BOTHA THERAPY & AUDIOLOGY
PRACTICE TERMS & CONDITIONS
Effective Date: 1 August 2026
These Terms and Conditions govern the provision of services by Botha Therapy & Audiology (“the Practice”). By attending an appointment or making use of our services, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and accepted these Terms and Conditions.
1. Professional Services
All assessments, consultations and treatment are provided by practitioners registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and are conducted in accordance with the relevant ethical rules, professional standards and applicable legislation.
Services may include speech therapy, audiology, hearing assessments, hearing aid services, hearing aid repairs and other services falling within the practitioners’ registered scope of practice.
2. Appointments
Appointments are scheduled by prior arrangement.
Patients are requested to arrive on time or be available at the agreed appointment time for home visits.
Late arrival may reduce the available consultation time or require the appointment to be rescheduled.
3. Home Visits
The Practice offers mobile services where clinically appropriate.
By requesting a home visit, you acknowledge that:
- Assessments and treatment are performed using portable equipment.
- Home environments may differ from a clinical setting and may influence certain testing procedures.
- The practitioner will determine whether testing performed at home is clinically appropriate.
- The practitioner reserves the right to discontinue or reschedule a visit where safety, environmental conditions or clinical circumstances make assessment or treatment inappropriate.
4. Fees and Payment
Fees are charged according to the Practice’s current fee schedule.
Where applicable, accounts may be submitted directly to your medical aid as a convenience.
Submission of an account to a medical aid does not guarantee payment.
The patient (or person responsible for the account) remains liable for any amount not paid by the medical aid, regardless of the reason for non-payment.
Accounts should be settled within the Practice’s payment terms.
Outstanding accounts may attract interest and collection costs where permitted by law.
5. Medical Aid Claims
The Practice will make every reasonable effort to submit claims accurately and timeously.
The Practice cannot be held responsible for:
- exhausted medical aid benefits;
- scheme exclusions;
- waiting periods;
- incorrect information supplied by the patient;
- claim rejections;
- delayed payments by medical aids.
Patients are responsible for understanding their own medical aid benefits and available funds.
6. Cancellations and Missed Appointments
Appointments cancelled with less than 2 hours’ notice, or appointments not attended without prior notice, may be charged in full.
These fees are generally not recoverable from medical aids and remain payable by the patient.
The Practice understands that emergencies occur and reserves the right to waive cancellation fees at its discretion.
7. Hearing Aid Repairs
Where a hearing aid requires repair:
- The device will first be assessed where possible.
- If manufacturer repair is required, the hearing aid will be sent for quotation.
- No repair work will proceed until the patient has approved the quotation.
- Repair quotations remain subject to manufacturer pricing.
- Any applicable administration, courier or handling fees will be communicated before repairs proceed.
Repair turnaround times are determined by the manufacturer and are outside the Practice’s control.
The Practice cannot be held responsible for delays caused by manufacturers, suppliers or courier services.
8. Hearing Aid Warranties
Manufacturer warranties remain subject to the manufacturer’s terms and conditions.
The Practice cannot extend or alter manufacturer warranty conditions.
Warranty assessments and approvals remain at the discretion of the manufacturer.
9. Clinical Records
The Practice maintains clinical records in accordance with HPCSA guidelines and applicable legislation.
Records are retained for the legally required retention period.
Patients may request access to their records in accordance with applicable legislation.
Reasonable administrative fees may apply where permitted.
10. Privacy and POPIA
The Practice respects your privacy.
Personal and medical information is collected only for purposes relating to your care, administration, medical aid claims and legal record keeping.
Information may be shared only where necessary with:
- medical aids;
- referring healthcare practitioners;
- hearing aid manufacturers or repair laboratories;
- other healthcare professionals involved in your care;
- regulatory bodies where legally required.
Information is processed in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA).
11. Electronic Communication
The Practice may communicate using telephone, SMS, WhatsApp or email.
While reasonable precautions are taken, electronic communication cannot be guaranteed to be completely secure.
Patients accept the inherent risks associated with electronic communication.
12. Consent to Treatment
Patients have the right to:
- ask questions;
- receive information regarding recommended treatment;
- refuse treatment;
- withdraw consent at any stage.
The practitioner also reserves the right to decline or discontinue treatment where clinically or ethically appropriate.
13. Limitation of Liability
The Practice will exercise reasonable skill, care and professional judgement in providing services.
The Practice shall not be liable for indirect, consequential or financial losses arising from treatment, delayed manufacturer repairs, medical aid decisions, supplier delays or circumstances beyond its reasonable control, except where liability cannot legally be excluded.
Nothing in these Terms limits any rights afforded to patients under applicable South African law.
14. Complaints
The Practice is committed to providing high-quality care.
Should you have any concerns regarding our services, we encourage you to contact us directly so that we may attempt to resolve the matter promptly.
15. Amendments
The Practice reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time.
The most recent version will always be available on the Practice website and may be requested from the Practice.
