Ocean Vets T&Cs

Ocean Vets Terms and Conditions of Business

Thank you for entrusting the care of your animal to Ocean Vets. Our terms and conditions are detailed below. By accepting these conditions you confirm that you are over 18 years of age.

Fees

Fees are payable at the time of treatment and you are liable for any fees incurred during the diagnosis and treatment of your pet, even if your pet is brought to us on behalf by a third party such as a relative, friend or neighbour. All fees are inclusive of VAT. Fees are determined by the time and expertise spent treating your patient and according to the medicines, materials, consumables and diets used. A detailed fee note is available for every consultation, surgical procedure and transaction with us. Drugs, dressings or diets ordered from Ocean Vets are payable at the time of collection. You may be asked to pay for any item not routinely stocked at the time of ordering.

Estimate of treatment costs

We will be happy to 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 as often a pet’s illness will not follow a conventional course. We will endeavour to contact you on the telephone numbers you have provided to notify you of any significant increase to the original estimate should this arise, but if we are unable to contact you we will treat your pet as necessary to prevent pain and suffering.

Methods of payment

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of the pet or upon collection of diet or drugs. You may settle your account using: Cash, Credit/Debit card or BACS (Bankers automated clearing services)

Settlement terms

Should the account not be settled within 7 days, a reminder will be sent with an additional accounting fee in respect of the administration costs incurred. Should it be necessary for additional reminders to be sent, further charges will be added. After due notice to the client, overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collecting Agency and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt. Any credit card payment not honoured and cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the original account being restored to the original sum with further charges being added in respect of bank charges and administration costs together with interest on the principle sum.
You will kept informed of any increase to your account whilst your pet is an inpatient, in order for you to ensure funds are available for settlement of the account at the time of discharge, or upon completion of treatment. If, for any reason you are unable to settle your account as specified, you must discuss the matter as soon as possible with the veterinary surgeon in charge of your pet’s case.

Prescription policy

We can provide Prescription Only Medicines (POM-V) or we can issue you with a written prescription to take to an alternative vets or pharmacy. The cost for providing a written prescription is £20.00 The veterinary surgeons are only allowed to issue prescriptions for animals registered under their care. It is our policy that animals receiving long term medication should be re-assessed every 3-12 months (or as per veterinary instruction) depending on the animals condition to ensure continued well-being. These “Health check” periods are available on request. There will be a reduced consultation fee, “Health check” levied for this, in addition to any medication prescribed or written prescription fee, after examination. You will be informed on request of the price of any medicine that may be dispensed for your animal.

Pet Health Insurance

Ocean Vets strongly supports the principal of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents. Whilst we cannot advocate any specific insurance, any of our staff would be happy to offer general advice and give leaflets on the subject. Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle our account and then reclaim fees from your insurance company. You will need to complete your part of the insurance form first; the veterinary surgeon will then complete the appropriate part of the insurance form & forward it to the insurance company. For any claims over £150, there is no charge for this service. For claims under £150, there is a small administration fee of £20. In certain circumstances, for exceptionally large claims, the practise may allow a direct claim from the insurance company. This must be sanctioned by the vet & only on the production of the claim form & payment of the excess & a small administration fee of £20. You will be expected to contact the insurance company if payment is delayed & ultimately the responsibility of payment is yours. Payment may be demanded at any stage after four weeks have elapsed from completion of treatment when pursuing a direct claim.

Complaints and standards

We strive to provide an excellent standard of care for our clients. However, we appreciate that things can sometimes go wrong, and if you have a problem or cause for dissatisfaction, please inform us at the time so that we can try to rectify the situation without delay. If you feel that the problem cannot be rectified and you would like to make a formal complaint, please notify us in writing as soon as possible and at least within 2 months. Please address the complaint to the Practice Manager, who will send you an acknowledgement letter and an estimate of the investigation and response time.

Ownership of records

Case records, including radiography and laboratory investigations remain the property of Ocean Vets and will be retained by the company, despite a charge being made to the client for these investigations to be undertaken and the results interpreted. Copies and a printed history will be passed to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case upon request and after ascertaining our GDPR obligations have been met.

Out of hours policy

Please note that Ocean Vets does offer appointments on a Saturday morning. We provide our own Out of Hours service between the two surgeries as much as possible. You will normally speak to a vet when you phone after hours, who will evaluate your case as well as is possible over the telephone, to decide whether your animal needs to be seen immediately or not, and meet you at one of the surgeries. Out of hours fees apply. You will be expected to transport your animal to the nominated surgery for treatment. Please note that any treatment given to your pet outside of our normal surgery hours will incur an increased fee. If our own vets are unable to see you there will be clear information regarding who to contact for your emergency treatment which will normally be MiNight Vet run out of Cedar Veterinary Group at Ringwood.

Cancellation and non-attendance of appointments

Twenty-four hours notice of cancellation is required. We reserve the right to charge 50% of the normal fee for the work booked where less that 24 hours notice is given or non-attendance of the appointment. We would respectfully ask that clients allow plenty of time to book appointments for non-urgent work in order that we may offer you a convenient date and time to suit your individual requirements.

Contacting Clients

Ocean Vets will contact you by letter, phone or email to advise you of the progress of inpatients, reminders for any preventative health aspects due for your pet, outstanding accounts, current practice promotions, etc. Please advise us if you have a preference to how we contact you. We will send reminders for vaccinations when they fall due, but we cannot take responsibility for lapsed vaccinations. It is the owner’s duty to ensure vaccinations are up to date.

Variations in terms of trading

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