Cancellation Policy - Hear and Say

On 28 June 2024, the NDIA announced a change to the cancellation policy for participants. Effective from 1 July 2024, the cancellation notice period for NDIS-participant appointments reduces from seven working days to two working days.

What this means:

Scenario 1: If you have a NDIS-appointment on Wednesday at 8.00am, you must cancel your appointment by Monday at 8.00am to avoid cancellation fees.
Scenario 2: If you have a NDIS-appointment on Monday at 11.00am, you must cancel your appointment by the previous Thursday at 11.00am in order to avoid cancellation fees.

We recognise that for NDIS-participant appointments on Mondays and Tuesdays this new policy from the NDIS may make it difficult to avoid charges. We will do our best to accommodate waiver requests but cannot guarantee that cancellation charges will not apply.

For any clients who are not NDIS participants, our cancellation policy stands and appointments must be cancelled within 24 hours. This applies to audiology, speech pathology and any listening and spoken language clients not on NDIS.

Purpose

This policy outlines how Hear and Say manages client cancellations.

Scope

This policy applies to all Hear and Say client services. The policy has been developed to reflect the NDIS policy with respect to Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.

Policy

For NDIS participants the notice period has been reduced from seven days to two clear business days. For private clients, the notice period remains one clear business day. For participants of Skills Groups, two weeks’ notice is required.

Cancellation fees

For NDIS participants the cancellation fee is 100% of the planned supports, inclusive of travel for the appointment. For private speech pathology clients, a $100 cancellation fee will apply. For initial audiology appointments where a deposit has been paid, failure to notify within one clear business day will result in forfeit of the deposit.

Booking fee for hearing tests

For hearing test appointments, a deposit may be taken at the time of booking. This deposit will not be refunded if the appointment is cancelled within seven days.

Hardship policy

Hear and Say may waive cancellation or no-show fees in cases of hardship. If clients regularly miss or reschedule appointments, Hear and Say will contact them to understand how we can best support their needs and/or adjust the schedule of appointments.

Cancellations from Hear and Say

Hear and Say will endeavour to give clients as much notice as practical of appointment cancellations or changes. If a staff member is unwell, clients will be contacted as soon as possible and if appropriate, Hear and Say will offer the service through a different staff member. The client may also choose to reschedule the appointment with the original employee.

FAQs

Why are you charging a cancellation fee?

This policy has been introduced due to the impact of clients failing to show up for appointments, and for cancellations at very short notice. The professional staffing and other costs associated with this time are significant for a charity such as Hear and Say. Short-notice cancellations and no-shows also limit our ability to book in other clients that would benefit from our service.

Can I make another booking?

Yes, you can make another booking; however, a cancellation fee will still apply to the original cancelled appointment.

Why doesn’t Hear and Say just offer my time to someone else?

Hear and Say does offer vacated appointment times to other clients if this is feasible; however, clients typically reserve a specific day and time over an extended period. As a result, ad hoc vacancies are often not suitable for other clients as that day/time is unlikely to be available in future weeks. Few clients benefit from the availability of a single, ad hoc session.

Is this policy consistent with NDIS rules?

Hear and Say’s cancellation policy is consistent with the NDIS Pricing Arrangements and Price Limits.

Who can I contact if I want to make a complaint?

We aim to provide the best possible services to support all of our clients and appreciate and encourage any compliments, complaints, feedback and suggestions. Clients can submit feedback or complaints via Hear and Say’s website here.

ABN 32 058 430 069

Acknowledgement of country
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of all the lands on which we meet, work and live, and pay our respect to Elders, past, present and emerging. We respect their continuing culture and the contributions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples make through their resilience and strength.

Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement

Copyright © 2024 – All Rights Reserved

29 Nathan Avenue, Ashgrove Qld 4060 ABN 32058 430 069

Acknowledgement of country
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of all the lands on which we meet, work and live and recognise that this land has always been and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land.