Terms and Conditions

1. You agree to pay for treatment, diagnosis, services (including sundry Items) and goods provided by us (together, your “Care”).

2. Whilst you will remain responsible for the payment of your Care, where you have private medical insurance:

we will, where possible, process the insurance claim for your Care with your insurer, provided you have given us and your insurer all the information we and your insurer need to do so. If this information in incomplete or inaccurate, we may not be able to process your claim and we will invoice you directly;

where we process your insurance claim and your insurer pays us directly, the rate agreed between Nova Healthcare and your insurer will apply to your Care. You will remain responsible for the balance of your account not paid by your insurer; and

where your insurer fails to settle our invoices (or any part of them) within 30 days of the date of issue we will assume that the outstanding amount will not be paid by your insurer and we will invoice you directly. We reserve the right to debit the relevant balance in accordance with paragraph 24.

3. It is your responsibility to confirm with your insurer that your Care is covered by your insurance policy and Nova Healthcare will not obtain any such confirmation on your behalf.

4. Please note that some insurers use treatment guidelines that may not match the professional medical opinion of the Consultants, nursing staff and other medical professionals providing your Care. In some cases this can mean that your insurer may not pay for certain parts of the Care you receive, and you will be required to pay for that part of your Care.

5. Please note that your insurance policy may not cover the cost of sundry Items or other items such as specialist equipment or it may only cover part of such costs. You will be required to pay for any such items not reimbursed by your insurers.

6. If you pay for your treatment and subsequently seek reimbursement from your insurer, and if no other rate has been expressly agreed with you and Nova Healthcare the Nova Healthcare Standard Rates will apply to your Care.

7. If no rate has been agreed between Nova Healthcare and your insurer in respect of your Care, the Nova Healthcare Standard Rates will apply to your Care.

8. Where we invoice you for your Care or an element of it you agree to pay us the amount invoiced within 7 days without deduction or set-off. 

Part B – Self Funding Patients – Fixed Price Packages

This section will apply if you are paying for your own Care and your Treatment Letter states that we have offered you a fixed price package.

9. You have been sent a Treatment Letter that will confirm what treatment or procedures are being carried out at Nova Healthcare (“Treatment Package”), how much you will pay for that Care (“Fixed Price”) and how you will pay.

Please ensure you read this letter carefully. As set out in Part F (Other terms and Conditions: All Patients), your Treatment Letter is part of your Contract with Nova Healthcare.

10. What is included in the Fixed Price?

The Care related to your Treatment Package, as set out in your Treatment Letter, is included in the Fixed Price. This includes:

• All Consultants’ fees while you are in Hospital (unless your Treatment Letter says otherwise)
• Your accommodation in the Hospital, including your meals
• Your nursing care
• Operating theatre charges
• Tests, treatments, drugs and dressings you may need during your stay at Nova Healthcare
• The use of essential medical or surgical equipment
• X-rays and scans that you may require
• Take home drugs for 48 hours after discharge
• One follow-up appointment with your Consultant after you leave Hospital (unless your Treatment Letter says otherwise).

11. What is not included in the Fixed Price?

The following items are not included in the Fixed Price. If you have not paid for these already, you will be asked to pay for these separately at the Nova Healthcare Standard Rates (if applicable). The items not included in the Fixed Price are:

• Your initial consultation and any tests carried out at the time of that consultation
• Care not listed in your treatment letter as being part of your treatment package
• Chemotherapy drugs
• “Sundry items” such as telephone calls, newspapers and meals for visitors
• Care that you receive anywhere other than at the hospital where you have booked your treatment package
• Care that you receive that is not related to your treatment package, including treatment of complications and
• Anything else not covered in paragraph 10 above.

12. What happens if I decide not to go ahead?

If you decide not to go ahead with your Treatment Package, you will need to pay for the Care that you have received up until the point of cancellation. This will be charged at Nova Healthcare Standard Rates. We reserve the right to charge a cancellation fee in accordance with paragraph 22.

13. Note that if your Consultant cancels your Treatment Package because they consider it is not in your best interests for medical reasons, and you have already paid for your Treatment Package, we will refund your payment less the costs of Care that you have received up until the point of cancellation. This will be charged at Nova Healthcare Standard Rates.

14. If you have already paid for your Treatment Package, we will refund your payment, less any amount that you owe to the Hospital and/or the Consultant. Please note that we will pay any refund only to the cardholder or person who made the original payment.

15. What happens if my stay is shorter than expected?

If your stay in Hospital is shorter than anticipated, you will not be entitled to receive a refund of any portion of your Fixed Price.

16. What happens if I suffer complications?

While the Hospital and your Consultants will do their best to ensure a satisfactory outcome, no clinical procedure is entirely risk-free and the results of any particular treatment cannot be guaranteed with complete certainty. You can find treatment summaries containing information on a range of treatments, including common complications on the Nova Healthcare website at https://novahealthcare.co.uk.

Part C – Self-Funding Patients

17. This section will apply if you are paying for your own Care other than as part of a Treatment Package.

18. If you have been referred to a Consultant at the Hospital or to the Hospital for treatment (e.g. surgery) or tests (e.g. blood tests, x-rays and scans) or other Care, you will pay Nova Healthcare Standard Rates. As noted in paragraph 21 below, unless otherwise indicated, your Consultant will invoice you separately for the treatment he or she provides for you.

19. On request, the Hospital will give you an estimate of costs for your Care. Please note that it is not always possible to give an exact estimate for the Care you receive at the Hospital and the total cost may depend on a number of factors, including any other conditions you may have. You are responsible for the payment of all Care you receive at the Hospital, including any sundry Items.

20. If you are an outpatient, you will need to pay for your Care prior to or on the day you attend the Hospital. If you are admitted to Hospital, you will need to pay a deposit (which may be the amount of the estimated costs of our Care), 7 days before you are admitted and settle your account on or shortly following discharge. If your Consultant’s fees are not included in your invoice, you will need to settle these directly with your Consultant. 

Part D – NHS Patients

This section will apply to you if you are an NHS Patient and Nova Healthcare is treating you on behalf of the NHS.

21. The costs of your Care and all Consultant fees are paid by the NHS. However the NHS is unlikely to pay for personal items incidental to your Care, including meals for your visitors, newspapers and phone calls (“Sundry Items”). If for any reason the NHS does not cover the sundry Items, or it only covers part of the cost, you will be responsible for the payment of those costs that are not covered. We will ask you for your credit or debit card details when you come into the Hospital and you understand that we will keep these details until sundry Items have been paid in full.

Part E – Other Terms and Conditions: Private Patients

This section applies to all Private Patients:

22. In these terms and conditions, all clinicians, surgeons and anaesthetists involved in you Care will be referred to as “Consultants”.

While at the Hospital, you will be under the care of the Consultant you have been referred to (usually a consultant oncologist or surgeon), who may also involve other Consultants in your Care if appropriate. Nova Healthcare staff, including nurses, will provide your Care under your Consultant’s instructions.

Consultants involved in your care are independent practitioners and are not employees of Nova Healthcare. Accordingly, Nova Healthcare will not be liable for any act or omission of a Consultant.

Except where Nova Healthcare expressly agrees to collect the Consultant’s charges as agent on behalf of the Consultant, Nova Healthcare does not charge for the Consultant’s fees which will be charged separately to you.

23. We reserve the right to charge a cancellation fee if you cancel any appointment with Nova Healthcare within 7 days of your scheduled appointment or admission date.

24. You are responsible for settling the cost of your Care before you are admitted or shortly after leaving the Hospital. We will ask you for your credit or debit card details when you come into the Hospital or when you make your appointment. You understand that we well keep these details until the costs for your Care including sundry Items have been paid in full either by your insurer or yourself. If you have not paid before you leave the Hospital, you agree that we can debit the outstanding balance from your card upon 7 days of notice to you.

Part F – Other Terms and Conditions: All Patients

25. Your Contract with Nova Healthcare: These terms and conditions, along with your Registration Form and, if applicable, the letter we have sent you regarding your treatment (the “Treatment Letter”) form your contract with Nova Healthcare for your treatment at Nova Healthcare (“Contract”) and by signing the Registration Form you agree to be bound by their terms. If there is any conflict between these terms and conditions and the Treatment Letter, these terms and conditions will take precedence. If there is any conflict between the Contract and any marketing material, the Contract will take precedence. Nova Healthcare may amend these terms and conditions from time to time.

26. Sundry Items: A list of our prices for sundry Items is available on request.

27. Nova Healthcare Standard Rates: Unless the Terms or your Treatment Letter (if applicable) provide otherwise, the Nova Healthcare Standard Rates will apply to your Care.

Notice and Contact Details: You must keep us updated of any changes in your contact details, as Nova Healthcare will correspond with you at your last known contact details. We will regard notices as served on you on the third working day after we post a letter to you, or on completion of a fax transmission or email.

29. Your Personal Property: Hospitals can be busy environments. While we will take all care to ensure the safety of your belongings, Nova Healthcare does not accept any responsibility for the loss of, or damage to, any of your visitors’ property.

30. Severability: In the event that any (or any part) of these terms and conditions is declared invalid, unlawful or unenforceable such terms and conditions (or parts of terms or conditions) shall be severed. The remaining terms and conditions (and parts of terms and conditions) shall continue to be valid and enforceable to the fullest extent permitted by law.

31. Third Party Rights: A person who is not a party to this Contract shall not have any rights under or connection with it.

32. English Law: These terms are governed by and shall be construed in accordance with English Law and the English Courts shall have exclusive jurisdiction.