The Guildford Vet Terms & Conditions of Business
Thank you for entrusting the care your pet(s) to The Guildford Vet. Detailed below are our Terms & Conditions. Some aspects of the terms may not be relevant to you. Please ask for further explanation or clarification if required.
Registration
It is essential for us to maintain accurate records of our clients and patients. In order to do this we will periodically ask you to confirm the details we hold. If your details change, please inform us so we can ensure our database is as up to date as possible.
Costs
All fees, food, reception sales and drugs are subject to VAT. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the drugs, materials, consumables and diets used. A price list showing the cost of our most routine products and services is displayed in our waiting room. You will receive a detailed invoice for every consultation, surgical procedure & transaction with us. All prices quoted, whether on our price list or in an estimate, are inclusive of the current rate of VAT.
Methods of Payment
Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet & upon collection of drugs, diets & reception sales. You may settle the account using cash or credit card/debit card; MasterCard, Visa, Delta, Switch.
Estimates of Treatment Costs
We will happily provide an estimate as to the probable costs of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only be approximate. Often a pets illness will not follow a conventional course and unforeseen expense may occur – we will endeavour to inform you of any additional costs at our earliest opportunity depending on your pets safety. Estimates are valid for 30 days.
Terms of Business
Any account not settled within 14 days will be sent a reminder. After due notice to you, any overdue account will be referred to our debt collecting procedure and further charges may be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt. Any cheque returned by our bank as unpaid, any credit card payment not honoured, and any cash tendered and found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored to the original sum with further charges added in respect of the bank charges and administrative costs.
Inability to Pay
If, for any reason, you are unable to settle your account we ask that you discuss the matter as soon as possible with a member of staff. Please note that instalments or part payments of any account may ONLY be sanctioned with the express permission of the practice principles.
Veterinary Care
The Guildford Vet will endeavour to provide veterinary services in accordance with reasonable standards denoted in the RCVS guidelines for practice standards and the professional conduct of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses. Guidelines are available at www.rcvs.org.uk. Please note veterinary care may be withheld from clients who appear aggressive and abusive to staff members.
Pet Health Insurance
The Guildford Vet strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accident. Please ask for details about insurance from any member of staff. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle our account and then reclaim fees from your insurance company. It may be possible for us to accept direct claims from some insurance companies; this will be subject to a pre authorisation check. Please speak to a member of staff for details.
Out of Hours Service
The Guildford Vet is open from 8.00am – 19.00pm Monday – Friday. 9.00am – 16.00pm on Saturdays. 10.00am – 12.00pm on Sundays. If you require emergency treatment for your pet(s) call our usual number (01483536036) you will be transferred to our own out of hours team. There will be veterinary personnel on site at all times to care for your pet if they become hospitalised.
Consent
Written signed consent for procedures is required in all cases of admission to the hospital and any alterations will be agreed prior to action being taken. Consent is also required for the use of medications in species for which they were not licensed e.g. rabbits and rodents. In this case a consent form will be provided to allow this to be done without asking for specific permission in each and every separate case. This is required as the majority of veterinary drugs are not licensed for use in small mammals. We must then use drugs which have a proven activity and efficiency despite this lack of licence. Consent is also required if your pet is hospitalised in our care out of hours.
Ownership of Records, X-Rays & Similar Documents
The care given to your animal may involve making some specific investigations, for example taking blood samples, X-Rays or performing ultrasound scans. Even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations & interpreting their results, the resulting records, clinical or otherwise, remain the property of the practice.
Complaints & Standards
We hope that you never feel the need to complain about the standards of service received from The Guildford Vet. However, if you feel there is something you wish to complain about, please contact the Practice Principle in writing.
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by the practice principle. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with, the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in anyway.
Dispensing of Drugs
Prescriptions are available from this practice. You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines, Category V, (POM Vs) from this practice OR ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or a pharmacy; these will be issued subject to a fee. However, you are responsible for sourcing these medications from a suitable supplier and should bear in mind that delay in the start of treatment may not be in the best interest of the welfare of your pet. A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary. The Guildford Vet can prescribe POM-Vs only for animals under our care. However we can provide POM-V drugs if presented with a prescription from another veterinary surgeon.
You will be informed, on request, of the price of any medicine that may be prescribed for your animal. The general policy of this practice is to re-assess an animal requiring repeat prescriptions at least every 6 months, however in more complicated/unstable cases re-examinations will be more frequent depending on the professional judgement of the veterinary surgeon managing that case.
Return of unused drugs
We are happy to accept unused medications back into the practice for disposal only. However as drugs which have left the premises are no longer fit for resale, no refund can be given. Drugs purchased from any other supplier will not be accepted for disposal.
Client Information
For up to date client information and news please see our website at www.theguildfordvet.co.uk