Terms and Conditions

Northwest Referrals Terms and Conditions of Business

We appreciate you choosing Pet Healthcare Centres Ltd to care for your pet. This document provides an overview of our Terms and Conditions. While some sections may not apply to your specific situation, please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need any clarification or further information.

Inpatient and overnight care

Please not we do not have staff on site 24 hours a day. The practice closes at 6pm and our staff are her until 7pm. During the night, we have a vet who checks on patients between 10pm and 12am, and our team returns at 4am to resume care. We also have IP cameras in our overnight kennels, which allow both our staff and the vets to monitor the patients at any time. There is always an overnight vet on call.

If you need to contact us, please call the usual number. Although the phones typically go through to Vets Now, they have our contact details and can reach us directly. We will only contact you during the night if it is absolutely necessary.

The case vet will assess the patient at 9am and call the owner accordingly, to update the patient’s condition. Our phone lines are open at 8:30am if you wish an update earlier by a veterinary nurse.

If the patient needs intensive care, then they will be transferred to our dedicated out of hours facility, Vets Now in Manchester. if you are not happy with our overnight care, then we would be more than happy to transfer your pet to a dedicated out of hours practice of your choice.

Consultations and Veterinary surgery opening times

Our Wigan Hospital is open Monday – Friday from 8:00am – 6:30pm and Saturday 8.30am-1.30pm and closed on Sunday. Consultations are by appointment only (9am-6.30pm) except in the case of an emergency when, if possible, a telephone call to the surgery detailing the emergency could be critical in dealing with it. If a home visit is required please telephone the surgery before as soon as you can.

Call 01942 242001 in an emergency.

Fees

All Fees, diets and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time and skill level required on a case and according to the medicines, materials, consumables and diets used. Our written fee list is available on request. You can request a detailed fee note for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction with us. You are liable for any fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your pet even if your pet is brought in on your behalf by a relative, friend or agent.

Methods of payment

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet or upon collection of your drugs/diets. You may settle your account using

• Cash

• Credit/Debit Card – Maestro, Solo, Mastercard, Visa, Delta but unable to except American Express

Estimates of treatment costs

We will happily 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 a pet’s illness will not follow a conventional course. We will try to contact you on the contact numbers you have given us if we believe the treatment costs are going to exceed the estimate costs however if you are not contactable, we will treat your pet as is necessary for the prevention of pain or suffering.

Settlement of terms

Should an account not be settled at the time of treatment without prior consent from the directors, then a debt agreement will be signed with a payment date on. After the due date has passed you will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt, such as production of reports, correspondence, court fees, attendance at court, phone calls, home visits etc.

Any cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored to the original sum with further changes added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs together with interest on the principal sum.

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 a member of staff. You will be asked to sign a debt agreement and to pay the balance by the agreed date. Please note that instalments or part-payments of any account may only be sanctioned with the express permission of a Director.

Ownership of records

Case records, including radiographs and similar documents are the property of, and will be retained by Pet Healthcare centres Ltd. Copies with the history will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case. For imaging, even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record, for example a radiograph remains with the practice. We also may use these images and details for marketing materials, we will always anomalies these before they are published.

Second opinions and specialist referrals

Should you feel you would like another opinion on your pet’s illness please ask. We are always happy to arrange a second opinion with another vet or vets within the practice or referral to a specialist.

Complaints and standards

Pet Healthcare Centres is committed to providing an exceptional standard of service and care. We realise, however, that things can go wrong and there may be occasions when you feel your expectations are not met. We hope that if this is the case you will give the surgery a chance to put it right. Most problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and with the person concerned.

If your problem cannot be resolved in this way, and you wish to make a formal complaint, we would like you to let us know in writing within 6 months. An acknowledgement letter will be sent once your formal complaint has been received. This will detail the name of the person handling your complaint about the standards of service received from Pet Healthcare Centre. However if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about, please direct your comments in the first instance to one of the directors via email (info@northwestreferrals.co.uk) or via letter to James Weston or Amanda Workman to Northwest Referrals, 19 Caroline st, Wigan, WN3 4EL.

Client data

We will use your data:

When you register, you will be given the option to ‘opt-in’ for the following communications. (You can amend your communication preferences at any time by informing us.)

We will pass on your pet’s medical history, which includes your contact details, if requested by another veterinary surgeon if you change veterinary practice or register elsewhere for a second opinion.

If we become aware that you no longer use our services we can ‘inactivate’ you on our system, so that you no longer receive communications from us. Please be aware that if you do not notify us that you have moved to another practice or your pet has passed away you will still receive reminders from us. We keep your pet’s records for a minimum of 7 years but can anonymise computerised client data/shred paper records after this point.

When you register your pet on an id chip site we give them your name, address and contact details as well as your pets details.

We will pass on your details to a referral veterinary centre or practitioner e.g. behaviourist, physiotherapist if you agree for your pet to be referred. Your surname and pets name is used to identify your pet when we send external laboratory samples. We also send your surname and pets name if you use our Pet Cremation services.

We will pass on your details to our debt collection agency (Trade Debt Recovery) if required, in line with our terms and conditions.

Prescription policy

Prescriptions are available from this practice. You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines, category V, (POM Vs) from your veterinary surgeon or ask permission and obtain these from another veterinary surgeon or pharmacy. Your veterinary surgeon may only prescribe POM Vs for animals under his or her 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, the price of any medicine prescribed for your animal. The general policy of this practice is to re-assess every 6 months any animal that requires repeat prescriptions, but this frequency may increase depending on the individual circumstances. The cost of preparing a written prescription is £19.50

Responsible pet ownership and pet health insurance

Pet Healthcare Centres believes in responsible pet ownership. This includes regular appropriate vaccinations, flea and worm treatment and microchipping. Pet Healthcare Centres strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents. Please ask a member of staff for advice on what to look out for when choosing an insurance policy. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle your account and then reclaim the fees from your insurance company.

Treatment reminders

Our system will send reminders for vaccinations, flea treatments, and worming. However, please be aware that due to GDPR regulations, there may be instances where these reminders are not verified or delivered. It remains the owner's responsibility to keep track of their pet’s due dates for these treatments. Our reminders are provided as a helpful service, but ultimately it is the pet owner's responsibility to ensure treatments are administered on time.

Vet Students and Nurses

Certain procedures such as dentals, drips, blood tests and other minor surgical procedures may be carried out by qualified vet nurses, trainee vet nurses and veterinary students under training. Be assured that in every case a veterinary is at hand supervising these procedures.

Control of pets

It is the owner responsibility to always maintain their pets under control whilst in both the hospital building and on its car park. All dogs will be on a lead, if you do not have a lead one will be provided for you free of charge. Cats must be in a suitable carrier. Children under the age of 18 must not be sent in charge of any pet.

General

No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by one of the Partners. No agent or person employed by or under contract with the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.

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