Filey Veterinary Practice would like to thank you for entrusting us with the care of your pet. We are committed to providing the highest standard of care and treatment to our patients and their owners.

This document details the terms and conditions under which we provide our services. Some of the information may not be relevant to you, but if you have any questions, please feel free to ask a member of the practice team.

1. Conditions of Registration

By registering with us and continuing to use our service you agree to these terms and conditions of business.

For clients transferring from another practice, including temporary registration for holidaymakers, we require a full clinical history in order to be able to offer our professional services

We will not tolerate any aggressive or abusive behaviour towards any member of staff.

Any client behaving in such ways will be politely asked to leave the premises immediately and will be notified in writing to find an alternative Veterinary Practice.

2. Responsible Pet Ownership

Filey Veterinary Practice believes in the principle of responsible pet ownership and the benefits of preventative healthcare. This includes regular appropriate vaccinations, worm and flea control for dogs, cats and rabbits. We offer a Pet Health Plan to spread the cost of preventative healthcare.

Microchipping is now a legal requirement for dogs and provides the best permanent means of identification for your pet.

Reminders are provided as a complimentary service to our clients. Filey Veterinary Practice accepts no liability for any loss, damages or costs which may result from the failure of a client to receive any reminder.

3. Fees

All fees for services and goods, such as food, consumables and drugs, are available on request and subject to VAT at the current rate.

Charges for our professional services are determined according to the drugs, materials and consumables used alongside level of time and expertise required to provide the care necessary.

A detailed breakdown of the charges for each consultation, surgical procedure and transaction can be provided on request. This can either be printed for you at reception or sent to you by email.

We respectfully remind you that you are liable for fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your pet, even if they are brought to us by a friend, relative or agent.

4. Methods of Payment

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of a consultation, on discharge of your pet from our care or upon collection of drugs or diets.

We accept payment by cash, BACS or debit or credit card. The cards we accept are Solo, Maestro, Mastercard, Visa or Visa Electron. We do not accept American Express cards. Card payments can be taken over the telephone for your convenience.

Accounts are only available by prior written agreement from the Director.

5. Estimate of Treatment Costs

We are happy to provide detailed written estimates for probable treatment costs, which are valid for one month. Alternatively, these may be discussed verbally with the veterinary surgeon treating your animal and be recorded on your pet’s consent form, when they are admitted.

Please bear in mind that any estimates, whilst given in good faith, can only ever be approximate. A pet’s illness may not follow a conventional course – complications or unforeseen circumstances could arise which may require additional treatment. We will try to contact you on the numbers you have provided if we believe the treatment costs are going to exceed the estimated costs. However, your pet’s welfare will always be our primary concern, so if we cannot contact you, your pet will be treated according to the judgement of a veterinary surgeon.  

6. Failure to Attend Appointments

We understand that occasionally animals refuse to co-operate when booked in for an appointment, and that our days do not always go to plan. We request that you inform us by telephone as soon as you become aware that you may not be able to attend a booked appointment. However, missed appointments do prevent other patients in need from seeing a vet.

If you repeatedly miss appointments that have been booked, without giving appropriate notice, we reserve the right to charge a full consultation fee for missed appointments and to take the full cost of booked appointments/ procedures as a non-refundable deposit against future bookings.  

7. Out of Hours Service

The practice operates an out of hours service. Should your pet become unwell when the surgery is closed please telephone the normal surgery number (01723 513119) for details of how to contact the duty veterinary surgeon. There is an additional fee for consultations out of hours, which can be discussed with the duty vet  

8. In-Patient Care

All in-patients are monitored closely through the day by our highly trained and experienced Veterinary Surgeons and Registered Veterinary Nurses, who will keep you informed of their progress and care.

No staff are present in the practice overnight, however your pet will be monitored as often as is considered necessary by the duty Veterinary Surgeon.

9. Home Visits

In most cases, it is in the best interest of your pet to attend the practice, where we have the facilities, drugs and staff available to provide the necessary treatment. It is the clients responsibility to arrange transport of an animal to the Practice to receive treatment.  

However, there are some cases where it may be appropriate to provide treatment at your home. We endeavour to come out to your home at your convenience but we ask that you call the surgery in the morning so we can arrange this around other duties. There is an additional charge for a home visit.

10. Prescriptions and Dispensing Policy

Legislation requires that we must examine your pet routinely when they are on long term medication. This will normally be between 3 to 6 months depending on the drugs and the condition treated. This is a reduced-price consultation and is to ensure your pet is responding well to the medication and is not developing any side effects or other conditions.

We recommend prescription-only flea treatment and wormers, as these are known to be safe and effective. We can supply prescription only preventative healthcare to animals that have been examined by a Veterinary Surgeon within the previous 12 months.

If you wish to order a repeat prescription, we require 48 hours notice so we can have your medication available for you when you come to the practice.

Unfortunately, all drugs are non-refundable once they have left the practice, as these cannot be resold. However, we can dispose of any unwanted medicines free of charge.

You may request a written prescription from the practice and obtain the medicines from another Veterinary Surgery or Pharmacy, there is a fee for this service.

We do not, as a rule, supply prescription medications by post. Should this be unavoidable, it will be sent by Recorded Delivery, and subject to a Post and Packing charge.

11. Insurance

Filey Veterinary Practice strongly support the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents. This allows us to provide the best care for your pet without any additional financial stress. Please speak to a receptionist or veterinary surgeon if you would like to discuss insurance.

It is our general policy that accounts must be settled in full at the time of treatment and then the costs reclaimed from your insurance company. For clients who hold policies with particular insurance companies, the Director may approve a direct claim in advance of treatment being given. Should your insurance company decline your claim, you remain liable for the full treatment cost

Please note there is an administration charge for completion of insurance claims forms, which is payable before claims are submitted, this fee is not recoverable from your insurance company.

12. Settlement Terms

Should your account not be settled within 14 days a reminder will be sent with an additional fee in respect of the administrative costs incurred. We may, at our discretion, choose to deduct this if payment is made promptly. Should it be necessary for further reminders to be sent, further charges will be incurred, and these are not refundable.   

After due notice to you, the client, overdue accounts will be referred to our debt collection agency or solicitors and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt such as production of reports, correspondence, calls, home visits, attendance at court and court fees.

Any credit card payment not honoured, or cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in the account being restored to the original sum, with further charges being added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs added to the principal sum.

Filey Veterinary Practice Limited reserves the right to refuse treatment beyond emergency First Aid to animals belonging to clients with outstanding accounts. We may, at our discretion, require payment before treatment is given.

13. Inability to pay

If for any reason you are unable to cover the estimated cost of treatment or settle your account as specified, we ask you to discuss this with a member of staff as soon as possible. Emergency treatment to alleviate suffering will always be given irrespective of ability to pay.  

Payment by instalment is only available with the prior agreement of the Director or Practice Manager and where a formal contract is entered into.  

14. Ownership of Records

Case records and similar documents are the property of and retained by Filey Veterinary Practice Ltd. Copies, with a summary of the clinical history can be passed, on request, to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case.

15. Ownership of Radiographs and similar records

The care given to your pet may involve making some specific investigations, for example, taking x-rays or performing ultrasound scans. Although we make a charge for performing these investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record, for example a radiograph, remains with the practice.

16. Data protection

When you register your animal with our practice or request that we provide veterinary services we collect the personal data necessary to provide our services. We may also need to share your data with outside organisations such as other veterinary practices, external laboratories and crematoria.  

Please note that we may pass your details to debt collection agencies or our legal advisers for the purpose of recovering unpaid fees.

For further information on how we treat your data please see our Privacy Policy

17. Feedback

We pride ourselves on offering a quality service and welcome any feedback to improve our service.

Often complaints can be resolved quickly with the staff members concerned but if you wish to contact the Practice Manager, we ask that you do so in writing as soon as possible. This gives us the best opportunity to investigate your complaint thoroughly and offer a solution. Further information can be found in our complaints policy.

18. Variation of Terms and Conditions

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

19. Applicable law

These terms are governed by and constructed in accordance with English law. The Courts of England will have exclusive jurisdiction over any claims or disputes.

If any provision in these standard terms of business or its application is found to be invalid, illegal or otherwise unenforceable, the validity, legality or enforceability of any other provision shall not in any way be affected or impaired.