The details of doing business with Downwood Veterinary Centre.
Thank you for choosing Downwood Veterinary Centre Ltd to care and attend to your pet. The welfare of your pet is of great importance and our prime concern. All of our practice policies and operating procedures have been developed to give your pet the utmost level of care and also comply with the Codes of Practice as set out by The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, The Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Health and Safety Executive, Environmental Health, the Financial Services Authority and the Data Protection Act. If you require further explanation or clarification on any of the following, please refer to the Practice Manager.
Unfortunately there is no NHS for pets, so all veterinary practices provide private health care. As a practice, we aim to charge fairly, consistently and openly.
All fees, diets and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate of 20%. Fee levels are set by the time each case requires and by the drugs, materials, consumables and diets used. A list of routine fees can be found at reception and on our website.
You will receive a fully detailed invoice for every surgical procedure, consultation and transaction. We will happily give you an estimate of the probable cost of treatment, but please bear in mind that any estimate can only be approximate. Illness or injury may not follow the conventional course.
Accounts are to be settled at the end of each consultation, when you collect your pet after surgery or hospitalisation, and upon collection of diets, shop items and prescriptions.
You may pay by any of the following methods:
Please note, we do not take cheque payments.
Any account not settled within 30 days will result in reminders being sent. Balances outstanding for more than 60 days may incur a charge for administration costs. With due notice, unpaid accounts may be referred to an external Debt Collection Agency. Further charges will be applied in respect of costs incurred in the collection of the debt, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls and production of reports.
Any credit or debit card transaction that is not honoured will result in the original account being restored and charges added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs.
Downwood Veterinary Centre Ltd reserves the right to refuse treatment beyond First Aid to animals belonging to clients with outstanding accounts. Clients may be refused all treatment after appropriate notice has been given.
If for any reason you are unable to settle your account as specified above, please speak to a member of staff as soon as possible. Any part payments can only be sanctioned with express permission of the Director or Practice Manager and will be subject to a written agreement.
We strongly recommend that you consider insurance to cover your pet against unexpected illness or injury. It gives you peace of mind about the cost of treatment. Please be aware that you will need to settle your account with the practice first, then reclaim the amount back from your insurance company.
By prior agreement with the Director or Practice Manager, we can arrange for your insurance company to pay us directly. This is on the production of the Insurance policy, payment of excess and the percentage of the claim (if applicable). Any unpaid fees from the Insurance Company are completely the owner or policy holder’s responsibility. See our Insurance page for more.
All case notes, diagnostic test results and interpretations are the property of and shall be retained by Downwood Veterinary Centre Ltd. Copies of your pet’s clinical notes will be passed, on request, to another veterinary surgeon.
Even though we make a charge for taking X-rays or ultrasound scans (carrying out the procedure and interpreting their results), ownership of the resulting record remains with the practice.
In order to comply with our obligations under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR 2016, we are registered with the ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) and follow strict procedures in the storage and disclosure of personal information that you have given us. This is to prevent misuse, unauthorised access, alteration to details, or loss of information under our control. See our full Privacy Policy, or ask a member of staff for a copy.
We hope that you will be satisfied with our care. Should you request a second opinion, we can offer you one of our other Veterinary Surgeons at Downwood, or you may wish to try a different practice. Please request that your chosen practice contact us and we will arrange for all your pet’s clinical notes to be forwarded.
Should your pet need specialist treatment or surgery, we will make the necessary arrangements after discussion with you. With your permission, we will ensure that all relevant history, laboratory results and diagnostic imaging are transferred to the referral clinic for continuation of care. There may be a charge to cover the administrative costs involved in the referral. See our Referrals page.
Any complaints should be addressed in writing to the Director, Mrs J Bellis, or the Practice Manager, Mrs M Brett. Please see our full Complaints Procedure. Complaints should be emailed to accounts@downwoodvets.co.uk.
