This page details our Practice Terms and Conditions. Some aspects of the Terms may not be relevant to you and we request that you contact the surgery and ask for further clarification if required.
All fees, diets and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the drugs, materials, consumables and diets used.
Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet or upon collection of drugs/diets. You may settle the account using:
CASH, CREDIT/DEBIT CARD - Maestro, Solo, Mastercard, Visa, Electron, Delta
PLEASE NOTE THAT WVS DOES NOT ACCEPT CHEQUES
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.
Any estimate given is only valid for a period of 1 month from the date it was issued.
Should an account not be settled within 14 days, then a reminder will be sent with an additional accounting fee in respect of administrative costs incurred. Should it be necessary for further reminders to be sent, further charges will be incurred. These however, may be deducted if payment is made promptly. After due notice to you the client, overdue accounts 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 Credit Card payment not honoured and any Cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored to the original sum with further charges added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs together with interest on the principal sum.
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 the surgery team. Please note that instalments of part-payments of any account may ONLY be sanctioned with the express permission in writing of one of the directors before any treatment is carried out.
Westhorne Veterinary Surgery strongly supports the principle of insuring you pet against unexpected illness or accidents. Please ask for details about insurance from any member of the surgery team or click here to go to the insurance part of our website. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle your account with Westhorne Veterinary Surgery and then reclaim the fees from your Insurance Company.
We hope that you never have recourse to complain about the standards of service received from Westhorne Veterinary Surgery. However, if you feel that there is something you wish to complain about, please direct your comments in the first instance to Claudia Fioravanti.
Case records including radiographs and similar documents are the property of, and will be retained by, Westhorne Veterinary Surgery. Copies with a summary of the history will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case.
The care given to your animal may involve making some specific investigations, for example taking of radiographs or performing ultrasound scans. 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 surgery.
In certain cases, we may decide that the best treatment for your pet involves prescribing medication out with the data sheet recommendations (i.e.. off label) or a specially prepared unauthorised medicine. It may also be a medication imported from another country under a Special Treatment Authorisation. In accepting the treatment of your pet at Westhorne Veterinary Surgery, you accept that there maybe risks and side effects associated with treatment. We will provide a prescription on request if you prefer to purchase the drug/s from a different provider.
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the surgery unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by one of the directors. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with the surgery has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in anyway.