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Terms

Fees

The charges for all fees, diets, drugs and sundry goods are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and the use of equipment, drugs, materials, consumables and diets.

Methods of Payment

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, on the discharge of your pet or upon collection of medications/diets.You may settle your account using cash, electronic bank transfer or Credit/Debit card. Itemised receipts will be provided on payment by the client.

Estimates of 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.Often a pet’s condition and treatment may not be entirely predictable but we will endeavor to keep you informed of any changes to the estimated costs. We will providethe details of the price of any medicine on request.

Deposit policy

If your pet is staying with us for hospitalisation, surgery or further investigations, you will be asked to pay a deposit of 50% of the upper end of the estimate that the clinician gave you. Please note that our estimates are anticipated costs for treatment, not exact quotes.

Settlement of Accounts

Should an account not be settled within 7 days, a reminder will be sent. After due notice to you, the client, overdue accounts will be subject to our debt collection procedure and further charges may be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt: such as court fees, correspondence, court attendance, phone calls, etc. Any cheque returned by our bank as unpaid, any card payment not honoured, and cash tendered found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being returned to the original sum with further charges added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs.

Pet Insurance

Eastcott Referrals is an advocate of pet insurance and the peace of mind that this provides in the event of illness or accident. It is your responsibility to settle your account and then reclaim fees from your insurance company. However, in many cases, with prior consent, it is possible for us to accept direct claims from many insurance companies under the specific terms of our Standard Operating Procedure for direct claims (available on request). We reserve the right not to perform a direct claim with certain insurers or if insufficient evidence of cover has been provided. A fee will be charged to administer a claim to reclaim the costs of goods or services provided by another company(such as hydrotherapy or prescriptions).

Written 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 or conditions for which they were not licensed. In the case of small mammals a consent form will be provided to allow this to be done without asking for specific permission in each and every separate instance where medications have a proven activity and efficiency despite this lack of license.

Prescriptions

You may request written prescriptions for your pet’s medication and these will be issued subject to a fee. However, you will be responsible for sourcing such medication 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. Where it is essential to begin treatment immediately then prescriptions will not be offered. This is most likely to be in the case of injectable medication where a delay would be unacceptable.

Complaints Procedure

Eastcott Referrals aims to provide the highest standard of care for you and your animal companions and we hope that you never have cause to complain. However if you feel that there is something to complain about please direct your comments in writing to the Practice Manager in the first instance.

Clinical Records

Your pet’s clinical records, including all images and laboratory test reports remain the property of Eastcott Referrals and will be kept under the terms of the Data Protection Act (1998). You are entitled to see the records on request and if necessary an appropriate appointment to view them will be made. Your pet’s records will be sent to another veterinary surgeon on request from them.

Medical Images

The treatment of your pet may involve producing medical images, for example taking radiographs or performing MRI, CT or ultrasound scans. Whilst we make a charge for carrying out these examinations and interpreting their results,ownership of the resulting record (for example a radiograph) remains with the practice.

Patient Photographs

Photographs of your pet may on occasion be used for educational or marketing purposes, please let us know if you would prefer this not to happen.

Return of Unused Medications

We are happy to accept unused medication back into the practice for disposal only. However, as drugs that 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.

Repeat Examinations

It is necessary both for the welfare of your pet and to meet legal obligations, for this practice to reexamine animals receiving long-term medication. The interval will vary with the condition and the medication but will be no longer than every 6 months. The prevailing examination fee will be charged for that consultation.

No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by a director. No agent of or person employed by, or under contract with, the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.

Please contact us for further details.