Thank you

Thank you for entrusting the care of your pet to Northwich Vets Ltd. Some of the terms detailed may not be relevant to you and we request that you ask for further explanation or clarification if required.

Fees

All professional fees, medications and reception sales are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on the case, and in surgical cases, by the complexity of the surgery. Fees will also be applied in respect of drugs, materials, consumables and diets used. We reserve the right to charge for verbal advice, including on the telephone. Our written fee list is available on request. You are entitled to a detailed invoice for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction with us.

Methods of Payment

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet from the surgery, or upon supply of any goods. You may settle the account with cash, credit/debit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Delta, Maestro, Solo, Electron) or cheque with current bankers card up to the guaranteed limit. All products supplied remain the property of Northwich Vets until paid for in full.

Estimates of Costs

A written estimate as to the probable cost of treatment is available upon request. Please remember that any estimate is approximate, for guidance, and that additional costs may be incurred after treatment/investigations reveal additional issues.

Settlement Terms

Any accounts agreed, must be paid within 14 days of the original invoice. Should it be necessary for additional reminders to be sent, further charges will be incurred. These however, will be deducted if payment is made promptly. After due notice to you, unpaid accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency and further charges will be applied in respect of the costs incurred in collecting the debt and associated court expenses etc. Any cheque returned by your bank as unpaid, credit card not honoured or cash tendered and found to be counterfeit, will result on restoration of the original invoice as well as further charges to cover the associated 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 installment or part-payments of any account may ONLY be sanctioned with the express permission of Patrick Murphy, the Veterinary Director.

Pet Health Insurance

Northwich Vets strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illnesses or accidents. Please ask about insurance from any member of staff. Please inform our staff if you intend to claim on an insurance policy, and our staff will explain the claims process and our involvement therein. Please note all excesses to policies must be paid, together with Insurance Administrative Costs, direct to us at the time these fees are incurred.

Ownership of Records, Radiographs and Similar

Case records and similar records are the property of Northwich Vets, and will be retained by us. On request, copies, with a summary of the history, will be passed directly to another veterinary surgeon giving a second opinion. Radiographs and results of all other tests we have performed remain the property of Northwich Vets, even though we have raised an invoice for undertaking and interpreting these procedures. The results will be passed directly to another veterinary surgeon if a second opinion is sought.

Prescriptions

Prescriptions are available for any Prescription Only Medicine (POM-V, POM-VPS or NFA-VPS) required to treat any animal under our care. These medicines may be obtained from us or you may request a written prescription to obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or pharmacist or merchant. An additional fee is charged for a written veterinary prescription. Consultation fees will apply in either case. Please refer to the notice in reception. Prescriptions for POM-V medicines may be repeated at our discretion, to animals under our care, after a clinical assessment of the case. Regular checkups are required, at intervals of no more than every 6 months. POM-V medicines may be dispensed in amounts sufficient for up to 3 months treatment, at our discretion. Variations may apply according to our clinical assessment of the case.

Out of Hours Service

Northwich Vets runs their own out of hours service with one of their vets being on call 24 hours a day. This 24-hour service can be accessed once our clinics are closed by telephoning our usual clinic number. Animals which are hospitalised at Northwich Vets and require continuous monitoring will not be moved to an external service but will be monitored in house by our team.

Complaints and Standards

We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Northwich Vets. However, if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about please direct your comments, in writing, in the first instance to Patrick Murphy. If the problem is not resolved at this stage, you may wish to contact our governing body, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Variation in Terms of Trading

No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the company unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by Patrick Murphy, the Veterinary Director. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with, Northwich Vets has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.