on mental health. As part of your assessment and treatment, you will have every opportunity to discuss any concerns you have.
If we are aware of a concern that a vulnerable adult, child or young person has been harmed or is at risk of harm, we will support you by linking with Safeguarding services in your area to ensure that you, and those you care about, can live free from harm or abuse.