Terms and Conditions of Business
The Cat Vet Ltd trading as “The Cat Vet Home Visiting Clinic”
Thank you for entrusting me with the care of your cat(s). Not all of the Terms & Conditions may be relevant to you. If any clarification is required please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Fees
All fees, foods, medications and merchandise are subject to VAT at the current rate.
Fee levels are determined by the time and skill level required on each individual case and are also based on the materials/consumables, medicines and foods used. A contribution to the general business overheads and travel expenses is also included.
On request, a detailed/itemized breakdown of each consultation is available.
You are liable for any fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your cat, even if my services are requested on your behalf (eg by a friend, relative or agent).
Methods of Payment
Accounts are due for settlement at the time of the consultation/home visit and for medications/foods at the time of order. I am currently able to accept debit and credit card payments, banks transfers and cheque payments. For personal security reasons I am afraid I am unable to accept cash payments.
As I am a small, family run business I am unable to offer a credit facility (which includes installments and part payments). Please do not take personal offence when requests are declined as this policy applies to all my clients. It simply isn’t feasible to provide a high standard of service without a consistent income – although my partner and dog probably wouldn’t mind, my feline family certainly wouldn’t appreciate me serving up baked beans for every meal!
Owners with insured cats, please be aware that it remains your responsibility to settle any of my veterinary fees in full and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company.
Estimates of Treatment Costs
I am more than happy to provide a written estimate as to the anticipated costs of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that estimates are just that and will only be an approximate idea of costs. The nature of feline illness means that it does not always follow a predictable course. I will always endeavour to contact you on the numbers you have provided if it becomes apparent that the treatment costs are going to exceed the estimated costs. In the event that you are not contactable, I will treat your pet as I deem necessary to prevent any pain or suffering.
Settlement Terms
If an account is not settled within 14 days, then a polite reminder will be sent via email, post or text message. Should it become necessary to send further reminders, then an additional accounting fee will be charged to cover administrative costs for each subsequent reminder. These charges may be deducted if payment is made promptly.
I hope it will never reach the stage where I need to refer a client to a debt collection agency, but in the event of due notice being given for any overdue costs, unpaid accounts will be referred to such an agency. Further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting debt (eg production of reports, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls, visits etc).
Inability to Pay
If for any reason you are unable to settle your account as specified then I request that you discuss this matter with me as soon as possible.
Responsible Cat Ownership and Health Insurance
I am an advocate of responsible cat ownership and to me this includes providing your cat with regular 6 monthly veterinary examinations, annual vaccinations, worming/flea control and a means of permanently identifying your cat (eg microchipping). Please ask for advice on how to best achieve this.
I strongly support the choosing an adequate insurance policy to protect your cat and your wallet against unexpected illness or accidents. Choosing a policy is fraught with risk and I urge you to contact me for details about how to choose a dependable insurance policy for your cat.
Please be aware that it remains your responsibility to settle any of my veterinary fees in full and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company.
Complaints and Standards
As a Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS), I am committed to providing an exceptional level of service and care for you and your cat(s).
I realize that as a human being, even with all the best care and will in the world, things may still go wrong. In the unlikely event that you feel your expectations have not been met, I hope that you will give me an opportunity to put things right and welcome constructive feedback.
Ownership of Records
Medical records, laboratory reports and x-rays are the property of and will be retained by The Cat Vet Ltd at all times. Summaries/copies of your cat’s medical history can be forwarded to another veterinary practice on request.
Out of Hours Policy
The Cat Vet Ltd reserves the right to contract out any emergencies and night care. This may involve sharing duties with other vets in the area or utilizing a third party provider to provide the statutory out of hours provision. Please see the section on my website for details of the emergency/night cover.
Prescription Policy
Prescription only medications (POM Vs) are available to cats under my practice’s care. The health and well-being of your cat is my utmost concern so any cat on prescription medication needs to have been examined within the appropriate time frame before medication can be dispensed. This varies with each individual cat and each specific condition treated – more details can be provided in the context of your cat’s condition. A copy of “A Guide to Our Repeat Prescription Policy” is available for download on our website.
As a guide, for dispensing of routine preventative products (eg flea, worming control) your cat should have been examined in the last six months.
I request that at least 4 working days’ notice be given for repeat prescriptions which allows enough time for me to order the item if need be.
Written prescriptions are available on request – in line with other practices, a fee is chargeable to cover the time needed to review the medical notes and formulate the prescription. The current fee for this is £15.00. Please note that written prescriptions are not likely to be appropriate for patients in need of urgent or inpatient care. For further information please see the “Written Prescription Policy”
Available on request is a price list of our ten most commonly prescribed medicines.
Off-label Medications and “The Veterinary Cascade”
With new conditions and treatments evolving all the time in the human medical field we have a vast array of drugs available to treat animals with similar conditions. In fact, many of the treatments for humans were originally tested on animals (rightly or wrongly!). In most instances we rely on such human drugs to treat cats that would otherwise have gone without any treatment at all. Vets take an oath to ensure that any pain or suffering is minimized whilst doing no intentional harm and this definitely applies when prescribing medications. I always weigh up all the potential benefits and risks to my patients before deciding what treatments to use.
Vets have to follow a protocol called “The Cascade” which essentially states that we must always use a product licensed for use in cats in the first instance. In many cases such a product does not exist or is unavailable (usually because as yet no pharmaceutical company has deemed it worthy of testing and producing it). In these situations or where our medical judgement deems it appropriate, we are allowed to carefully select drugs for treating cats that are “off- license” or “off –label”. Although these drugs are not labelled as having a license for use in cats, they are frequently and safely used in cats and are usually licensed for dogs or humans. It is commonplace for animals to be prescribed drugs that are “off license” in veterinary practice particularly feline-only practice which is a rapidly evolving field.
To ensure that we are all singing from the same hymn sheet:
· I have compiled a “multi-use consent form” that is enclosed in the new client registration pack. This covers any future use of “off label” treatments as and when they are required.
· I can provide a list of commonly used feline drugs including those that are “off license” on request.
· When your cat starts a new treatment I encourage you to read through the client information leaflets that I have provided to help you to understand the treatment your cat is receiving.
Most medications have a potential side effects ranging from mild to severe, even life threatening in some cases. There are some alarming side effects associated with the common over-the-counter products that we use for our own ailments (eg paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen etc). Similarly, your cat’s medication may have a list of potential side effects. These are not intended to frighten or worry you, but are designed to increase awareness of signs that might be a clue that your cat is one of the few cases that cannot tolerate that particular medication.
General
The Cat Vet Ltd may contact you by letter, phone, text or electronic means in order to advise you of outstanding accounts, reminders of your cat’s preventative care/treatments and any marketing offers that may be of benefit to you and your cat. Please let me know if you wish no contact to be made; however this will remove the ability to be sent vaccination reminders and updates on my unavailabilty during periods of annual leave.
The Cat Vet Home Visiting Clinic is a trading name of The Cat Vet Ltd.
October 2017
Thank you for entrusting me with the care of your cat(s). Not all of the Terms & Conditions may be relevant to you. If any clarification is required please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Fees
All fees, foods, medications and merchandise are subject to VAT at the current rate.
Fee levels are determined by the time and skill level required on each individual case and are also based on the materials/consumables, medicines and foods used. A contribution to the general business overheads and travel expenses is also included.
On request, a detailed/itemized breakdown of each consultation is available.
You are liable for any fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your cat, even if my services are requested on your behalf (eg by a friend, relative or agent).
Methods of Payment
Accounts are due for settlement at the time of the consultation/home visit and for medications/foods at the time of order. I am currently able to accept debit and credit card payments, banks transfers and cheque payments. For personal security reasons I am afraid I am unable to accept cash payments.
As I am a small, family run business I am unable to offer a credit facility (which includes installments and part payments). Please do not take personal offence when requests are declined as this policy applies to all my clients. It simply isn’t feasible to provide a high standard of service without a consistent income – although my partner and dog probably wouldn’t mind, my feline family certainly wouldn’t appreciate me serving up baked beans for every meal!
Owners with insured cats, please be aware that it remains your responsibility to settle any of my veterinary fees in full and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company.
Estimates of Treatment Costs
I am more than happy to provide a written estimate as to the anticipated costs of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that estimates are just that and will only be an approximate idea of costs. The nature of feline illness means that it does not always follow a predictable course. I will always endeavour to contact you on the numbers you have provided if it becomes apparent that the treatment costs are going to exceed the estimated costs. In the event that you are not contactable, I will treat your pet as I deem necessary to prevent any pain or suffering.
Settlement Terms
If an account is not settled within 14 days, then a polite reminder will be sent via email, post or text message. Should it become necessary to send further reminders, then an additional accounting fee will be charged to cover administrative costs for each subsequent reminder. These charges may be deducted if payment is made promptly.
I hope it will never reach the stage where I need to refer a client to a debt collection agency, but in the event of due notice being given for any overdue costs, unpaid accounts will be referred to such an agency. Further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting debt (eg production of reports, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls, visits etc).
Inability to Pay
If for any reason you are unable to settle your account as specified then I request that you discuss this matter with me as soon as possible.
Responsible Cat Ownership and Health Insurance
I am an advocate of responsible cat ownership and to me this includes providing your cat with regular 6 monthly veterinary examinations, annual vaccinations, worming/flea control and a means of permanently identifying your cat (eg microchipping). Please ask for advice on how to best achieve this.
I strongly support the choosing an adequate insurance policy to protect your cat and your wallet against unexpected illness or accidents. Choosing a policy is fraught with risk and I urge you to contact me for details about how to choose a dependable insurance policy for your cat.
Please be aware that it remains your responsibility to settle any of my veterinary fees in full and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company.
Complaints and Standards
As a Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (MRCVS), I am committed to providing an exceptional level of service and care for you and your cat(s).
I realize that as a human being, even with all the best care and will in the world, things may still go wrong. In the unlikely event that you feel your expectations have not been met, I hope that you will give me an opportunity to put things right and welcome constructive feedback.
Ownership of Records
Medical records, laboratory reports and x-rays are the property of and will be retained by The Cat Vet Ltd at all times. Summaries/copies of your cat’s medical history can be forwarded to another veterinary practice on request.
Out of Hours Policy
The Cat Vet Ltd reserves the right to contract out any emergencies and night care. This may involve sharing duties with other vets in the area or utilizing a third party provider to provide the statutory out of hours provision. Please see the section on my website for details of the emergency/night cover.
Prescription Policy
Prescription only medications (POM Vs) are available to cats under my practice’s care. The health and well-being of your cat is my utmost concern so any cat on prescription medication needs to have been examined within the appropriate time frame before medication can be dispensed. This varies with each individual cat and each specific condition treated – more details can be provided in the context of your cat’s condition. A copy of “A Guide to Our Repeat Prescription Policy” is available for download on our website.
As a guide, for dispensing of routine preventative products (eg flea, worming control) your cat should have been examined in the last six months.
I request that at least 4 working days’ notice be given for repeat prescriptions which allows enough time for me to order the item if need be.
Written prescriptions are available on request – in line with other practices, a fee is chargeable to cover the time needed to review the medical notes and formulate the prescription. The current fee for this is £15.00. Please note that written prescriptions are not likely to be appropriate for patients in need of urgent or inpatient care. For further information please see the “Written Prescription Policy”
Available on request is a price list of our ten most commonly prescribed medicines.
Off-label Medications and “The Veterinary Cascade”
With new conditions and treatments evolving all the time in the human medical field we have a vast array of drugs available to treat animals with similar conditions. In fact, many of the treatments for humans were originally tested on animals (rightly or wrongly!). In most instances we rely on such human drugs to treat cats that would otherwise have gone without any treatment at all. Vets take an oath to ensure that any pain or suffering is minimized whilst doing no intentional harm and this definitely applies when prescribing medications. I always weigh up all the potential benefits and risks to my patients before deciding what treatments to use.
Vets have to follow a protocol called “The Cascade” which essentially states that we must always use a product licensed for use in cats in the first instance. In many cases such a product does not exist or is unavailable (usually because as yet no pharmaceutical company has deemed it worthy of testing and producing it). In these situations or where our medical judgement deems it appropriate, we are allowed to carefully select drugs for treating cats that are “off- license” or “off –label”. Although these drugs are not labelled as having a license for use in cats, they are frequently and safely used in cats and are usually licensed for dogs or humans. It is commonplace for animals to be prescribed drugs that are “off license” in veterinary practice particularly feline-only practice which is a rapidly evolving field.
To ensure that we are all singing from the same hymn sheet:
· I have compiled a “multi-use consent form” that is enclosed in the new client registration pack. This covers any future use of “off label” treatments as and when they are required.
· I can provide a list of commonly used feline drugs including those that are “off license” on request.
· When your cat starts a new treatment I encourage you to read through the client information leaflets that I have provided to help you to understand the treatment your cat is receiving.
Most medications have a potential side effects ranging from mild to severe, even life threatening in some cases. There are some alarming side effects associated with the common over-the-counter products that we use for our own ailments (eg paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen etc). Similarly, your cat’s medication may have a list of potential side effects. These are not intended to frighten or worry you, but are designed to increase awareness of signs that might be a clue that your cat is one of the few cases that cannot tolerate that particular medication.
General
The Cat Vet Ltd may contact you by letter, phone, text or electronic means in order to advise you of outstanding accounts, reminders of your cat’s preventative care/treatments and any marketing offers that may be of benefit to you and your cat. Please let me know if you wish no contact to be made; however this will remove the ability to be sent vaccination reminders and updates on my unavailabilty during periods of annual leave.
The Cat Vet Home Visiting Clinic is a trading name of The Cat Vet Ltd.
October 2017
