Terms and Conditions of Business
Introduction
Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your Animal to Pawsitive Vet Care Limited. This 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 required.
In these terms and conditions:
- “We”, “us”, or “our” means Pawsitive Vet Care Limited (company number 13253788) whose registered office is at Unit 142 Hartlebury Trading Estate, Hartlebury, Kidderminster DY10 4JB;
- “You” or “your” means the person seeking veterinary services for an Animal or wishes to buy products from us; and
- “Animal” means the animal in respect of which we are providing veterinary services.
Where you book an appointment with us online or visit our practice, we will require you to confirm your agreement with these terms. Once you have agreed to the terms, they will form the contract between us (the “contract”) and it will apply to all future goods and services you purchase from us.
We may update these terms from time to time in which case we will notify you before we do.
You may contact us at the practice or by email to admin@pawsitivevetcare.co.uk or by writing to us at Unit 142 Hartlebury Trading Estate, Hartlebury, Kidderminster DY10 4JB.
This contract binds you in respect of all goods and services delivered by us to you including veterinary services for your Animal. If you purchase goods and/or services from us, you agree to be legally bound by this contract. This contract contains our general terms. There may be other terms applicable to competitions, prizes, our subscription plans, and any other services we offer. Where this is the case, the specific terms will also apply.
Please be aware that the health and welfare of your Animal is our primary concern and responsibility. Our policies have been developed to care for your Animal whilst complying with the codes of practice determined by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and other relevant authorities.
Registration and Personal Information
It is essential for us to maintain accurate records of our customers and their Animals. In order to do this, we will periodically ask you to confirm the details we hold for you. Up-to-date contact details are particularly important. If your details change at any point, please inform us promptly so we may ensure our database is as up to date as possible.
To be able to have your animal fully under our care and provide suitable treatments we require all clinical notes from previous veterinary practices. If your Animal is under treatment with any other veterinary professionals, please inform us so that important clinical information can be shared.
We may contact you either by letter, phone, text or electronic means in order to advise you of outstanding accounts, reminders of your Animal’s preventative health care treatments and any marketing offers that might be of benefit to you or your Animal. Please tell reception if you wish no contact to be made or make your selection clear when you are asked online. However please be aware that this will remove the ability for us to send vaccination reminders.
Your privacy and personal information are important to us. Any personal information that you provide to us will be dealt with in line with our Privacy Notice, which explains what personal information we collect from you, how and why we collect, store, use and share such information, your rights in relation to your personal information and how to contact us and supervisory authorities if you have a query or complaint about the use of your personal information. This can be viewed at https://pawsitivevetcare.co.uk/privacy.
Please note that both inbound and outbound phone calls may be recorded and used for training or monitoring purposes.
Please do keep us updated if the registered owner of your Animal changes so that we can keep our records up to date. If you have not updated us prior to charges being incurred under these terms, we may approach the registered owner on our system for payment.
Services
All veterinary services provided by us are supplied by suitably qualified staff, taking into account the nature of the services to be supplied in each instance. We will always carry out the services with reasonable care and skill. We will carry out the veterinary services by the time or within the period which you and we agree. If you and we have agreed no time or period, this will be within a reasonable time.
Our carrying out of any veterinary services under this contract might be affected by events beyond our reasonable control. If so, there might be a delay before we can provide the services or we may have to cancel providing services completely until we notify you otherwise, but we will try to provide the services as soon as those events have passed or been fixed. Examples of events which might be beyond our reasonable control include where additional services are required above those agreed from the outset.
Appointments and Consultations
You and your Animal(s) are attended to by veterinary surgeons and nurses during consulting hours by appointment. Appointments are available in the morning, afternoon, and early evening at times which vary according to the day of the week. Please see our opening hours for further details. A treatment plan for the supply of veterinary services will normally be agreed with you following an initial consultation and in advance of any further treatment. We may not be able to prepare a treatment plan in some circumstances e.g., in an emergency.
In an emergency, we reserve the right to provide veterinary services as are reasonably necessary, in our professional judgement, without your agreement of a treatment plan.
Out of Hours
We will offer Animal care 24/7 either ourselves or through our third-party partner. Where we are able to offer an out of hours or other emergency care ourselves, a higher fee than usual may apply. This is particularly the case when urgent cases are seen out of hours. Higher fees may also be applied on weekend emergency appointments.
Where we do not offer out of hours or emergency care ourselves, we will refer you to a third-party provider to provide these services. Higher fees may apply than if we carried out the services ourselves.
Overnight Stays
Where your Animal requires an overnight stay, we will discuss this with you in advance. We understand that different levels of care are needed in differing circumstances and we will discuss with you where your Animal will stay, the cost, monitoring requirements, pain relief and other medical requirements as well as emotional requirements of your Animal. Please ask for a copy of our policy on overnight care for further details.
As with the out of hours care, overnight stays may lead to higher costs. Where we are not able to provide this service ourselves, we will always ensure that our third-party provider is able to offer this service for your Animal.
House Visits
Whilst we offer home visits, we do not guarantee their availability. We reserve the right to refuse a home visit due to distance, scheduling or staffing constraints, personal safety and/or clinical best practice. House visits will incur an additional fee.
Fees and Payment
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 and diets used. You will receive a detailed fee note for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction with us. We aim to provide fixed fee procedures where possible.
We will provide, on request, a written estimate as to the probable costs of a course of treatment. Where an estimate is provided, this will be based on our best calculation, from our experience, of how much the course of treatment will cost. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only be approximate and is not binding – often an Animal’s illness will not follow a conventional course and there is a certain amount of unpredictability. We will try to contact you on the contact numbers you have given us if we believe the treatment costs are going to exceed the estimated costs however if you are not contactable, we will treat your Animal as is necessary for the prevention of pain or suffering.
We reserve the right to charge fees for missed appointments where these have been pre-booked including for operations and consultations.
You acknowledge and agree that if you are the registered owner of the Animal according to our records, you are liable for any fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your Animal even if your Animal is brought to us on your behalf by a relative, friend, or agent or otherwise by a third party. We will endeavour to obtain written confirmation from the relative, friend, or agent who has brought your Animal to us that they have your consent in respect of the treatment to be provided to your Animal. However, you acknowledge that this may not always be possible. Regardless of this, you agree to be liable in respect of any such fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your Animal.
Payment Methods
Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your Animal or upon collection of drugs/diets.
You may settle the account using:
- CREDIT/DEBIT CARD – Switch, Solo, MasterCard, Visa, Delta
- BACS – If you wish to pay by BACS please see our Bank Details on your Statement
- Cash and cheques will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances
Late payment
All accounts should be settled at the time of treatment.
Stated fees have been discounted by 10% assuming immediate payment. A statement will be sent at the end of the month if payment is not received. 5% will be reinstated the following month. If payment is still not received, 5% will be reinstated the following month.
After due notice, 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 production of reports, correspondence, court fees etc. Any cheque returned by our Bank as unpaid, and Credit Card payment not honoured and any Cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in your 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.
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 the Director, Dr Helen Perryman-Smith MRCVS
Pet Insurance
Pawsitive Vet Care Limited strongly supports the principle of insuring your Animal against unexpected illness or accidents. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle our account and then reclaim the fees from your Insurance Company. We reserve the right to charge an administration fee for completion of insurance paperwork. Arrangement for direct claims may be made after discussion with the Practice.
Where we are dealing directly with your insurer, please be aware that it remains your responsibility to settle your account within thirty (30) days, if we have not received payment from your insurance company. Any anticipated shortfall in the cost of treatment that is not covered by your insurance company will be payable by you to us at the time of making the first direct claim. Any additional shortfall that is owing after the claim has been settled will also be payable by you to us at that time. It is important to appreciate that if, having carried out careful checks with you and your insurers, we decide that we are prepared to undertake a direct claim for the treatment of your Animal, this is not a guarantee that your insurers will settle your claim, and if they fail to do so, this will result in a shortfall for which you will be liable to pay us in full.
Ownership of Records
Case records including radiographs and similar documents are the property of, and will be retained by, Pawsitive Vet Care Limited. A summary of the history will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case.
Even though we make a charge for carrying out investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record, for example a radiograph or laboratory result, remains with the practice.
Prescription Information
In accordance with regulations, the following information must be provided to all clients in writing and this document serves to comply with such regulations. Please note that a prescription may be obtained on request from this surgery, a fee will be charged. However, the veterinary surgeon responsible for issuing the prescription may not issue the prescription unless your Animal has been examined by a vet at Pawsitive Vet Care Limited and is under the care of a vet at Pawsitive Vet Care Limited.
The maximum period allowed since the last examination of your Animal will vary according to the medication being dispensed and the condition for which the medication is required, at the discretion of the vet issuing the prescription. The maximum period allowed will never be more than 6 months and may be significantly less. Only a vet may issue a prescription and if the vet is not present at the surgery when you request a prescription the nurse or receptionist may not issue the prescription, you will have to wait until a vet is on duty to attend to your request. In order to avoid such disappointment, please contact the surgery to request a repeat prescription (at least 24 hours before you come to collect it), so that it is available when you arrive to collect it. You may request to be informed of the price of any medication and the maximum period allowed before the next examination and the cost of such an examination (in order to issue a further prescription) for any medication we prescribe or intend to prescribe for your Animal, and this information is freely provided.
We are required to list 10 commonly used products by name and price for your information. The list is displayed on our website and on display screens in the waiting room and will be updated periodically when appropriate.
Any prescription medication dispensed by the practice may be returned for safe disposal but no refunds will be given.
Complaints and Standards
We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Pawsitive Vet Care Limited. However, if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about, please direct your comments in the first instance to the Director, Dr Helen Perryman-Smith MRCVS.
If you remain unhappy with the outcome, the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) offers a free of charge service that may be able to help. You can find more information at https://www.vetmediation.co.uk/clients. VCMS can help you if your concern relates to the service you have received from your veterinary practice, the fees you have been charged or if there may have been professional negligence. Negligence in this context is defined as the failure of clinical staff to act in the way expected of similarly qualified professionals in those circumstances. You can learn more about negligence at https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/reference-information/a-note-on-negligence/. You can contact VCMS at – Tel: 0345 040 5834, Email: enquiries@vetmediation.co.uk
When would the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) get involved?
The RCVS can only deal with the most serious concerns that relate to a vet or vet nurse’s professional conduct. This includes very poor professional performance which falls far short of the standards set out in the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct. These serious shortfalls can affect a vet / vet nurse’s ability to practise. If you think your concern is for the RCVS you can contact them on 02072020789 or fill in their short enquiry form at https://animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/.
General
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by 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.
If any provision of this contract (or part of any provision) is or becomes illegal, invalid or unenforceable, the legality, validity, and enforceability of the other provisions of this contract between us and you will not be affected.
If you want to take court proceedings, the courts of England shall have exclusive jurisdiction, except where you live in another part of the United Kingdom and in such instances, you may make a claim in the courts of the country in which you reside.
The laws of England and Wales will apply to this contract.
Last updated 15/10/24