Clinical Practice Terms of Service & Patient Agreement
These Terms of Service govern the provision of osteopathic care, shockwave therapy, clinical acupuncture, rehabilitation, and consultation services delivered by Austin Duy Nguyen, M.Ost (GOsC Reg. No. 12332) at Nguyen’s Osteopathic Clinic, operating from St James Pharmacy, 52 Powis Street, Woolwich, London SE18 6LQ.

Last Updated: October 2026 | Primary Practice Portal: Nguyen’s Osteopathy | Governing Body: General Osteopathic Council (GOsC)

1. Scope of Practice & Regulatory Compliance

Osteopathy is a primary healthcare profession regulated by UK statute under the Osteopaths Act 1993. Austin Duy Nguyen holds a Master of Osteopathy (M.Ost) degree from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine and is registered in good standing with the General Osteopathic Council (GOsC Registration Number: 12332).

As a primary healthcare clinician, an osteopath does not require a prior referral from your NHS General Practitioner (GP). We are trained to conduct clinical assessments, differential diagnoses, orthopedic evaluations, and formulate individualized care plans. Where clinical presentation warrants investigation beyond osteopathic scope (such as urgent medical imaging, laboratory pathology, or red flag pathology), we maintain ethical duty of care to advise immediate referral to your NHS GP, urgent care centre, or emergency department.

2. Consultations & Clinical Fee Structure

Our professional fees reflect reserved clinical treatment time, diagnostic evaluation, evidence-based manual therapy, and tailored rehabilitation prescriptions. Current published fees are:

  • Initial Osteopathic Consultation & Treatment (45–60 mins): £75.00 — Comprehensive medical case history taking, clinical and biomechanical assessment, differential diagnosis, initial hands-on treatment (if safe and clinically indicated), and tailored exercise prescription.
  • Follow-Up Osteopathic Treatment (30–45 mins): £60.00 — Re-evaluation of symptoms, targeted structural / visceral osteopathy, joint articulation, soft tissue therapy, and rehabilitation progression.
  • Focused Shockwave Therapy Session (30 mins): £90.00 — Radial Extracorporeal Shockwave Therapy (ESWT) for chronic tendon pathologies (plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinopathy, tennis/golfer’s elbow, trochanteric bursitis).
  • Men’s Health Osteopathy / Chronic Pelvic Pain (60 mins): £110.00 — Specialized assessment and non-invasive neuromusculoskeletal management for pelvic floor tension and chronic non-bacterial pelvic pain syndromes.
  • Clinical Deep Tissue & Sports Massage (45 mins): £60.00 — Therapeutic soft tissue manipulation to relieve muscle hypertonicity and accelerate musculoskeletal recovery.
  • Domiciliary / Home Visit Consultation: £120.00 (Initial) / £100.00 (Follow-Up) — Dedicated home-based clinical osteopathic care across Woolwich, Greenwich, and South East London for acute or mobility-impaired patients.

3. 24-Hour Cancellation & Non-Attendance (No-Show) Policy

To ensure fair access to care for all patients, clinical appointments are reserved exclusively for you. When an appointment is scheduled, our clinic reserves the treatment room and clinician’s direct time, declining other patients seeking urgent relief.

Notice Requirement & Late Cancellation Terms

• Notice Period: We require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule an appointment without incurring a fee.

• Cancellations Under 24 Hours: Appointments cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice are subject to a late cancellation charge of 50% of the consultation fee.

• Missed Appointments (No-Show): If you fail to attend an appointment without prior notice, the full 100% consultation fee remains payable.

Exceptional circumstances: We understand genuine medical emergencies, sudden illness, or bereavement may arise unpredictably. In exceptional circumstances, discretionary waivers may be considered upon communication with the clinic manager.

4. Payment Terms & Private Medical Insurance

Settlement of Fees: Payment is due in full at the time of consultation. We accept major credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, American Express), contactless digital payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay), and electronic bank transfers.

Private Health Insurance: Nguyen’s Osteopathic Clinic is recognized by leading UK private medical insurers and healthcare cash plans, including Bupa, AXA Health, WPA, Aviva, VitalityHealth, and Simplyhealth.

  • Patients are personally responsible for verifying policy cover, excess thresholds, and obtaining a pre-authorization code from their insurer prior to starting treatment.
  • Unless direct billing has been formally established with your insurer, consultations are settled directly on a self-pay basis. A formal, itemized clinical receipt containing practitioner GOsC registration and diagnostic codes will be promptly provided for insurance reimbursement.
  • In all circumstances, if an insurer declines cover or shortfalls a claim, ultimate financial liability rests with the patient.

5. Informed Clinical Consent & Patient Autonomy

In accordance with General Osteopathic Council (GOsC) Osteopathic Practice Standards (Standard C1–C4), your clinician will explain the diagnostic findings, rationale for proposed interventions, anticipated clinical benefits, and any known material risks before delivering any manual therapy.

  • Right to Withdraw Consent: You have the absolute right to decline any specific technique (such as high-velocity low-amplitude thrust / joint ‘clicking’, dry needling, or deep soft-tissue pressure) and may pause or stop the treatment session at any moment without prejudice.
  • Transient Reactions: Manual therapy, articulatory mobilisation, and shockwave therapy may induce mild transient musculoskeletal soreness, mild stiffness, or fatigue for 24–48 hours post-treatment. This is a common physiological healing response and will be explained beforehand.
  • Appropriate Attire: To facilitate postural and orthopedic examination, patients may be asked to undress down to appropriate undergarments. You are warmly encouraged to wear loose, comfortable athletic wear (such as shorts and a vest/t-shirt) if preferred.

6. Chaperone Policy & Paediatric Safeguarding

Chaperones: You are always welcome to bring a friend, family member, or carer to accompany you into the consulting room for reassurance during your appointment.

Treatment of Minors (Under 16 Years): In strict adherence to UK Child Protection & Safeguarding legislation and GOsC Standards, any patient under the age of 16 must be accompanied throughout the entire clinical consultation and treatment by a parent or legal guardian. Treatment will not proceed without a parent or legal guardian present in the room.

7. Patient Responsibilities & Medical Disclosure

Safe, effective osteopathic practice relies upon accurate medical transparency. Patients are required to:

  • Provide complete and accurate details of their general health history, past surgeries, trauma, pre-existing conditions (e.g., osteoporosis, cardiovascular conditions, inflammatory arthritis, bleeding disorders), and current medications.
  • Notify the practitioner immediately of any changes in health status, positive pregnancy tests, or unexplained neurological symptoms (e.g., progressive numbness, bladder or bowel dysfunction, saddle anaesthesia).
  • Arrive punctually for scheduled sessions. Late arrivals will receive treatment for the remainder of their reserved time slot to prevent delays for subsequent patients, with the full consultation fee applying.

8. Zero Tolerance Policy on Abuse & Harassment

We are dedicated to providing a safe, respectful, and supportive clinical environment for all patients and healthcare workers. In line with standard UK NHS and independent healthcare policies, we operate a Zero Tolerance Policy against any form of physical aggression, verbal abuse, discriminatory language, sexual harassment, or threatening conduct directed toward our clinician, pharmacy partners, or staff.

Any individual exhibiting unacceptable conduct will be required to leave the premises immediately, their treatment relationship terminated, and relevant incidents reported to the Metropolitan Police Service where necessary.

9. Confidentiality, Clinical Notes & Data Protection

Your clinical records, appointment history, and medical disclosures are handled with strict medical confidentiality and protected under UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and GOsC retention statutory mandates (minimum 8 years for adults, or until age 25 for minors). Please review our full Privacy Policy for full details on how we safeguard and process your data.

10. Compliments, Feedback & Professional Complaints Procedure

We continuously strive for the highest standards of professional clinical care. If you have feedback, questions regarding your treatment, or wish to make an enquiry or complaint, please contact us directly:

If a clinical complaint cannot be resolved directly with our practice, you have the right to contact the statutory regulator for osteopathy in the United Kingdom:

General Osteopathic Council (GOsC)
Osteopathy House, 176 Tower Bridge Road, London SE1 2UP
Website: www.osteopathy.org.uk | Phone: 020 7357 6655