Setting Up and Maintaining an Effective Private Practice

by Weitz, Phillipa

• ISBN13: 9781855754256
• ISBN10: 1855754258
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-08-30
• Publisher: KARNAC BOOKS

Summary

Counselors, psychotherapists, and psychologists are proud to belong to the helping professions. They will have invested much time, money and effort into becoming well trained in their chosen profession, but perhaps not in how to conduct a business. These professionals see themselves as caring people trying to help others to understand themselves better, to feel better about themselves, and to help them get over various traumas and difficulties in their lives or personalities. Talking about money and thinking of their clients as an item of income can be uncomfortable. Many counselors, psychotherapists, and psychologists may not easily view their private practice as a business. But that is what it is, and the primary role of any business is to be profitable. The author guides us through practicalities of setting up and maintaining a private practice, and addresses the tensions and problems faced by the practitioner trying to both provide care and run an effective business. The author provides clear models and examples that the practitioners will be able to adapt to their own circumstances, for example showing them how to set up accounts. This book will be a valuable tool for new practitioners setting up on their own, as well as throughout the life of a private practice.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS	x
INTRODUCTION	xi
CHECKING YOUR MOTIVATION FOR SETTING UP A PRIVATE PRACTICE	xvi
SOME INITIAL WORDS OF ADVICE	xix
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK	xxi
CHAPTER ONE Marketing: Getting your first clients—telling the world about your business	1	(27)
1.1 Marketing and Advertising	1	(7)
1.1.1 Marketing—getting yourself known	1	(1)
1.1.2 Setting short and long term goals	2	(1)
1.1.3 Deciding what is unique about your business	3	(1)
1.1.4 Soul searching questions	4	(2)
1.1.5 Deciding on your marketing strategy	6	(2)
1.1.6 The ultimate goal in marketing	8	(1)
1.2 The Target for your Marketing	8	(6)
1.2.1 The general public	9	(2)
1.2.2 Your counselling and psychotherapy colleagues	11	(1)
1.2.3 Associated professions such as psychologists, psychiatrists, GPs	12	(2)
1.3 How you make yourself known to your public	14	(13)
1.3.1 Reputation	14	(1)
1.3.2 Putting together a leaflet/flyer	14	(2)
1.3.3 Choosing a name	16	(1)
1.3.4 Networking	17	(1)
1.3.5 Direct advertising	18	(2)
1.3.6 The "look" you give your business	20	(5)
1.3.6.1 Presentation of material	20	(1)
1.3.6.2 Stationery you will need	21	(2)
1.3.6.3 What to include on your stationery	23	(1)
1.3.6.4 Paper and ink choices	24	(1)
1.3.7 Your personal image: clothes, rooms, cars	25	(2)
1.4 Drawing together the threads	27	(1)
CHAPTER TWO Setting up the structure of the business	28	(31)
2.1 What type of business? The options available to you	28	(7)
2.1.1 Sole trader	29	(1)
2.1.1.1 The risks involved in being self-employed	29	(1)
2.1.2 Limited company	30	(2)
2.1.3 Partnership	32	(1)
2.1.4 Cooperative	33	(2)
2.2 Setting up and maintaining your accounts	35	(3)
2.2.1 Accounting for a sole trader	35	(1)
2.2.2 Accounting for a limited company	36	(1)
2.2.3 Choosing your accounting system: the different formats available for doing your accounts	36	(2)
2.2.3.1 Computerised accountancy package	36	(1)
2.2.3.2 Spreadsheet	36	(1)
2.2.3.3 Manual accounts	37	(1)
2.3 Office practicalities	38	(5)
2.3.1 Record keeping	38	(1)
2.3.2 Billing your clients	38	(1)
2.3.3 Terms and Conditions	39	(2)
2.3.4 Choosing your accountant	41	(2)
2.4 Business planning	43	(15)
2.4.1 The business plan	44	(4)
2.4.2 Profit and Loss and Cash Flow forecasts	48	(4)
2.4.3 Banking	52	(1)
2.4.4 Profit	53	(1)
2.4.5 What you can charge	54	(2)
2.4.6 Going bust	56	(1)
2.4.7 Risk taking	57	(1)
2.5 Drawing together the threads	58	(1)
CHAPTER THREE The practicalities of running the business	59	(24)
3.1 Financial aspects	59	(10)
3.1.1 Book-keeping	59	(1)
3.1.2 Pensions	60	(1)
3.1.3 Payroll	61	(1)
3.1.4 Tax and NI	62	(1)
3.1.5 Insurance	63	(4)
3.1.5.1 Business insurance	63	(3)
3.1.5.1.A Mandatory insurances	63	(2)
3.1.5.1.B Desirable insurances	65	(1)
3.1.5.2 Health insurances	66	(1)
3.1.6 VAT	67	(2)
3.2 Staffing and personnel issues	69	(5)
3.2.1 Getting staff	69	(1)
3.2.2 Job description	70	(1)
3.2.3 Choosing your staff	71	(1)
3.2.4 Legal requirements as an employer	72	(1)
3.2.5 Record keeping and confidentiality	73	(1)
3.2.6 Staff appraisal	73	(1)
3.2.7 Staff meetings and communication	74	(1)
3.3 Practicalities	74	(8)
3.3.1 Health and Safety	74	(3)
3.3.2 Premises	77	(14)
3.3.2.1 Checklist	78	(2)
3.3.2.2 Renting versus buying	80	(1)
3.3.2.3 Working from home versus having your own premises	81	(1)
3.3.2.4 Equipment	81	(1)
3.4 Protocols and procedures	82	(1)
3.5 Drawing together the threads	82	(1)
CHAPTER FOUR Specific issues for a counselling business	83	(17)
4.1 Money and collecting fees	83	(2)
4.2 The contract between you and the client	85	(1)
4.3 Isolation	86	(1)
4.4 Trust, good quality of care and codes of ethics	87	(1)
4.5 Reputation	88	(1)
4.6 Dual Relationships and conflicts of interest	88	(1)
4.7 Confidentiality	89	(2)
4.8 Record keeping and note-taking	91	(2)
4.8.1 Security	91	(1)
4.8.2 The Data Protection Act 1984 and 1998	92	(1)
4.9 Complaints	93	(1)
4.10 Illness, death or critical emergency	94	(1)
4.11 Audit	94	(1)
4.12 Information sheet and your arrangements	95	(1)
4.13 Professional regulation	96	(1)
4.14 Registration, accreditation and chartership	96	(1)
4.15 Continuing professional development	97	(1)
4.16 Professional memberships	97	(1)
4.17 Referral systems	97	(2)
4.18 Assessment	99	(1)
4.19 Drawing together the threads	99	(1)
CHAPTER FIVE Working self-employed within the NHS	100	(3)
5.1 Drawing together the threads	102	(1)
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READING	103	(2)
APPPENDICES
NB: All Appendices will be available on the resources section of www.karnacbooks.com
APPENDIX 1: USEFUL ORGANISATIONS	105	(6)
APPENDIX 2: PROFIT AND LOSS FORECASTS	111	(5)
CASH FLOW FORECAST	114	(2)
APPENDIX 3: HOW TO SET UP YOUR ACCOUNTS	116	(3)
APPENDIX 4: CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT SAMPLE	119	(1)
APPENDIX 5: CLIENT INFORMATION ASSESSMENT FORM	120	(4)
APPENDIX 6: CLIENT DETAILS AND AGREEMENT FORM	124	(2)
APPENDIX 7 JOB APPLICATION FORM	126	(1)
INDEX	127