Terms and Conditions of Business

Thank you for entrusting your pet into our care.

This details our Practice Terms and Conditions. Some aspects of these Terms may not be relevant to you and we request that you ask for further explanation/clarification, if required.

Fees

All fees, diets and medication charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the medication, materials and consumables used. You will receive a detailed invoice for every consultation, surgical procedure or transaction.

Payment

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet or upon collection of medication/diet. We reserve the right to request part payments during extended stays. We reserve the right to ask for a part payment of the estimated costs on admission.

You may settle the account using the following:

• Cash

• BACs

• Credit/Debit Card

We do not accept personal cheques, American Express or Diners Club.

Estimates of treatment costs

We will happily provide a written estimate as to the probable cost of a course of treatment. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only be approximate, as an illness may not follow a conventional course.

Inability to pay

If, for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, please discuss the matter as soon as possible with our administrative staff. Failure to make payment within 7 days of the invoice date may result in the matter being referred to a third party and additional costs will be added to the outstanding balance.

Pet health insurance

You will receive “A guide to pet insurance claims” when you receive confirmation of your first appointment with us. We recommend that you read it in conjunction with your full insurance policy schedule prior to your appointment.  It is your responsibility to know the terms and conditions of your insurance policy.

Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle your account. Some insurance companies require pre-authorisation prior to referral, so please check your policy documents carefully.

If we agree to a direct claim, please be aware that should your insurance company decline payment or make deductions, you are still responsible for any outstanding costs and these should be paid within 7 days of us notifying you.

An administration fee is chargeable for each condition for each animal/year. These are payable at the time of your first visit. Should you require further information regarding this, our administration team will be happy to assist you.

Visiting hours

We understand you may wish to visit your pet whilst they are staying with us.  Remote visits can be arranged via video consults with a member of the wards team. This will be dependent on staff availability. Due to the impact of COVID and the health and safety implications of this, visits within our clinical areas are not permitted.

Contacting us for updates

We will call you with an update on your pet after we have completed our morning rounds and later if your patient will be staying overnight. Further updates are available, if required, from our nursing team between 2-3pm or 10-11pm.

Complaints and standards

We hope you never have cause to complain about the standards of service provided by Paragon Veterinary Referrals. However, if you would like to make a complaint, please contact clientcare@paragonreferrals.co.uk in the first instance.

Ownership of records, radiographs and similar records

Case records, including radiographs and similar documents are the property of Paragon Veterinary Referrals and will be retained by us. Even though we make a charge for carrying out diagnostic images, ownership of the resulting records remains ours. You may request a copy of these. Copies, with a summary of the history, will be passed to another veterinary surgeon taking over your case upon request.

Telephone Recording

Please note that our calls both incoming and outgoing are recorded for training and monitoring purposes.