Terms & Conditions
Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your pet to Fenwold Veterinary Practice Ltd. This statement details our Practice Terms and Conditions. Some aspects of the Terms may not be relevant to you and we request that you ask for further explanation/clarification if needed.
Fees
All fees, diets and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the medicines, materials, consumables and diets used. A detailed fee note is available for every consultation, surgical procedure and transaction with us.
Methods of Payment
Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of the pet or upon collection of diets/medicines. You may settle your account using:
- CASH
- CREDIT/DEBIT CARD - Switch, Solo, MasterCard, Visa, Delta
Estimates of Treatment Costs
We will happily provide a written estimate as the probable costs of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only be approximate often a pet's illness will not follow a conventional course.
Settlement Terms
Fenwold Veterinary Practice Ltd ('the Practice') operates a payment-at-the time-of-treatment policy. Consultations should be paid for at the end of each consultation and in-patient procedures should be paid for on collection of the patient. Should any account not be settled within 14 days, then a reminder will be sent with an additional accounting fee in respect of the administrative costs incurred. Should it be necessary for additional reminders to be sent, further charges will be incurred. These however, may be deducted if payment is made promptly. After due notice to you the client, overdue accounts will be pursued through the county courts, and if still unpaid will result in a county court injunction against you. This will affect you credit status. Any cheque returned by our Bank as unpaid, any Credit Card payment not honoured and any Cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored to the original sum with further charges being added in respect of bank charges and Administrative costs together with interest on the principal sum.
Inability to Pay
If, for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, we ask you to 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 Keith R Barrand, Richard D Morris or Ian P Bates.
Pet Health Insurance
Fenwold Veterinary Practice Ltd strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents. Please ask 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.
Complaints and Standards
We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Fenwold Veterinary Practice Ltd. However, if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about, please direct your comments, in writing, in the first instance to Keith R Barrand, Richard D Morris or Ian P Bates.
Ownership of Records
We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Fenwold Veterinary Practice Ltd. However, if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about, please direct your comments, in writing, in the first instance to Keith R Barrand, Richard D Morris or Ian P Bates.
Ownership of Radiographs and Similar Records
The care given to your animal may involve making some specific investigations, for example, taking radiographs or performing ultrasound scans. Even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations and interpreting the results, ownership of the resulting record, for example, a radiograph remains the property of the Practice. Copies of records stored in electronic format e.g. digital radiographs, can be provided if required but an administration fee may be charged.
Out-of-Hours Service
The Practice operates an out-of-hours service for emergencies. This can be accessed by telephoning any branch and the call will diverted to a telephonist who can contact the duty veterinarian if necessary. Animals which are hospitalised outside normal working hours are checked and treated according to their clinical needs. High-dependency cases may be referred for continuous monitoring if required; in this circumstance you are responsible for arranging transport to the referral centre.
Location
Out-of-hours small animal emergency cases are seen at a nominated branch which varies according to which veterinarian is on duty. You will be expected to transport your animal to the nominated surgery for treatment which may not be the usual branch that your animal attends. This is because manning all three branches of Fenwold Veterinary Practice Ltd when the surgeries are closed is unrealistic and would make the out-of-hours prohibitively expensive.
Telephone Recording
Phone calls to, or from the Practice may be recorded. The purpose of this recording is for training, compliance and security. The recordings may be used in the case of any dispute.
CCTV Recording
The term "CCTV" is used to encompass the use of webcams, video recording and other similar devices. Many of the areas of the Practice are covered by CCTV recording. This includes the external car park, the reception area and other areas of the practice. The purpose of this recording is for training, compliance and security. The recordings may be used in the case of any dispute.
Prescription Policy
Prescriptions are available from the Practice. You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines, category V, (POM-Vs) from your veterinary surgeon OR ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or pharmacy. Your veterinary surgeon may prescribe POM-Vs only for animals under his/her care. A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary. A charge will normally be made for providing a prescription. This will cover the costs of administration, choosing an appropriate medication, reviewing the previous history of the patient, recording details of the prescription on the history, writing the prescription and recording the details of the prescription.
Zero Tolerance
The Practice has a "zero tolerance" policy regarding violence, or threats of violence and abuse. We do not tolerate discrimination on the basis of age, sex, race, mental or physical disability, religious or sexual preferences.
Use of Other Vets
Fenwold Veterinary Practice offers a complete service for domestic pets. Clients of the practice are expected to use Fenwold Vets for all their veterinary needs apart from in exceptional circumstances such as, emergency situations, while away on holiday, referrals arranged through the practice, treatment of species requiring specialist skills, etc.
General
The Practice may contact you either by letter, phone, text or electronic means in order to advise you of outstanding accounts, reminders of your pet's preventative health care treatments and any marketing offers that might be of benefit to you or your pet. Please tell the staff if you do not wish to be contacted.
Variations in Terms of Trading
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by one of the Practice directors. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with, the Practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.