Terms and Conditions

Last updated: 5 November 2026

1. Company details

The website https://family-medical-centre.pt/ is owned by the company identified below, which operates under the brand Family Medical Centre & Antiaging Clinic – FMCAC.

FMC, FAMILY MEDICAL CENTRE, SERVIÇOS DE MEDICINA LDA — Private limited company.

• Portuguese company and tax identification number (NIPC): 506397262
• Share capital: EUR 10,000.00
• Commercial Registry Office: Loulé
• Previous registration number: 5624/2002-12-20
• Registered office: Clínica de Vale do Lobo, Avenida do Mar, 8135-107 Almancil, Portugal
• Email: info@family-medical-centre.pt
• Telephone: +351 289 398 009 (call to a Portuguese landline).

Clinic registrations, licences and contact details can be found on the Legal Information and Contacts pages.

2. Scope

These Terms and Conditions govern the purchase of and payment for services provided by FMCAC, including consultations, tests, treatments, medical procedures, surgery and home healthcare services. They apply to payments made before or after the service is provided, including advance payments and deposits made through payment links.

Any specific terms set out in a quotation or treatment plan are communicated to the patient before acceptance. They supplement these Terms and Conditions without affecting the patient’s statutory rights.

Where a laboratory, hospital or other provider is independently responsible for a service, the patient is informed before booking of the provider’s identity, the services it will provide and any separate terms or billing arrangements. These Terms do not replace the terms of services contracted directly with third parties.

3. Appointments and provision of services

Services are subject to booking, practitioner availability and, where applicable, clinical assessment. FMCAC confirms the clinic, practitioner, date, time and any relevant conditions with the patient through its usual communication channels.

Treatments and procedures are carried out only where clinically indicated and, where required, with the patient’s informed consent. Payment or acceptance of these Terms and Conditions does not replace informed consent.

Where a service involves hospitals or other third parties, the quotation or treatment plan identifies the services included, who is responsible for payment and any amounts those third parties may invoice directly.

4. Prices and quotations

All prices are stated in euros (EUR, €). The price is communicated to the patient before they enter into the contract or can be checked against the price list available at the relevant clinic. Prices include VAT at the applicable statutory rate where payable, or are exempt from VAT where the relevant legal exemption applies.

Before payment, the patient is informed of the service covered, the total price and any surcharges or additional fees. If the final cost cannot be determined in advance, the patient is told how it will be calculated and given an estimate where possible.

Additional services, changes to treatment or costs not included in the quotation must be communicated and accepted in advance, except where urgent clinical action is legally justified.

5. Payments and payment links

FMCAC may request:

• Full payment before the service is provided.
• A deposit towards the total price.
• Payment in instalments, where expressly agreed.
• Payment after the service is provided.

The payment request identifies the relevant service or document, the amount due and the applicable payment deadline.

Payment links may be sent through ePM, with payments processed by easypay. Depending on which methods are enabled and technically available, options may include a Multibanco payment reference, MB WAY, Visa, Mastercard, bank transfer, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. The options shown on the relevant payment page are the ones available for that transaction. A method may not be enabled for every transaction, even if it is covered by a payment services agreement or shown in a general illustration.

Payment methods

FMCAC is responsible for the contracted services and for applying the relevant cancellation and refund terms. Technology and payment service providers are responsible for their respective parts of the transaction. Payment is considered complete once the transaction is confirmed. Issuing a payment link does not itself confirm payment. Deposits are deducted from the total price of the service. The relevant tax document is issued as required by law.

Card details and authentication codes must be entered only on the appropriate payment page. They must not be sent to the clinic by email or message. If in doubt about a payment request, the patient should contact the clinic using its official contact details.

6. Prepaid consultations

FMCAC may request advance payment to secure a consultation, particularly when practitioner availability is limited. This payment reserves the appointment slot and the practitioner’s time.

If the patient needs to cancel or change the appointment, they must give at least 48 hours’ notice before the scheduled time. If this notice period is met, the patient may choose:

• A full refund of the amount paid, or
• Rescheduling to another available date, with the amount already paid credited towards the consultation.

Requests should be sent to the clinic responsible for the appointment, preferably in writing so that the date and time of the request can be recorded.

Requests to reschedule or obtain a refund after a cancellation or change with less than 48 hours’ notice, or after a missed appointment, are assessed individually. Giving less than 48 hours’ notice or missing the appointment does not automatically result in the loss of the full payment. Any amount retained must be based on terms communicated and accepted in advance, reflect proportionate costs and be properly justified.

7. Home healthcare services

Home healthcare services are offered in Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo, subject to availability and prior confirmation. Surcharges may apply for travel distance, night-time visits, weekends or public holidays. The location, time, requested service and total price, including any applicable surcharges, are confirmed with the patient before payment.

If the patient cancels after the practitioner has set off, any travel and call-out charges communicated and accepted in advance remain payable. In these circumstances, the visit fee may not be refundable, provided the amount retained reflects proportionate costs actually incurred. If the payment includes amounts for services not provided that exceed those costs, the difference will be refunded.

This rule does not apply if FMCAC cancels the visit or if the visit cannot take place for a reason attributable to FMCAC. In those cases, section 10 applies.

8. Surgery and surgical treatment plans

Surgery is subject to clinical assessment, acceptance of the treatment plan and confirmation that the surgical team and the facility where the surgery will take place are available.

Booking and payments

Unless specific terms have been expressly agreed:

• The proposed date is held provisionally for 48 hours after it is communicated to the patient.
• To confirm the booking, 50% of the estimated price of the chosen treatment option must be paid within that period.
• The remaining 50% must be paid no later than 15 days before surgery.
• If surgery is booked less than 15 days in advance, full payment is required to confirm the booking.

If the initial payment is not made on time, the provisional booking may be released. Any subsequent confirmation is subject to availability. Treatment plans are valid for 30 days unless the plan states otherwise. After that period, prices and terms must be reconfirmed.

Cancellation by the patient

Cancellation must be communicated in writing using the contact details specified in the treatment plan. The date on which the notice is received determines the notice period.

If notice of cancellation is given at least 15 days in advance, the amounts paid will be refunded, less only the cost of services already provided and any specific, non-recoverable expenses communicated to and accepted by the patient in advance.

If notice of cancellation is given less than 15 days in advance, only costs actually incurred for surgical preparation, operating theatre booking, the surgical team or materials may be retained. Those costs must be non-recoverable, covered by terms communicated and accepted in advance, and supported by evidence. Deductions are itemised. The amount retained cannot exceed either the justifiable costs or the amount paid. Any balance will be refunded.

Medical contraindication

No cancellation penalty applies where there is a confirmed medical contraindication. If the contraindication is temporary, the full amount paid may be transferred to a new date by agreement and subject to availability.

If the surgery cannot take place or the patient does not wish to reschedule, amounts paid for services not provided will be refunded. Only services actually provided and agreed in advance may be deducted, and those deductions will be itemised.

Postponement requested by the patient

Postponement is subject to the availability of the team and facility. Amounts paid are transferred to the new date, subject to any non-recoverable costs that meet the conditions above. Any change to the plan or price must be communicated and accepted before the new date is confirmed.

9. Other tests, treatments and procedures

Any specific terms for preparation, payment, cancellation and rescheduling of other tests, treatments or procedures are communicated before the patient enters into the contract. If no specific cancellation terms have been communicated and accepted in advance, no automatic penalty applies. Any deductions must relate to services already provided or to non-recoverable costs that are proportionate and properly justified.

10. Cancellation or changes by FMCAC

If FMCAC cancels a service, a new date will be offered where possible. The patient may accept the new date and apply the amount already paid towards the service, or request a full refund of the amount paid for the service not provided.

If FMCAC cancels surgery and the patient does not accept a new date, all amounts paid for the surgery that did not take place will be refunded in full. No penalty applies to the patient if FMCAC reschedules the service. Any other applicable statutory rights remain unaffected.

11. Refunds

Where a refund is due, FMCAC will issue the refund instruction within 15 calendar days of receiving the notice that gives rise to the right to a refund. If additional information is essential to process the refund, FMCAC will request it without delay. The patient will be informed if the refund cannot be processed without that information.

Where technically possible, the refund is made using the original payment method. Otherwise, another suitable method will be agreed. The time it takes for the money to become available in the patient’s account may depend on the financial institution or payment service provider. FMCAC provides confirmation that the refund has been instructed.

Where permitted deductions are made, the patient receives an itemised breakdown and an explanation. Any shorter mandatory statutory deadline takes precedence over the deadline in this section.

12. Right of withdrawal

Healthcare contracts are excluded from the 14-day right of withdrawal under Articles 4 to 21 of Decree-Law No. 24/2014 of 14 February. This exclusion does not affect any rights to cancel, reschedule or receive a refund under these Terms and Conditions or other legal provisions.

For services other than healthcare contracted at a distance or off-premises, the right of withdrawal applies where provided by law, generally for 14 days from the date the contract is concluded. Starting those services during that period is subject to the applicable legal requirements, including an express request from the consumer. Advance payment does not in itself waive the right of withdrawal.

How to exercise the right of withdrawal for eligible non-clinical services

Send a clear statement of your decision to withdraw to info@family-medical-centre.pt or to the registered office before the applicable deadline. Identify yourself and the contract. If the service began during the withdrawal period at your express request, you may be required to pay a proportionate amount for the service already provided, where the legal requirements are met. The right is lost after full performance only if the prior express consent and acknowledgement required by law were obtained.

Optional model withdrawal form

13. Personal data protection

Personal data are processed for purposes relating to appointments, provision of services, invoicing, payments and compliance with legal obligations, as described in the Privacy Policy.

For questions about data protection or to exercise the applicable rights, the patient may contact andreia.gomes@family-medical-centre.pt.

14. Contact details, complaints and dispute resolution

Requests for information, cancellation or refunds may be sent to the clinic responsible for the service or to info@family-medical-centre.pt.

The patient may submit a complaint through the Complaints Book available at the clinics, through the Electronic Complaints Book or directly to the Portuguese Health Regulatory Authority (ERS), where the matter falls within its remit.

For disputes concerning services that do not fall within the healthcare exclusion, consumers may contact the competent alternative dispute resolution body. This may include CIMAAL (Centro de Informação, Mediação e Arbitragem de Conflitos de Consumo do Algarve) where the dispute falls within its remit. Further information is available at www.consumoalgarve.pt. These options do not affect the right to apply to the competent courts.

15. Governing law and changes

These Terms and Conditions are governed by Portuguese law, subject to applicable mandatory consumer protection rules. Nothing in these Terms limits any patient rights that cannot be waived by contract.

Changes to these Terms and Conditions apply to future contracts. Services already contracted remain subject to the terms accepted at the time, unless a change is agreed by the parties or required by law.