Terms of Business

Our commitment to you

* We aim to provide your animal with the highest standard of treatment and care

We are open 6 days a week with out of hours arrangements from VETS NOW Emergency Service based at our Tunbridge Wells Branch

Staff & Practice Policy

* We aim to provide an effective means of communication regarding your animal’s care

* We will endeavour to arrange appointments a convenient times to you

* We will endeavour to treat you with courtesy and respect at all times

* We will not tolerate any threatening or aggressive behaviour

* We may for marketing purposes request permission to take a picture of your pet and share your story on social media

* We may contact you by telephone, post, text or email to discuss your pet, send reminders for vaccination, treatment or appointments & invoices. We may also contact you with newsletters and relevant marketing information in line with our privacy policy which is published on www.culverden.co.uk

Your commitment to us

* We believe it is in your pet’s best interest to follow our advice in keeping your pet healthy

* We ask you to take our advice on preventative healthcare such as vaccinations, routine flea & worm control & diet. We will commit to making it easier for owners to follow our advice offering membership of our Culverden Health Plan

* To increase safety and minimise stress, we request that all dogs are controlled on a short lead and cats and other small pets are presented in a properly secured carrier. Wherever possible, dog & cats will be allocated separate areas in the waiting room.

* Please make us aware if your pet is nervous or aggressive to other pets or humans

* Please be courteous and respectful to our staff, other clients and their pets

Treatment & Procedures

* The paramount consideration of the veterinary surgeon will be to the patient. We will consider the pet’s welfare above all else

* Diagnosis and treatment will be discussed with you and a course of action agreed. It is important to us that you are happy with this action.

* You have the right to refuse treatment of your pet, unless it leads to a breach of the Animal Rights Act 2006, which states we must prevent suffering and alleviate pain adequately in an animal under our care. Any refusal of treatment will be noted in our records.

* The practice reserves the right to refuse treatment of an animal if to do so would be detrimental to the patient, it would be considered unethical or in breach or RCVS recommendations, or a breakdown of trust has been considered to have taken place between you and the practice

* The practice reserves the right to limit treatment to first aid and immediate pain relief only if the patient cannot be safely restrained and therefore presents a danger to our staff, the terms of payment have been breached, or we have reason to believe the patient is receiving treatment by another veterinary surgeon and we have not received a current clinical history

* All the vets and Registered Veterinary Nurses in our practice are covered by a suitable indemnity policy

Fees & Payment

* All fees, diet and medication charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the medication, materials, consumables and diets used. A detailed invoice can be provided for every consultation, procedure or transaction

* You are responsible for full settlement of your account, including the initial consultation fee (even if your pet was brought to us on your behalf by a third party). If requested, we will provide an estimate for your animal’s treatment

* Payment is expected at the time of treatment whether your animal is insured or not. If your pet is insured it is your responsibility to settle your account with us and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company. We will do our best to process insurance claims as soon as possible to minimise any inconvenience to you

* Your account may be settled using cash, credit/debit card (Switch, Solo, Delta, Mastercard or Visa) or ApplePay

* If you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being unable to pay your account please discuss this matter as soon as possible with the Finance Manager on 01892 520296

* If your account is for any reason not settled as specified we will send reminders to do so by post, text, email or telephone. We reserve the right to add additional administrative costs if the situation should continue and also refer you the MCOL Court Service or an external debt collection agency if satisfactory repayment arrangements have not been made with us

Medication & Prescriptions

* Please give us 24 hours’ notice for the veterinary surgeon to authorise repeat prescriptions

* Your pet must be examined by one of our veterinary surgeons at least every 6 months, and sometimes more frequently, for us to be able to prescribe medication on an ongoing basis

* We can supply Prescription Only Medicines – Category V (POM-Vs) or you can ask for a written prescription to obtain these medicines from another source. A written prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary. There is a fee to provide a written prescription

* Food & medicines that have left the premises are no longer fit for resale, therefore, unfortunately we are unable to provide a refund

* We are happy to dispose of unused medication we have dispensed on your behalf

Feedback & Complaints

* We at Culverden Vets are fully committed to providing your pet with exceptional care and an excellent service. We always appreciate any feedback where we can improve on either of these. Please do not hesitate to speak to a member of staff.

* Should you wish to raise a formal complaint for any reason please write to Mr D Mitchell or Mr T Doyle at Culverden Vets, 11 Culverden Park Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent. TN4 9RD. Upon receipt we will acknowledge your letter within 7 working days

Client agreement

By having your pet treated at Culverden Vets you agree to the Terms of Business & Privacy Policy

You give permission for Culverden Vets to communicate with you by post, telephone, text or email.

You give permission for Culverden Vets to share information regarding your account, including a clinical and financial history from other veterinary practices, and to share information in accordance with our Privacy Policy which is available to view at www.culverden.co.uk

Updated 18th May 2018