Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your animal to Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates and Milbourn Equine. This letter details our Practice Terms and Conditions. Some aspects of the Terms and Conditions may not be relevant to you. Please ask for further explanation/clarification if required..
All fees, diets and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by expertise, time spent on a case, procedures, drugs, materials, consumables, diets etc. Our written fee list is available on request. We provide a detailed invoice for every transaction that is made.
Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your animal or upon collection of any diets or other items.
For your convenience we accept:
• CASH
• CHEQUE with current Banker card
• CREDIT/DEBIT CARD – Switch, Solo, MasterCard, Visa, Delta
We can 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 an animal's illness will not follow a conventional course.
Payment is due at time of consultation and if further reminders have to be sent, further charges will be incurred. Overdue accounts will be transferred to our Debts Collection Agency after due notice to you, and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt. We also reserve the right to charge surcharge interest at 3% per month for non-payment.
Failure to pay may result in Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates/Milbourn Equine only providing first aid and pain relief under these circumstances. A letter giving 7 days notice to find another Veterinary Surgeon to take care of the animal may also be sent.
If, for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, please discuss the matter as soon as possible with a member of staff, so that we can try and help. Please note that instalments or part-payments of any account may only be sanctioned with the express permission of the partners or group practice manager of Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates/Milbourn Equine.
Case records including radiographs and similar documents are the property of practice, and will normally be retained by the practice for a minimum period of 7 years. Copies with a summary of history will be passed on request to any veterinary surgeon taking over the case. Where any significant expense is involved in providing such copies, as there might be, for example, with the provision of radiographs, a charge will be made.
Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates/Milbourn Equine strongly advises insuring your animal against illness, accidents and taking out third party cover. Please ask for details about insurance from any member of staff. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle our account and then reclaim the fees from your Insurance Company.
Direct claims can only be made following pre-authorisation in advance from the company via the practice. Please ask our reception staff for assistance as Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates/Milbourn Equine has to be involved in this matter.
The practice operates an out-of-hours service for emergencies. This can be accessed by telephoning any branch and a telephone number will be given for the on-duty veterinarian. Out-of-hours consultations will be arranged by the duty veterinarian as necessary.
Please note that this service is for emergency care only. Clients should be aware that we consider it in the best interests of the injured animal to be seen at the practice or out-of-hours centre rather than at home so that we may provide effective and rapid treatment as necessary. Routine cases or questions should be addressed during normal hours.
As all requests for Prescription Medicines must be authorised by a veterinary surgeon, we request that wherever possible you contact the surgery at least 24 hours prior to collecting a repeat prescription. This will enable us to check, authorise and pack your prescriptions ready for collection.
Please remember that in order to comply with our legal requirements, it is necessary for us to re-examine your pet from time to time before issuing further medication. The time interval between these examinations will vary to some extent, depending on the nature of the condition being treated and the medication prescribed. We apologise for any inconvenience this might cause, but the monitoring of any ongoing illness is essential for your pet's best health.
These are available on request at a charge of £9.07 including VAT.
We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates or Milbourn Equine. However, if you feel that you have a problem, please direct your comments in the first instance to Rita Dingwall (Group Practice Manager), Cinque Ports Veterinary Associates, Springfield Surgery, Cranbrook Road, Hawkhurst, Kent TN18 5EE. A response to this will be sent within 14 days of receipt.
No Addition or variation of these conditions may be made unless agreed in writing and signed by one of the practice partners.
We look forward to meeting you and your animals and if we can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
1st February 2011
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