Attendance and Cancellation Policies

Updated May 2025

At Eastern Therapy Hub, we are committed to providing a quality service to our clients. As part of that commitment, we ask that appointments be attended on a regular basis to ensure therapeutic progress. We, like many professional services, have a cancellation policy that reflects the time that the clinician sets aside for each appointment, including preparation and planning that occurs prior to each session. We also have a substantial waiting list, so if we are given reasonable notice then we can try to offer another client an appointment instead. By adhering to this policy, we can ensure that the clients we serve receive the highest quality therapy services and that funds are used in the most effective way possible. Our policy is reflective of the NDIS pricing arrangements document, which states that participants are required to provide 2 business days’ notice for cancellations.

Standard Cancellation Policy statement - please note this cancellation policy exludes school holiday periods. Our school holiday period cancellation policy can be found below.

1. Clients must provide at least 2 business days’ notice prior to a scheduled service if they need to cancel or reschedule an appointment for any reason.

2. Clients who cancel or miss appointments without providing adequate (2 business days) notice will be charged the full service fee.

3. Clients who repeatedly miss appointments without notice may have their service agreement with their clinician suspended or terminated.

4. Clients should attend all scheduled appointments in order to make progress in their treatment plan and to ensure that funding for allied health services continues to be provided by the NDIS for therapy.

5. Clients should be aware that if they are not present for an appointment, it may negatively impact their therapeutic progress and NDIS plan review.

6. Clients should inform the clinic of any change in circumstances that may affect their ability to attend appointments, such as changes in mobility or support needs.

7. Clients should be aware that it is their responsibility to attend appointments, and that failure to attend appointments may result in delays or interruptions in their treatment plan.

8. Clients will be made aware of the policy at the time of their first appointment and be reminded of it periodically.

Example 1 (NDIS price guide) – Short Notice Cancellation 2 clear business days
A one-hour support is scheduled for 10 am on a Tuesday following a Public Holiday Monday. The participant cancels the support after 10 am on the Friday before the Public Holiday Monday and the provider is not able to find alternative billable work for the relevant worker and is required to pay the worker for the time that would have been spent providing the support.

Example 2 – (NDIS price guide) - Short Notice Cancellation 2 clear business days
A one-hour support is scheduled for 10 am on a Tuesday following a Public Holiday Monday. The participant cancels the support after 10 am on the Wednesday before the Public Holiday Monday and the provider is not able to find alternative billable work for the relevant worker and is required to pay the worker for the time that would have been spent providing the support.

For NDIS-funded clients, Clinicians will strive to use time to complete client-related work within late-cancellation time slots.

An alternative service will be offered if you cannot attend your face-to-face session.

Alternative therapy services include:

• Telehealth

• Parent-Only Telehealth

• Goals Report

• Sharing goals/strategies with another Professional/Educator

• Homework Pack

• Resource development (strategies for classroom/childcare)

• Speaking to Preschool/School/Childcare

Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel or re-schedule your session. Our therapists maintain full schedules, so your advance notice enables us to offer the available appointment time to another client from our waiting list. We will reschedule the appointment whenever possible. Cancellations in advance may be made by e-mail or phone, but please be sure that you receive confirmation from our reception team. Last minute cancellations can occur for many reasons including illness, an accident, power outage or extreme weather event. These situations are stressful and challenging for everyone involved and we understand that these instances are often unavoidable. We do our best to be understanding and try to give our clients as many options to make use of the time set aside for their appointment as possible.

School holiday period therapy and planning policy

At Eastern Therapy Hub, we know that consistency is key to your child’s progress in therapy. That’s why we encourage families to continue attending therapy throughout the school holidays. Maintaining consistency, even outside of school terms can make a big difference to progress and outcomes. We understand that some families may choose to take a break during this time. To ensure your child still receives the benefit of their scheduled time, we’ve introduced a new policy for holiday cancellations.

If you have a recurring appointment scheduled during the school holidays and choose to cancel it, even with notice, the session will still be billed. Instead of being a missed session, this time will be used by your therapist to:

• Reflect on your child’s recent progress

• Review and update therapy goals

• Create resources and therapy plans for the upcoming term

This ensures your child’s therapy continues to be tailored, purposeful, and ready to hit the ground running.

Please note:

• This policy applies only to scheduled, recurring appointments during school holidays.

• It is separate from our standard late cancellation policy, which applies during term time.

Why continue therapy during the holidays?

• Many children thrive with the added flexibility and reduced external demands during this period

• Progress is more consistent when therapy continues without long breaks - avoids regression and helps maintain momentum

• Sessions can feel more relaxed and flexible

But if you do need a break…

We understand that some families may choose to take time off. In these cases, your therapist will still use your scheduled appointment time to plan and prepare with your child’s unique needs in mind. As such, the appointment will be billed and is excluded from our late cancellation policy.

We’re here to support your family in whatever way works best. If you have questions about this policy or want to adjust your holiday schedule, please get in touch, we’re happy to help.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions.

03 9599 2777
hello@easterntherapyhub.com.au