Terms And Conditions

This document details our Practice Terms and Conditions. By accepting our services and/or purchase of goods you are contractually agreeing to Hird and Partners LLP Terms of Business as printed below.

All fees, consumables and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Professional fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the drugs, resources, materials and consumables used. Details of our fees are available on request and a detailed invoice can be generated and issued for every consultation, procedure or transaction.

Whenever possible we can give you an estimate of costs (not a quotation) of treatment but this will only be approximate as variations and complications may arise resulting in further costs incurred.

There are occasions when we incur costs on your behalf, such as tests performed at specialist laboratories and these will be invoiced to you at a later date.

In giving instructions, either in person or by someone acting on your behalf, for an animal to be treated, you will be responsible for those charges.

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of consultation, the discharge of your pet or upon collection of drugs/diet requirements etc.

Overdue accounts, after due notice to you, will be referred to our Solicitors, if satisfactory repayment arrangements have not been made with ourselves and all costs incurred will be passed to you.

Any cheque you issue which is returned unpaid, any credit/debit card payment not honoured and any cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in your account being restored to the original amount together with any fees incurred in the process.

Failure to comply with payment terms may result in you no longer being able to have credit facilities with the Practice. All treatments will then have to be paid for at supply of goods and services or veterinary care will be withdrawn at our discretion.

Our preferred method of payment is by Debit Card or Cash, Visa, Maestro or Switch. We also accepts payment by Credit card (with the exception of American Express), Cheque or Bank transfer. We can provide you with our bank details for you to make electronic payment via your bank.

Details, including relevant medical history, will be obtained from the previous attending Veterinary Surgeon, with your confirmation.

If, for any reason, you are in the unfortunate position of being unable to settle an outstanding account, or further treatment required by your animal, please call the Practice straight away to discuss this matter with either a Partner or the Practice Manager. Please be advised that instalments or part-payment of any accounts can only be sanctioned with the express permission of the Partners.

Any dispute with fees/services presented must be put in writing to the Practice Manager within 3 days of receiving the invoice. Where any dispute is not proven and as a result the payment is late, our overdue accounts procedure will become effective. Therefore, clients are always advised to settle their account at the time and if there is a dispute, this payment is made without prejudice.

We hope that you never feel the need to complain about the standard of service received from Hird and Partners LLP. However, if you feel that there is something you with to complain about, please direct your comments in the first instance in writing to the Practice Manager.

Subject to our professional duties as Veterinary Surgeons, we reserve the right to make final decisions on treatments.

We retain the responsibility for radiographs and ultrasound scans but at your request, these can be forwarded to another Veterinary Surgeon.

It is your responsibility to request a claim form from your Insurance Company, complete and sign your part of the form and provide it to us. It is advisable at this point to give your authorization to your Insurance Company, to discuss your policy with us. If the Insurance form is signed so payment is made direct to this Practice, you will be required to pay the excess amount and any costs that will not be covered under the terms of your policy.

We will be able to liaise/negotiate with the Insurance Company on your behalf. Please be aware that your Insurance Company will request the clinical history from us, so do make sure you have answered all questions on the claim or renewal forms correctly with regard to any previous claims or treatments concerning the animal you are making the claim for. Any discrepancies may cause delay or rejection of your claim. Hird and Partners LLP accepts no liability if your claim should be rejected, either in part or full and will ask that any outstanding invoices are settled in full for any Veterinary treatment we have given to your animal(s).

It is the responsibility of you, the policy holder, to ensure that your Insurance Company settle your account promptly. Should the account remain unpaid for more than 90 days, we will request full settlement from you, to prevent any debt recovery action being taken.

In certain situations, we understand that requests will be made by persons acting on your behalf. We will require your express permission to discuss your account/animal(s) or take instruction from anyone other than the account holder.

You can ask us to stop treatment of your animal(s) at any time. We can stop treatment if you do not accept our advice, fail to pay your account within our terms or if we are prohibited by law from doing any further work. On termination of work we will invoice you for any treatment already carried out and we reserve the right to hold any records/x-rays for your animal(s).

Prescriptions are available from this Practice and are chargeable.

You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines, category V (POM-V) from your Veterinary Surgeon, or ask for a prescription and obtain these from another Veterinary Surgeon or Pharmacy. Your Veterinary Surgeon may only prescribe POM-V for an animal under their care. A prescription may not be appropriate if your pet is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary.

You will be informed, on request, of the price of any medication that may be prescribed for your animal(s).

We can only prescribe medications of animals that are registered with our Practice and have already been treated and/or inspected by one of our Veterinary Surgeons. To comply with current Royal college of Veterinary Surgeons regulations, we cannot supply medication or prescriptions without first seeing the animal in question.

The policy of this Practice is to re-assess any animal requiring repeat prescriptions every six months and you will be charged the normal consultation fee. This is to comply with Government legislation and therefore cannot be avoided.

We ask that you give us 24 hours notice when ordering repeat prescription drugs, either for collection from the Surgery or by post. All drugs must be approved by one of the Veterinary Surgeons before our Reception staff are authorised to issue them to you and in some cases, we may have to order the drugs into stock, so please leave enough time.

We require payment of all drugs on collection.