Thank-you for your deposit for the consultation!
I look forward to meeting you.
What to expect?
Thank-you for making the deposit for your consultation. Your deposit assures your appointment. Please check your email for more details.
Based on your chosen consultation platform (eg Skype, Zoom, Google Meet or Whatsapp) we shall send you meeting details at least 24 hours beforehand.
Confidentiality
Please be reassured about confidentiality. Jonathan does not record the session, but he takes notes, usually hand-written. These are kept locked up but accessible should you wish to book another consultation. After 7 years they are normally destroyed if you have not been in touch in the meantime.
Don’t worry. It’s Worth It!
Jonathan aims to make your time with him well worthwhile. He will give you ample time to describe your problems and then may ask questions to help him understand your symptoms better and, in most cases, to help him reach a diagnosis.
At some point he will explain:
- what he thinks is happening in terms of Chinese medicine and
- what you can do to help yourself.
- Also, he may be able to suggest pages on this site that help you understand your condition better.
These are the agreed terms of the consultation:
DISCLAIMER Although Jonathan will do his best to help you, he accepts no liability for either his diagnosis or suggestions, nor for any results or lack of them. |
- Please note Jonathan can only accept English-speaking patients.
- Please read the whole disclaimer!
- Jonathan is based in the UK. If you prefer to speak over the phone instead of Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp or Google Meet YOU will be telephoning Jonathan, not the other way round, so you have to pay for the cost of the call. If you are ringing from a mobile or from abroad, please make sure you have permission from whoever pays the bills! It could be expensive in some situations.
- The consultation fee you pay is for Jonathan’s time and experience only.
- Your deposit must have been received before the consultation can go ahead.
- When you have paid and chosen your preferred means of communication (Zoom, Skype, Whatsapp, Google Meet or telephone) we’ll send you details of how to connect.
- Please bear in mind that there are certain limitations on what Jonathan can do over the phone or video. For example, he can’t take your pulse and often he can’t see your tongue properly, even through video consultation, because – for example – the colours don’t always present on-screen properly.
- Please understand that compared with when people see Jonathan for a consultation in person in his Edinburgh clinic, it is not possible by telephone or video to touch you or palpate your sore areas or acupuncture channels, doing which often contributes to a diagnosis.
- Jonathan cannot treat you by telephone or video consultation. He can only listen, question, talk, explain and suggest. Whilst this can help you understand your symptoms and guide you, the process is not the same as a live consultation in person in clinic.
- You are welcome to record the session but not to post it online on social media or any other platforms. Jonathan keeps written records of your consultation with him which he treats as private and confidential. Nobody else has access to them and, unless they have been needed in the meantime, are destroyed after seven years.
- Try to ensure that you have no interruptions! Sometimes these are unavoidable, and likewise very occasionally even at Jonathan’s end, but it is better to tell your family or colleagues that you’re going to be busy and then to close the door.
- The time you pay for is for one person only, not for your family or friends to present their problems as well. It is, however, fine to have someone else present to assist you if you wish. He or she may be able to remember things you forget or make observations about you that help.
- The time and length of appointment you arrange cannot be split up into lots of little appointments. For example, you cannot pay for an hour and take it in several bits at different times.
- Refunds? Once a time is arranged, if for some reason you cannot be present then or wish to cancel or change it, you must give at least 24 hours’ notice otherwise your deposit is not refundable. If you are not happy with the consultation, please get in touch directly and we’ll make sure to help you in any way we can.
- If Jonathan has to cancel your telephone or video consultation appointment, your deposit will be refunded in full.
- What happens if your call is cut off or if the quality of the call suddenly fails to function adequately? This depends on the circumstances. Sometimes the consultation can be resumed when the lines improve, and sometimes the rest of the consultation can take place at another time. Either way, you will get the time you have paid for.
- You may be advised to go to see a doctor or an accident or emergency department if Jonathan thinks that his suggestions are not the right solution for you.
Cancelling your appointment?
If for some reason you cannot proceed with the appointment, please give at least 24 hours’ notice to be sure of deposit refund. Please reply to your confirmation email to get in touch.
If you cannot cancel before the 24 hours period, please bear in mind that the refund will be at our discretion.
Why? Because without 24 hours’ notice we may be unable to fill the time and someone else who would have liked your appointment slot cannot fill it because of insufficient notice so must arrange their appointment possibly several weeks later.
