St Kitts Veterinary Group is dedicated to providing the highest possible standard of care to our patients and their owners. To help us to provide the best customer service we can we have listed our terms and conditions below.
Ownership of records
All pet records, radiograph images and diagnostic test results remain the property of St Kitts Veterinary group. On request from the owner we can supply a copy of the records. Records can also be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over their care.
Client Confidentiality
All client and animal information is held in the strictest confidence and in line with the Data protection acts. Your information will not be disclosed except under the following circumstances
Overnight In-patient care
From time-to-time, your pet’s veterinary requirements may dictate that they need to be hospitalised overnight in order for us to provide continuity of care and medication. Sadly due to noise restrictions we cannot offer to keep dogs in overnight and staff are not present in the building 24 hours a day.
If your pet does require an overnight stay you can rest assured that your pet will be checked by one of our dedicated veterinary nurses at a set time, who will keep the veterinary surgeon caring for your pet updated with any changes to their condition. Should your pet’s needs necessitate it, the veterinary surgeon will also be available to attend the surgery.
In the event that your pet requires a higher intensity level of care, we are able to arrange for your pet to be hospitalised with the out-of-hour’s service, Vets Now, who have veterinary nurses and veterinary surgeons on site throughout the night. Unfortunately we are not able to offer transport to or from vets now and it will be up to yourselves to transport your pet. We do try our best to accommodate yours and your pet’s needs but sometimes transport is unavoidable.
Out-of-Hours Provision
We have a dedicated out-of-hours Service provided to you, on our behalf, by Vets Now in Farnham. They are available to care for your pet out-of-hours, 365 days of the year, by simply calling 01252 737555.
Vets Now Ltd, Hale Road, Farnham, GU9 9RB
Prescription Medication.
When ordering any medication we do require 24 hours’ notice. For repeat prescriptions, by law your pet requires a veterinary health check every 6 months. A standard consult charge is applied for each re-examination. We can also offer a written prescription for which there is a fee.
Fees
All fees are subject to VAT at the current rate.
Fee levels are determined by the time and skill level required on a case as well as medicines, materials, diets and consumables used.
You are liable for any fees incurred in diagnosis and treatment of your pet. This
also includes if your pet is brought in by a relative, friend or agent on your
behalf.
Methods of Payment
Payment is due at the time of treatment, discharge or at the time of collecting medications or diets. Card payments can be taken over the phone for your convenience.
You can settle your account by
Unpaid fees
If for any reason, you are unable to settle your account at the time of treatment, we ask you to discuss the matter with a staff member before treatment. Any instalments or part payments may be sanctioned with the express permission of the practice principal or practice manager before treatment takes place.
If for any reason your account is not settled in full or a payment is missed an invoice will be sent. Any further invoices sent will incur an admin charge. If the account remains unpaid it will be referred to our debt collection agency and further costs will be incurred.
Insurance Claims
From 1st January 2024, a small £10 admin fee will apply to each insurance claim made (both direct and indirect). Owners will be asked to pay the admin fee at the time of handing in the insurance form / making the claim request. Payment will be taken alongside the insurance excess payment, if applicable.
Estimates
We will happily provide you with a written estimate for the costs of treatment.
Please bear in mind that any estimate given is only an approximation and cannot predict additional costs. Each animal and illness is individual and may not follow a conventional course of treatment. We will however, do our best to contact you if we believe the treatment costs are going to exceed your estimate. If you are uncontactable at the time, we will treat your pet as we see necessary for pain and
suffering.
Complaints procedure
At St Kitts we strongly hope that high standards of patient and customer care never leave clients with any cause to complain. However, should you be dissatisfied with services provided, we welcome the opportunity to discuss your concerns and trust that before complaining formally, you allow our clinic teams the opportunity to put things right. In most instances, concerns can be resolved informally.
Should you have unanswered questions or concerns, please discuss these with a member of our team. They will endeavour to resolve your complaint informally at this stage; if necessary, a Veterinary Surgeon, the Head Nurse or Group Support Manager will contact you at a later point to discuss the matter further. We appreciate client feedback as it helps us review processes, policies, and continuously develop and deliver outstanding veterinary care.
I have a concern
It’s important to let us know about any concerns encountered with our services as soon as possible, allowing issues to be resolved promptly. Please select one of the four methods of communication listed below:
Our commitment
Making a formal complaint
The majority of issues can be resolved through open and informal discussions. However, if you feel matters aren’t resolved satisfactorily, please follow the steps below:
Email the clinic FAO the Head Nurse, providing as much detail as you can, including:
What happens next?
We will acknowledge receipt of correspondence as soon as practically possible, within 72 hours. In some cases, we might need to contact you to clarify certain points or investigate matters internally prior to being able to reach a conclusion. Should this be the case, we will do our utmost to investigate your concerns as quickly as possible and endeavour to respond either verbally or in writing within twenty-eight working days. If we are unable to address your concerns within this timeframe, we will contact you.
The complaints review process
Appeals process
Should you not be satisfied with the outcome of the formal complaints process, please first discuss this with the relevant complaint handler, and if you both agree that a resolution can’t be reached, then your concerns will be escalated to the Senior Leadership Team on your behalf. Please provide the complaint handler with a concise written summary of events, explain why you are not happy with the response received and the outcome you desire.
A member of the Senior Leadership Team will acknowledge receipt of your complaint as soon as practically possible, within 72 hours and will endeavour to respond within twenty-eight working days following a full investigation. If they are unable to address your concerns within this timeframe, they will update you accordingly.
Please note an escalated complaint decision is final and this stage completes St Kitts Veterinary Group’s internal complaints process.
In the unlikely event you are not satisfied with the complaint resolution reached, having engaged and fully followed our internal complaints process, you have the option to contact an external body such as the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) http://www.vetmediation.co.uk, or the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) https://animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/.
Please note the RCVS only deals with serious concerns in relation to professional misconduct; they won’t assist with fee disputes or issues outside of this remit.
The VCMS support via a mediation process, offering help and guidance to resolve ongoing complaints in a fair, an efficient manner that is unbiased and non-judgemental. The VCMS aim to reach a solution that is acceptable to both the client and veterinary professional. This service is funded by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, which regulates veterinary professionals (veterinary surgeons and registered veterinary nurses) practising within the UK.
