Terms and conditions

Fees

It is our policy that fees are payable in full at time of treatment. There is a charge for all consultations, payment for which is due at the end of the consult. If your pet has been in hospital, payment is due at time of collection. This also applies for those pets that are insured, we would ask that you settle your bill as usual and then reclaim any fees from your insurance agency. Your bill will be determined by time spent on a case, drugs, materials and consumables; you will receive an itemised bill detailing all costs. We accept cash and credit/debit card payments.

Unpaid Bills

If an account has not been settled within 7 days a reminder will be sent to you. If it is necessary for further reminders to be sent, then administration fees will be incurred. We reserve the right to cease work on your behalf should a bill remain outstanding for more than 2 months.

Estimates

We are more than happy to provide an estimate for any treatments or procedures but we would ask you to bear in mind that they are not intended to give an exact figure. Often a pet’s illness does not follow a conventional course and so costs can vary. If we feel the costs will increase significantly we will make every effort to discuss this with you before proceeding further.

Repeat Prescriptions

We would kindly ask for 72 hours’ notice for any repeat prescriptions, all requests need to be assessed by the duty vet before being prescribed. We will sometimes ask that an appointment be made first, this may be to assess your pets need for continued medication, take monitoring blood tests or because more than 6 months have lapsed since their last check. If you prefer to purchase your medication elsewhere then written prescriptions are available for a fee.

Visits

Home visits can be arranged upon request, however, it is usually in the best interests of your pet to be seen at the clinic.

Pet Insurance

We strongly advise insurance for pets. There are continual improvements in treatments and diagnostics for pets meaning better care but these can also be expensive. Pet insurance gives you peace of mind that your pet can receive the best possible attention. As a fully accredited Vetsure practice we can exclusively offer our clients 5 weeks cover free of charge, please ask us for details or check our website.

Comments and Complaints

Your opinion is extremely important to us. If you have any suggestions for improvements in our service, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. If a particular member of staff has done a good job looking after you or your pet, please let Keith or Charlotte know so they can pass on the praise. We would hope that you would never have any need to complain but should you feel let down by us or feel our standard of care has been unsatisfactory then please inform us as soon as possible so we can help rectify the situation.

Out of Hours

All out of hours’ emergencies are attended to by Vets Now Colchester at their clinic on Brinkley Lane, Colchester. The Mayne Veterinary Clinic is open between 8:30am and 6:30pm on week days and from 8:30am-12:00pm Saturday. Outside of normal working hours please contact Vets Now on 01206 842224 where they have a full team available to care for your pet’s needs.

Vaccination Reminders

We will send you reminders regarding your pet’s routine annual vaccination however it remains your responsibility to ensure all vaccinations are kept up to date.

Second opinions and 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. When another vet requires details of a patient’s history for a second opinion, a patient referral or if a client has changed practice, the records will be sent directly to the second practice. Some of these records may constitute personal data.

Data Protection

Personal information which you may provide to us is held in accordance with the UK Data Protection Act. Clients have a responsibility to keep The Mayne Veterinary Clinic up to date with any changes to this information. The Mayne Veterinary Clinic will never sell or share your personal information with third parties without your permission. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information.

Access to and Ownership of Records

Your pet’s clinical records, including radiographs, ultrasound scan records and laboratory test reports remain the property of The Mayne Veterinary Clinic and will be kept under the terms of the Data Protection Act (2018). Your pet’s records will be sent to another veterinary surgery on request from them, some of this information may constitute personal data. Case notes may also be passed on to insurance companies on request, as this is a stipulation of your contract with the insurance company. If you require a copy for your personal use, this may be arranged.