01728 861289
Client Information
for
Debenham Veterinary Practice
Opening Hours
We are open to clients:
Monday to Friday 08:30 - 18:00
Saturday 08:30 - 13:00
Our consultations are by appointment and are available between the hours of 09:00 - 18:00 on weekdays and between 09:00 - 13:00 on Saturdays.
We provide 24 hour emergency care for our own clients within the practice. In case of an emergency at a time when the practice is closed, please call 01728 861289 and you will be redirected to the duty vet on call.
Inpatient Care
Our on-call team is part of the usual team you will see in the practice during the day and are familiar with all the patients that are hospitalised in our wards through discussion at twice daily ward rounds. We have CCTV in all the wards to enable remote monitoring. The on-call nurse remains in the practice until 22:00 every night, updating pet owners during the evening and administering medications and nursing care to our in-patients. If there are no critical in-patients the nurse will return to start checks at 07:30 the following day.
Critical patients are monitored during the night by the nurse on call if the veterinary surgeon deems that they need this level of care. The practice has facilities for overnight accommodation and the nurse will remain in contact with the on-call vet who will attend the practice whenever necessary in the interests of our patients.
Fees
All fees for services and prices for goods (including food, accessories and drugs) are subject to VAT at the current rate. Prices for goods are as marked or notified at the point of purchase. A full fee breakdown will appear on your invoice.
Fees for services include our professional fees in respect of the veterinary services provided along with the cost of any drugs, materials and items used in the provision of our services. Professional fees vary according to the time spent on a case and the level of expertise required of the staff looking after your pet.
Estimates
Estimates are provided verbally either at the time of booking the appointment or during the consultation itself. Written estimates are available on request. All estimates given are approximate and should be treated as a guide - the final fee may be higher or lower than the estimate depending on whether any complications arise during treatment and the patient response to treatment. We will endeavour to contact you as soon as we have any reason to believe that the costs could be signifcantly higher than an estimate given. Estimates are valid for a period of thirty days.
Payment
Payment is accepted by cash, debit and credit card or bank transfer. You must pay for all goods and services as they are received. You will be advised exactly when payment is due depending on the nature of the services that we provide to you, but clients are expected to make payment at the end of each consultation, whenever any medication or prescription is dispensed and upon the discharge of your pet from our care. In the event that your pet is hospitalised we may require part payment in advance of any period of hospitalisation and/or stage payments on a daily basis. The veterinary surgeon will provide a daily update on the progress of your pet along with an estimate of any expected fees.
If you become unable to pay your account according to these standard terms, you must raise this issue and discuss it with us immediately.
Where the owner of a registered pet is unable to attend the practice, we will assume that permission has been given by the owner for the appropriate treatment and incurred costs. If an animal is not registered with the practice, the individual requesting treatment for the animal will be liable for any costs incurred.
Insurance
We encourage you to take out a pet insurance policy to protect you and your pet in the face of unexpected illnesses or accidents. We are unable to offer specific advice regarding policy providers, but can offer general advice about the types of policy and levels of cover that are available.
In the event of making a claim the cost of treatment must be met by the pet owner and then claimed back from your insurer. The practice will process insurance claims on your behalf where required for a small fee. Please speak to our Client Care Team for more detail. In rare circumstances we may undertake a direct claim from your insurance policy, but this is only by PRIOR AGREEMENT from our Practice Manager or Directors.
Health Care Plans
The practice offers a health care plan for any dog, cat or rabbit that is registered with us. Our plan will spread the cost of our preventative treatments such as worming and flea treatments or vaccinations over twelve months using a monthly direct debit. Our plan offers discounts over a range of other products and procedures including neutering, dental treatment, food and nurse consultations - Please ask our Client Care Team for more details or to join.
Second Opinions and Referrals
In the event that you wish to seek a second opinion on your pet's condition, we can arrange for you to see another vet or vets within the practice. Alternatively, if you wish to transfer to another practice we will ensure that the relevant clinical history is transferred in a timely manner.
Complaints
We aim to offer all of our clients an excellent service and take complaints seriously. If you have cause for complaint or feel that we have not met your expectations, please speak to your veterinary surgeon directly or to our Practice Manager who can provide you with a copy of our complaints procedure. Any written complaint will be acknowledged upon receipt and followed by a full reply within fourteen days.
We welcome all feedback. We aim to make it good and hearing about positive experiences also informs the way we provide services as well as being a really wonderful engagement for the whole team. Similarly, if something has not gone to plan or you feel we have missed something that you really value, we want to know so that we can fix it. Every piece of your feedback provides an opportunity for us.