Terms and Conditions of Business
Thank you for entrusting the care of your pet to Island Vetcare Ltd. This information 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 clarification or explanation if required.
Registration
In filling in the registration request form or registering by phone/in person you are requesting to change services from your previous vets to Island Vetcare. This is to include all routine veterinary care and emergency treatment plus provision of preventative veterinary medications and prescription medications. By registering with Island Vetcare you give us permission to contact your previous vet for your pets’ clinical history.
Instructions
We can only accept instructions from people over the age of 18 years.
In certain situations, we understand that requests will be made by persons acting as your agent, such as pet carer, cattery/kennel owner, etc.
We will assume unless advised in writing by yourself, that they have your authority and are acting in your interest and on your behalf.
Requests for any account details to be changed must be made in writing by the account holder.
Services
We provide total veterinary care for domestic pets on the Isle of Wight. We have the facilities to perform the majority of procedures and investigation at our Ryde clinic. If we feel a pet would benefit from it we will offer referral to one of our in-house specialists or, in exceptional cases, a specialist on the mainland.
Consultations and Veterinary Surgery Opening Times
The surgery is open Monday – Friday from 9am – 6pm and 10am-12pm on Saturdays. Consultations are by appointment only except in the case of an emergency when, if possible, a telephone call to the surgery detailing the emergency could be critical in dealing with it. If a home visit is required please telephone the surgery to discuss arrangements.
Out of Hours Pet Care
We operate our own out of hours service which is available for emergencies only and the vet will always be one of our own. You will therefore be seeing a vet who has access to your records and works for the practice. Fees charged out of hours vary with the time of day or night. A fee schedule is displayed in the waiting room. Any pets hospitalised overnight will be care for by a veterinary surgeon, vet nurse, or both.
Estimates of Treatment Costs
We will happily provide a written estimate as to the probable costs of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only be approximate due to the inherent unpredictability of some conditions. We will endeavour to contact you on the numbers you have given us if we believe the treatment costs are going to exceed the estimate costs, however, if you are not contactable we will treat your pet as is necessary for the prevention of pain or suffering.
Off Licence Medication
We following prescribing guidelines and where available use veterinary licensed medication. When a suitable veterinary licensed product is not available we will assume consent to use a non licensed product (often emergency drugs such as adrenaline and atropine) but where possible we will inform you of this before the event.
Fees
All Fees, diets and medication charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time and skill level required on a case and according to the medicines, materials, consumables and diets used. A list of our more common fees is available on our website and on request. Estimates are given for any other procedure (see below). Please be open with us if you have any concerns over costs as we are happy to discuss alternative treatment plans if appropriate. Ultimately you are liable for any fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your pet even if your pet is brought in on your behalf by a relative, friend or agent.
Methods of Payment
Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet, or upon collection of food or medication. You may settle your account using:
Cash
Credit/Debit Card – Maestro, Solo, Mastercard, Visa, Delta and American Express
Settlement of terms
All fees are due at the time of the service. Should an account not be settled within two weeks, then a reminder will be sent with additional accounting fee in respect administrative costs incurred. After due notice to you the client, overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt, such as the production of reports, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls, home visits etc.
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 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 as a new business we cannot afford to give credit apart from in cases where a pre-authorised direct insurance claim is being made. In such cases you will be responsible for the costs of any uninsured items and excesses. If the claim is not paid within 6 weeks you will become liable for the entire costs.
Ownership of Records
Case records, including radiographs and similar documents are the property of, and will be retained by Island VetCare Ltd. However, where possible copies of digital radiographs will be made available to you at your request.
Second Opinions and Specialist Referrals
Should you feel you would like another opinion on your pet’s illness please ask. We are always happy to arrange a second opinion with another vet or vets within the practice or referral to one of our specialists.
Client data
We never allow third party access to data without a client’s permission.
Prescription Policy
Prescriptions are available from this practice. You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines, category V, (POM Vs) from your veterinary surgeon or ask permission and obtain these from another veterinary surgeon or pharmacy. Your veterinary surgeon may only prescribe POM Vs for animals under his or her care. A prescription may not be appropriate if your pet is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary. You will be informed, on request, the price of any medicine prescribed for your animal. The general policy of this practice is to re-assess at least every 6 months any animal that requires repeat prescriptions, but this frequency may increase depending on the individual circumstances. The cost of preparing a written prescription is, as of Feb 2019 £16.50
Complaints and Standards
Island VetCare Ltd is committed to providing an exceptional standard of service and care. We realise, however, that things can go wrong and there may be occasions when you feel your expectations are not met. We hope that if this is the case you will give the surgery a chance to put it right. Most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned.
If your concerns cannot be resolved in this way, and you wish to make a formal complaint, we would like you to let us know in writing within 6 months. An acknowledgement email or letter will be sent once your formal complaint has been received. This will detail the name of the person handling your complaint about the standards of service received from Island VetCare. However if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about, please direct your comments in the first instance to the directors of Island Vetcare.
General
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by one of the Partners. No agent or person employed by or under contract with the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.
Privacy and GDPR
Island Vetcare Ltd. are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. For more information please see our detailed PRIVACY POLICY and GDPR information.
