Terms and Conditions of Business
Some aspects of these terms and conditions may not be relevant to you and others may require further explanation or clarification. If so, we request that you discuss these with a senior member of staff. This is not meant to be an exhaustive list and individual cases may merit individual attention and interpretation.
REGISTERING YOUR PET WITH HAWKINGE VETS
We will follow GDPR guidelines at all times and only keep your personal information that is required for us to fulfill our legitimate interest. Please read the privacy notice on our website. We reserve the right, without explanation, to not register you as a client. We also reserve the right to advise you, in writing, without explanation that we no longer can continue to keep your pet(s) registered with us. In the latter instance we will supply the telephone number of your nearest veterinary surgeon and we will email all your pet’s details to them when you so request.
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 drugs, materials, consumables or diets used. On request, you will receive a detailed fee note for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction with us. Food and special order drugs are paid for at time of order.
METHODS OF PAYMENT
Accounts are due for settlement in full at the end of the consultation, before the discharge of your pet or upon collection of drugs. You may settle your account using any of the following methods: - cash, credit or debit card. We accept Solo, MasterCard, Visa, Delta.
SETTLEMENT TERMS
We do not offer terms of credit. Our staff are instructed to always ask for payment in full at the time. 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 account being restored to the original sum with further charges added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs together with interest on the original.
ESTIMATES OF TREATMENT COSTS
We can provide a written estimate as to the probable costs of a course of treatment and will make every effort to be as accurate as possible. Often an illness or surgical procedure will not follow a conventional and predictable course. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can therefore only be approximate and does not represent a contract for final treatment costs.
PET HEALTH INSURANCE
Please ask for details about insurance from any member of staff. In accordance with our settlement terms, it is your responsibility to settle your account in full and then reclaim the fees from your Insurance Company. Insurance companies will not allow Hawkinge Veterinary Surgery to enter into any dispute concerning an insurance company’s terms of business.
PET HEALTH PLAN
Details can be obtained from reception. Please note there are separate terms and conditions relating to the health plan. Hawkinge veterinary surgery reserves the right to alter charges and terms and conditions at any time. Acceptance to the health plan is determined by credit checks carried out by the financial provider. Hawkinge veterinary surgery reserves the right, without explanation to deny enrollment to the health plan.
PRESCRIPTIONS
There is a legal and welfare requirement to give all pets a health check by a veterinary surgeon every three months before a repeat prescription can be given to an animal under our care. If you wish to obtain your prescription from another source, please advise the veterinary surgeon at the time of your consultation. A prescription fee is payable on request for all written prescriptions.
REFUNDS FOR DIETS/DRUGS
Refunds cannot be given for any drugs taken from the premises and not used. This is a legal requirement. Refunds for food not eaten by an animal will not be given under any circumstances. We can supply the telephone help line number for the food manufacturer.
OWNERSHIP OF RECORDS
Case records and similar documents are the property of and will be retained by Hawkinge Veterinary Surgery. Copies with a summary of the history will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon if so requested.
OWNERSHIP OF RADIOGRAPHS AND SIMILAR RECORDS
The care given to your animal may involve making some specific investigations, for example, taking X-Rays or performing blood-sampling tests. Even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record e.g. a radiograph, remains with the practice.
EMERGENCY OUT OF HOURS VETERINARY CARE
Hawkinge Veterinary Surgery operates an appointment system for consultations within the following times: -
Monday to Friday 0900 to 1900 (Opening hours 0800 to 1900)
Saturday 0900 to 1300 (Opening hours 0830 to 1300)
Sunday closed.
A veterinary surgeon is on call and available for emergencies that occur within our opening hours. At all other times we use the services of Vets Now emergency service. When the surgery is closed, our recorded telephone message will state their contact number.
COMPLAINTS AND STANDARDS
We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Hawkinge Veterinary Surgery. However, if you wish to discuss any aspect of the service provided by Hawkinge Veterinary Surgery please request a consultation in the first instance with a senior member of staff (senior nurse or veterinary surgeon).
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind Hawkinge Veterinary Surgery unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by the owner. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with the surgery has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in anyway.