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AIBU?

to be very angry with my sons psychologist

41 replies

lilybetsy · 20/09/2018 13:42

my son 16, has severe anxiety and depression. he is under CAMHS and has been started on medication, with some improvement.

There is a VERY long waiting lost for NHS individual therapy and so about 12 months go I started looking for a private psychologist to support him, we tried two who he didn't click with and this one was the third. He started seeing her in April. he likes her and trusts her.
She is very expensive, although since I accepted her fees I'm not moaning about that.

in August she was on leave, but she contacted me to remind me about a bill and to wish my son good luck for his GCSE results. I would not have interrupted her leave.

To cut a long story short after our first appointment with the psychiatrist there was contact between the psychiatrist and the psychologist.

Last weekend she sent me a bill for £920.
I was expecting £345 for sessions my son and I had attended.

She charged me time and a half (because it was her holiday ) for every minute of work she did in contact with the psychiatrist. Phone calls, emails and reading a letter...
So, she never once told me (either in writing or verbally) that she charged 1.5 x normal rates in her holiday period ; I did not ask her to do this work; I was not told she was doing this, not offered the option to defer it to 'normal working time' ie a week later and I was given no warning of the costs incurred. When I challenged her she basically said 'this is the bill, pay it' ; and because I didn't want the relationship with my son disrupted I paid it.

BUT the more i think about it the angrier I am ...and I have lost all trust in her. I think the therapeutic relationship is finished anyway as I no longer want to meet her and I think she is unprofessional .

In a comparable situation, with my divorce lawyer, who charged her time in 5 minute slots, I was fully aware that each call would be charged and at what rate. I was asked for my agreement before letters were written and I was provided with an estimate of costs at regular intervals. In short I had a choice about how much I spent

so AIBU ? and if I am not BU, how far would you take it ? e.g. complain to the BACP (her professional body) ?

OP posts:
AlexanderHamilton · 20/09/2018 13:48

A solicitor would provide you with a letter of engagment which sets out their terms and fees.

Have you been provided with anything similar for this person.

I woulod be very, very cross. Your child is vulnerable so you feel you can't dispute the bill but I think they haqve acted very unprofessionally.

We used the services of an Ed Psych for ds (two actually the first was too expensive) and he did not charge for awith other agencies, only ds's appointments with him and the writing of reports.

lilybetsy · 20/09/2018 13:52

Exactly, my lawyer provided detailed T&C's wit the letter of engagement. And she provided me with an estimate of costs regularly and before any large expenditure.]

I actually think we cannot continue as I no longer trust her. Which is shit for DS

OP posts:
Mixedbags · 20/09/2018 13:52

Absolutely complain, I would phone and ask for their procedure on fees.

ChasedByBees · 20/09/2018 13:54

I would find that unacceptable and complain.

peachgreen · 20/09/2018 13:54

Definitely complain. That's shocking.

Orangecake123 · 20/09/2018 13:55

Absolutely complain. I've been in private therapy for the past 18 months, i've always been aware of any charges before hand. Zither lack of notification would really get to me too.

Orangecake123 · 20/09/2018 13:55
  • The not zither!
weewillywinkie · 20/09/2018 14:12

I think it's fair (and usual) for her to charge for the time spent conferring with the psychiatrist. My son's paediatrician (behaviour specialist) charged us for consults she had with the school's ed psychologist.

However, increasing the fee rate because she was on holiday leaves me speechless. Unbelievable.

If she did not give you advance notice of this special holiday rate, you are not obliged to pay it. I would strongly dispute it and pay her normal rates.

Agree I would find it very hard to continue with her - it's hard not to think she's trying to take advantage. However, if you're able to sort out payment and is son is keen to continue with her, then I would consider letting your son continue.

weewillywinkie · 20/09/2018 14:15

Lawyers are obliged to provide clients with T&Cs/an engagement letter that sets out hourly rates and other terms. Perhaps worth checking if the psychologists governing body (you mention one in your OP?) requires its members to provide similar?

BadderWolf · 20/09/2018 14:18

She's completely unprofessional. I would not trust her one inch with mental health of my family. And now you've paid up she knows she's got you over a barrel...

turnaroundbrighteyes · 20/09/2018 14:19

I don't think I would move him if he clicks with her and she's helping as that's hard to find, but I would put everything you've said here in writing and put her on notice that would do not authorise any further work when she's on leave.

WhoAteAllTheDinosaurs · 20/09/2018 14:20

Do you have a contract/client agreement with her? Does it say anything about this?

DailyMailFail101 · 20/09/2018 14:24

Complain, but I don’t think you will get anywhere with it, you have already paid the bill she’s not going to reimburse you. I think it’s shocking what she has done but just put it down to experience.

Haireverywhere · 20/09/2018 14:25

The HCPC and BPS set out standards of conduct. Presumably you have employed an accredited psychologist who has to work to these standards?

It is typical to charge for liasing with other professionals. But those charges should have been explained to you. It is typical to charge more for report writing etc too but again you should have been made aware.

Choosing to work during her holiday isn't on. Was there a reason why it had to be done at that time (eg. for a court deadline, MDT assessment deadline) ?

DarlingNikita · 20/09/2018 14:25

I's fair and usual for her to charge for the time spent conferring with the psychiatrist, and for charging an increased rate if she works during her holiday. But it's NOT fair to do either of those things and then ask you to pay without you having been made aware of them in advance. It's outrageous. She must be deliberately taking the piss; she can't be thick enough not to realise what she's done, surely?

I don't know what her set-up is or if there's a manager, or a professional body you can contact, but I'd definitely escalate it through whatever means are available to you.

Haireverywhere · 20/09/2018 14:26

*Choosing to work for you on holiday then charging you extra without telling you in advance isn't on.

Lethaldrizzle · 20/09/2018 14:29

Jeez I'm going to become a psychologist with those rates!

ThatsSoFetch · 20/09/2018 14:29

I wouldnt have paid it until I had fully disputed it to be honest. Whilst I appreciate she may very well have a time and a half fee, you were not made aware that at the time she was doing said work, that she would be charging you an increased rate.

I agree that she has broken that professional relationship by behaving in such a manner - we had to see a child psychologist after a car accident at the psychologists home and his wife behaved terribly towards us so we never returned and cited this as our reason. My son just didnt feel comfortable returning nor did i.

I hope your son is well again soon.

pasanda · 20/09/2018 14:30

A few years ago, we had similar with our ds.

He was seeing a private psychotherapist who had to engage with the 'official' NHS CAMHS phychiatrist after ds took an overdose.

We weren't charged a penny for those phone calls/emails. It never crossed my mind this might have happened tbh.

It is totally and utterly wrong of her to do this and you must complain. I also don't think it will help you though, seeing as you have already paid it. Sad

Yabbers · 20/09/2018 14:32

If she did work I didn't ask her to, I wouldn't pay her for it. I would also report her to her professional body if her attitude was "that's the bill, pay it" She could take me to court if she liked, she wouldn't win as no court in the land will make a client pay for services they didn't request.

To hell with damaging a relationship, I wouldn't use her again and would find someone else.

BeUpStanding · 20/09/2018 14:35

Absolutely complain to her professional body - that's outrageous! I have never heard of a psychologist doing this.

daffodillament · 20/09/2018 14:37

Bloody disgusting, she's well and truly taken advantage of you. Complain..and best of luck. Do you know roughly how much longer you have to wait for NHS support ?

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SheeshazAZ09 · 20/09/2018 14:37

I read a book once about how to run your own business (something I've been doing for decades now) and one of the pieces of advice that stuck with me was: no client should ever be surprised by your invoice. All charges should be made clear in advance and pref put in writing; there should be clear agreement from the client that this will be what they are paying. If additional charges are incurred in the course of the job, same process should apply: these are made clear to the client in advance, client must agree.
This woman is unprofessional. Bin her.

DishranawaywiththeSpoon · 20/09/2018 14:40

If you weren't aware of those charges, and you didn't ask her to do it she shouldn't charge. That's ridiculous

I think it's pretty shitty to charge for liasing with other health professionals anyway, that should be included in the main costs really. I wouldn't charge for liasing with other health professionals as it's an important part of giving good care to someone, and i think its slightly unethical to charge someone for in particular another health professional contacting you, I think its just one those things you have to do as a HCP. However if you knew she charged for that it's difficult to dispute. I think personally the relationship betweenyou and the psychologist has broken down. Trust is so important in these relationships and that trust has gone.

user1467718508 · 20/09/2018 14:42

I appreciate she has a living to make, but springing hidden costs on vulnerable people and their families is despicable.

It won't get your £ back, but are you able to review her on Google or similar?

...Just as a warning to potential clients more than anything.

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