Cancellation & Refund Policy

1. Introduction

K&K Medical and Dental ("the Practice", "we", "us") is committed to fair, transparent, and lawful billing in line with the Consumer Protection Act 68 of 2008 ("CPA"), the Health Professions Council of South Africa ("HPCSA") ethical guidelines, and the National Health Act. This policy sets out when fees apply for cancelled or missed appointments, how refunds are handled, and how to raise a dispute.

By booking an appointment, attending a consultation, or making payment, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.

2. Definitions

• "Walk-in" — an unbooked GP consultation attended on a first-come, first-served basis during published operating hours.
• "Booked appointment" — any consultation (GP, dental, weight-loss, surgical pre-booked slot) confirmed in advance by WhatsApp, telephone or in person.
• "Late cancellation" — a cancellation received less than the notice period set out in Section 4.
• "No-show" — failure to attend a booked appointment without any prior notification.
• "Overpayment" — a payment exceeding the amount lawfully owed, including duplicate payments.

3. Payment for Services

Consultation fees are payable at the time of service. Once a consultation has been provided, fees are generally non-refundable, except where:

• an overpayment or duplicate payment is confirmed;
• a refund is required by the Consumer Protection Act or other applicable law;
• the Practice agrees in writing to issue a refund; or
• the Practice was unable to honour a booked appointment (see Section 6).

In line with the CPA, a blanket "no refund" rule cannot override any statutory right the consumer holds — this policy does not, and is not intended to, limit those rights.

4. Cancellation Notice Periods

You are entitled to cancel any booked appointment at any time. Late cancellations and no-shows may, however, attract a reasonable cancellation fee in line with section 17 of the CPA and current HPCSA ethical guidance.

Walk-in GP visits are not affected by this policy as no advance booking is made.

5. When We May Charge a Cancellation or No-Show Fee

A reasonable fee may be charged only if all of the following conditions are met:

• The cancellation is received less than the applicable notice period in Section 4 above, or you fail to attend at all;
• The Practice was unable, despite reasonable efforts, to fill the appointment slot with another patient;
• You were informed of this cancellation policy at the time the appointment was made (verbally, by WhatsApp, by signage, or on this website); and
• The reason for your non-attendance is not death, hospitalisation, or other circumstances expressly protected under section 17(5) of the CPA.

Cancellation and no-show fees are intentionally kept modest and will never exceed the cost of the consultation that would have been charged had you attended. They are not, in themselves, a full consultation fee.

6. When the Practice Cancels an Appointment

In line with section 47 of the CPA, if the Practice is unable to honour your booked appointment we will:

• contact you as soon as reasonably practicable;
• offer to reschedule at your convenience, free of charge; and
• refund any amount you have already paid for the appointment.

Where the cancellation is due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control (e.g. medical emergency, doctor illness, force majeure) and we have notified you as soon as practicable, refunds will be limited to the amount actually paid (excluding any incidental costs).

7. Refund Process & Timeframes

All refund requests must be submitted via email to refunds@kkmedical.co.za — this is the only channel through which the Practice handles refund and billing disputes.

Your email should include:

• full name and contact number;
• proof of payment (receipt or bank statement extract);
• date and branch of the appointment;
• a clear description of the reason for the refund request; and
• your bank account details for the refund.

Once received, a practice manager will verify the payment and appointment record, review the request, and notify you in writing of the outcome. Approved refunds are paid back via the original payment method where possible, or by EFT to the verified bank account.

8. Refunds & Medical Aid

If your appointment was billed directly to your medical aid scheme, refunds will be processed back to the medical aid where required by scheme rules and tariff agreements. Where you paid the practice directly (e.g. co-payment, cash, card), the refund will be issued to you on the terms set out in Section 7.

You remain responsible for any portion of the fee not covered by your medical aid scheme.

9. Clinical Disputes vs Billing Disputes

We distinguish between two types of complaints:

• Billing or refund disputes — handled internally under this policy and, if necessary, escalated to the National Consumer Commission or the relevant Ombud.
• Clinical or ethical disputes (e.g. concerns about quality of care) — handled through the Practice's internal clinical complaints process and, where appropriate, the HPCSA's professional conduct procedures. Where clinically appropriate, we may offer a follow-up consultation at no charge in place of a refund.

10. How to Raise a Dispute

All refund and billing disputes must be raised in writing by email within thirty (30) days of the event. This is the only channel through which the Practice handles refund and billing matters, so that we can keep a clear written record of every request and respond efficiently.

If the matter is not resolved to your satisfaction, you retain the right to escalate the matter to:

• National Consumer Commission — for breaches of the Consumer Protection Act.
• HPCSA — for ethical or professional conduct concerns about a registered practitioner.
• The relevant Ombud or your medical aid scheme for scheme-related billing matters.

11. Recordkeeping

The Practice keeps written records of appointment bookings, cancellation notifications, attempts to fill cancelled slots, payment receipts, and refund decisions for at least five (5) years, in line with the Health Professions Act and HPCSA recordkeeping rules.

12. Updates to this Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law or our internal procedures. The current version, dated above, is always available at www.kkmedical.co.za/cancellation-refund-policy.