Terms & Conditions

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Godiva Veterinary Clinic Ltd

Welcome to our practice.

At Godiva Veterinary Clinic we aim to provide the highest standard of care to you and your pet.

Please feel free to telephone any time with any queries or comments that you may have.

Opening hours

Godiva Veterinary Clinic is open 8.00am–7:00pm Monday to Friday and 8.30am–12noon on Saturday.

Reception telephone number: 02476 503000

Fees

All fees generated are subject to VAT. Fees are determined by the time spent on a patient's case and according to the drugs, materials and consumables used. You will receive, on request, a detailed invoice for every transaction with us. No drugs or food will be dispensed without payment.

Estimates

We are happy to provide a written estimate on request for any treatment required. Please note that any estimate given can only be approximate, due to the unpredictable nature of clinical work. There may be occasions when the diagnosis or necessary treatment of an illness may only be reached or fully assessed by further investigation. Where possible we will keep clients updated if costs are likely to exceed the original estimate, although in a clinical emergency this may not always be possible.

Payment Terms

Our policy is payment at the time of consultation, on the discharge of your pet after a procedure or on collection of drugs or diets. Cash, cheques, debit and credit cards are all acceptable.

We do not routinely offer settlement terms and if an account has not been paid within 30 days, a maximum of three reminders will be sent, providing due notice of further action. Any charges remaining unpaid after 60 days may result in being referred to a debt recovery service.

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 the accounts department.

Written prescriptions

Written prescriptions are available from this practice. A charge will be made for supplying this prescription.

You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines, Category V, (POM-Vs) from your veterinary surgeon or ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or a pharmacy. Your veterinary surgeon may prescribe POM-Vs only for animals under their care. A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary. You will be informed, on request, of the price of any medicine that may be dispensed for your animal. The general policy of this practice is to re-assess an animal requiring repeat prescriptions every 3 months, but this may vary with individual circumstances. Further information on the prices of medicines is available on request.

Repeat Prescriptions

Repeat prescriptions may be allowed with the authorisation from the veterinary surgeon. Animals requiring repeat prescriptions will need to be re-assessed periodically by the veterinary surgeon dealing with the case. The re-examination interval will vary between clinical cases. Please telephone reception 48 hours before to request a repeat prescription. Please note that we cannot accept the return of any prescription drugs.

Pet Insurance

Godiva Veterinary Clinic strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet against illness or accidents. Please ask for details about insurance from any member of staff.

Indirect Claim — Payment is made from your Insurance Company to you, the client. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle our account and then reclaim fees from your insurance company. It is important that you contact your insurance company and give permission for us to contact them if necessary to discuss your claim.

Direct Claims — Payment is made from your Insurance Company directly to us, Godiva Veterinary Clinic. We will occasionally make a direct claim on your behalf if this arrangement has been pre-arranged with a member of staff and you will need to supply a signed claim form. It is important that you contact your insurance company and give permission for us to contact them if necessary to discuss your claim. Please be aware that it remains your responsibility to settle your account within 60 days, if we have not received payment from your insurance company. You will be expected to pay your insurance excess to us. (See your own policy for further details.)

Due to the significant amount of administration time and delays in our receipt of payment, there is a charge for this service.

Data protection

The Data Protection Acts 1998 and 1999 and GDPR places an obligation on organisations that use personal information and gives individuals certain rights. Personal information will be fairly and lawfully processed, accurate, and up to date and not kept for longer than necessary. Please see our Privacy notice as to how we collect and process your personal data as a registered client.

It is important to us that the information we hold about you is accurate and up to date. Please let us know if at any time your personal information changes by emailing reception@godivavets.co.uk.

Ownership of records

Clinical records and diagnostic images are the property of, and will be retained by, Godiva Veterinary Clinic. Copies with relevant clinical history will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case.

Complaints and concerns

We aim to provide an outstanding service to you and your pets. We will always endeavour to resolve any issues as quickly and efficiently as possible. If you have any concerns, in the first instance, please inform a member of our team. Alternatively, if you would prefer, please telephone, email or write to our practice manager Michelle Cosgrove. (Tel: 02476 503000, reception@godivavets.co.uk)

We welcome any suggestions or feedback that you may have.

Emergency Out-Of-Hours Veterinary Care

Outside of these hours, we use Vets Now emergency services and Willows Referrals.

Vets Now Tel: 024 76595354 Willows Referrals Tel: 012 17127070