Terms of Engagement

This document outlines the framework for the nutritional therapy services offered by Caroline Sheldon (“the Nutritional Therapist”) of Midlife Management.

You will discuss and agree what support you want from the Nutritional Therapist in your first consultation and review the progress and focus of your work together at subsequent consultations. 

The Nutritional Therapist uses the Swandoola client management system to provide a secure and efficient means of issuing documents to and receiving documents from clients. Please do not put any confidential information in an email. Please use the Client Portal to upload any test results and confidential material which you wish the Nutritional Therapist to consider. Please book a support call if you have any specific questions for the Nutritional Therapist concerning your health protocol.

The client should use the Client Portal to book and pay for consultations, review their Health Protocol and test results, chart their progress using MYMOP and to fill their Health Diary with information about diet and lifestyle.

Please note that the cost of any supplements or testing recommended by the Nutritional Therapist are not included in the consultation fee.

Payment

When the first consultation is booked, an invoice will be issued via the Client Portal. Payments will be made online using Swipe. Payment of the invoice confirms each individual consultation and must be made 48 hours prior to commencement of the consultation.

You are required to pay for consultations which are missed or cancelled with less than 48 hours’ notice. It is important that you attend consultations regularly. However, if you do need to cancel a consultation, please give at least 48 hours’ notice by emailing hello@midlifemanagement.com.

It is confidential that you are a client of the Nutritional Therapist. The content of your consultations with the Nutritional Therapist is also confidential. However, there are some limits to duty of confidentiality which include if the Nutritional Therapist has concerns about your safety or the safety of another person. You will be asked to provide details of your G.P. and your G.P. may be contacted in such circumstances. For further details, please see the GDPR Agreement. The Nutritional Therapist will keep a record of your name, contact details and dates and times of consultations using the Swandoola client management system. The Nutritional Therapist is required to keep notes as to the focus of your work.

Video consultations

You may choose whether to attend a consultation in person or via video.

If you wish to attend in person, the Nutritional Therapist will discuss with you in advance any hygiene and safety requirements arising from the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine’s Guidance on Covid-19.  

It is your responsibility to have a working internet connection for your video consultations. You will be charged for scheduled consultations if the Nutritional Therapist is waiting for your call, but you are unable to connect online. If the internet connection fails, the Nutritional Therapist will telephone you using the UK landline or mobile number provided.

Description of Nutritional Therapy

The Nutritional Therapist practices in accordance with the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine’s ethical framework.

Nutritional therapy is the application of nutrition science in the promotion of health, peak performance and individual care. Nutritional therapy practitioners use a wide range of tools to assess and identify potential nutritional imbalances and understand how these may contribute to an individual's symptoms and health concerns. This approach allows them to work with individuals to address nutritional balance and help support the body towards maintaining health. Nutritional therapy is recognised as a complementary medicine and is relevant for individuals with chronic conditions, as well as those looking for support to enhance their health and well-being.

Practitioners consider each individual to be unique and recommend personalised nutrition and lifestyle programmes rather than a 'one size fits all’ approach. Practitioners never recommend nutritional therapy as a replacement for medical advice and always refer any client with 'red flag' signs or symptoms to their medical professional. They will also frequently work alongside a medical professional and will communicate with other healthcare professionals involved in the client's care to explain any nutritional therapy programme that has been provided. 

The Nutritional Therapist requests that the Client notes the following - 

  • The degree of benefit obtainable from Nutritional Therapy may vary between clients with similar health problems and following a similar Nutritional Therapy programme. 

  • Nutritional advice will be tailored to support health conditions and/or health concerns identified and agreed between both parties. 

  • Nutritional therapists are not permitted to diagnose, or claim to treat, medical conditions.

  • Nutritional advice is not a substitute for professional medical advice and/or treatment. 

  • Your Nutritional Therapist may recommend food supplements and/or functional testing as part of your Nutritional Therapy programme and may receive a commission on these products or services.

  • Standards of professional practice in Nutritional Therapy are governed by the CNHC Code of Conduct. 

  • This document only covers the practice of Nutritional Therapy within this consultation, and your practitioner will make it clear if he or she intends to step outside this boundary.

 The Client understands and agrees to the following -

  • I am responsible for contacting my GP about any health concerns. 

  • I give permission for you to contact my GP regarding any agreed aspects of my case. 

  • If I am receiving treatment from my GP, or any other medical provider, I must tell him/her about any nutritional strategy provided by my nutritional therapist. This is necessary because of possible interactions between prescribed medication and the nutritional programme. 

  • I will not stop taking any prescribed medication, unless my GP instructs me to do so.

  • If my prescribed medication changes during my nutritional therapy programme, I will tell my nutritional therapist immediately.

  • If my nutritional therapist advises me that I should be monitored by my GP, I will tell my GP and ensure that the monitoring is carried out.

  • I must tell my nutritional therapist about any medical diagnosis, medication, herbal medicine, or food supplements I am taking as this may affect the nutritional programme. 

  • If I am unclear about any aspects of the agreed nutritional therapy programme (including supplement dosage and timings), I will contact my nutritional therapist promptly for clarification.

  • I will not take any supplements recommended by my nutritional therapist for longer than the agreed period in order to avoid any potential adverse reactions.

  • If I would like to continue to take any of the supplements recommended by my nutritional therapist, I will book a further consultation with her to discuss this.

  • Recording consultations using any form of electronic media is not allowed without the written permission of both myself and my Nutritional Therapist.