The NatureDoc Approach

Booking Process
All bookings are made through our booking team on 020 3397 1824 or through our reception team here. Expect the first visit to last for 1.5 hours per person (60 minutes for babies under 12 months). Some acute/less complex cases may only last 60 minutes, but that depends on the complexity of the health history and condition, as well as the discretion of the practitioner at the time of the consultation.

Clinics are located in Sloane Square, Fulham & Richmond – Central London, Tidworth & Newton Toney – Wiltshire, Bath – Somerset, Knutsford – Cheshire and Godalming – Surrey. All the other practitioners are currently offering virtual consultations only.

We will always need to meet the patient face to face or via video link at some point during an initial consultation (even small babies and young children need to be present for at least 5-10 minutes), This is usually best achieved by a physical in-clinic consultation. However, sometimes that just isn’t possible or sensible. For example, you may find it difficult to travel, due to distance or disability. Due to Covid restrictions over the past two years, the majority of our consultations have been delivered virtually through our secure telehealth system and most people continue to prefer this option. So a video consultation is often much more accessible and flexible and is especially helpful for follow-ups.

Preparing for the Appointment
You will be sent email confirmation at the time of booking your appointment with a link to an online health questionnaire. You will also be asked to upload any pdf copies of past laboratory testing and reports from educational or medical specialists if you have them. We also need a portrait photograph of the client for our records. Video footage of any specific behaviours in children is also very useful.

It is very important to complete the online health questionnaire well in advance of your consultation and to provide as much detail as you can. This includes the very important diet and supplement/medication sections. Timely completion of the health history means that your practitioner can prepare properly for the consultation and that the duration of the consultation is used optimally to provide well thought through nutritional interventions.

Typical consultation structure
This will involve an in-depth discussion about the person’s health history (including family medical history), diet and lifestyle with the aim to pinpoint any specific triggers. There will also be a health and development check which may include: iridology, tongue analysis, nail analysis, and abdominal check as well as a review of any recent laboratory testing. These tests vary depending on the person’s age and presentation as well as if the consultation is face to face or virtual. If this is a family appt we will go into more depth about mealtimes and the overall food approach.

We will send an individualised health plan via email within a week of the first consultation with details of further laboratory testing and any diet or food supplement changes to be made before the first follow up.

Further diagnostic testing may include tests via the following labs: The Doctors Laboratory, Genova Diagnostics, Invivo, Cyrex, Great Plains, Doctor’s Data and Biolab. These include tests for: blood haematology and biochemistry, viral and bacterial titres, comprehensive stool analysis, neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine, norepinephrine, GABA, glutamate) and hormones (adrenal, thyroid, oestrogen, testosterone, progesterone), pyroluria, oxalates, organic acids, amino acids, oxidative stress, vitamin profiles, hair mineral analysis (for a heavy metal toxicity and mineral check), genetic polymorphisms, methylation, porphyrins, allergy and food intolerances (including gluten and casein peptides). There may be other simple at-home tests suggested, including basal temperature testing and stomach acid assessments. The UK-wide protocol is that we cannot order any tests up ahead of the first initial consultation and much of part of the first consultation is assessing which tests are needed.

We do not carry out any laboratory testing or phlebotomy at the clinics. The laboratory tests will be ordered and the kits sent home to you to carry out. Full instructions for specimen taking and returns will accompany each test and it is important to read these in full prior to testing. It is your responsibility to collect the samples and courier/post these back to the laboratories. If a blood test is required, we will advise on phlebotomy services close to your home. Results usually take between ten working days and six weeks to turn around. A follow-up consultation to analyse these results will therefore be 4-6 weeks after the initial consultation and will probably last one hour.

We will then put together a second health plan which may incorporate more tailored dietary interventions, lifestyle and exercise changes, herbal remedies and a food supplement regime. This is very personalised and can take a few hours to write up, so it may not be sent to you for a few days, and on busy clinic weeks or in more complex cases this can take up to a week.

Follow-up consultations will be every 6 weeks – 3 months thereafter and will range from 30-60 minutes depending on the complexity of the person’s situation. Supplement lists and dietary interventions will be updated and reviewed with each follow-up.

Payment
Payment is always made at the time of the appointment with a credit/debit card (no American Express please) via the practitioner’s payment terminal. Cash can used for in-person consultations only. Please remember to always have your payment card to hand at the time of the appointment, as difficulty finding it can delay the next appointment quite considerably.

All laboratory testing is in addition to the initial appointment fee. In most cases these are paid to the laboratory when the test kits are ordered, but some need to be paid for at the time of the appointment. Supplements are also an additional cost. A link to purchase each supplement suggested will be sent in the health plan. Many supplements can be purchased through NatureDoc.Shop and we offer a special NatureDoc discount to registered clinic clients.

Frequently Asked Booking Questions

Do I need to bring my child?

If the appointment is about your child’s health then we will need to meet him or her for the initial appointment. Schools are usually very flexible about allowing the children to attend the appointment during school hours. We appreciate young children can get wriggly and bored during a long appointment and sometimes a parent prefers to discuss sensitive issues out of earshot. In these situations, we advise that two adults attend the appointment and takes the child back home or out to play nearby after the first 10 minutes of the appointment. Your child does not need to attend follow-ups but we would ideally meet in-clinic annually, if long term support is needed.

Can I bring my other children?

We need to ensure that the waiting area does not get overcrowded and noisy as this can cause problems with other patients or therapists in the building. Please therefore keep numbers of people attending the appointment to a bare minimum. Having any more people than absolutely necessary in a consultation room is also not ideal. Sometimes we see whole families at a time, but generally it is best to bring another adult who can keep other children occupied. There are open spaces and family friendly cafés very close to both clinics.

Can I have an appointment for the whole family?

If you would like one of our team to meet your whole family for a health review, we offer two-hour family appointments. This covers up to two children or one child and one adult. If you have additional children or adults that you need reviewing then please add on an additional 60 minutes per person. It is best to book an individual adult or child with complex needs or health issues separately. Please contact us for more details on pricing.

What if my child is very anxious about attending the appointment?

If your child has high anxiety levels, can be loud, or tends to wander, then please can you email us well in advance so we can make appropriate arrangements.

Do you have toys and entertainment?

We have plenty of toys to keep your young child amused during the consultation, however you might want to bring a favourite toy or activity along with you. Some children who find it difficult to settle, find it comforting for their parents to bring an iPad.

Do you see babies?

Yes we love to see babies from six weeks old. We also have in-clinic cranial osteopaths who may also be able to support them.

Do you see older patients?

Yes we have a number of elderly patients who benefit hugely from natural medicine.

Do you have disabled facilities?

Currently neither clinic has wheelchair facilities so in these cases, a virtual consultation may be more appropriate.

What if I am running late?

If you are running late for an appointment, you can call 0207 730 8899 for the London clinic and 01264 810028 for the Stockbridge clinic to talk to reception.

Do I need to bring specimen samples with me?

The initial appointment will focus on deciding the most appropriate testing for you or your child. All laboratory tests will be posted to you. They can be carried out in the comfort of your own home or through a phlebotomist close by to your home or work place. If you are travelling into London and your or your child requires a blood test then we can arrange blood draw that day at The Doctors Laboratory, Wimpole Street, W1.

Are you allergen-free?

We cannot guarantee that the clinic rooms are allergen free. If you or your child is extremely allergic to a specific food or environmental allergen then please book a virtual consultation.

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Bookings: 020 3397 1824
London Clinic
Stockbridge Clinic
Virtual Clinic