Practice Policies

In this section: Payment | Prescribing & Dispensing of Medicines | In-Patient Care |

Payment

We accept payments by cash, cheque, most credit cards and PayPal.

We require clients bringing small animals to the surgery to pay after each consultation or procedure.

When we visit your animal on the farm, stable or at home we will normally invoice you for the work done either when we return to the surgery or at the end of the month. If you are a new client to us, particularly in the case of horse examinations for purchase, we may ask you to to pay in advance based on an estimate of the expected cost. If the actual cost varies from the estimate then we will either refund or invoice you for the difference.

Prescribing & Dispensing of Medicines

Veterinary medicines are divided in to four legal categories:

•AVM-GSL Authorised veterinary medicine – general sales list. This may be sold by anyone. (Formerly GSL.)

•NFA-VPS Non-food animal medicine – veterinarian, pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person (SQP). A medicine for companion animals which must be supplied by a veterinarian, pharmacist or Suitably Qualified Person. (Formerly PML companion animal products and a few P products.)

•POM-VPS Prescription-only medicine – veterinarian, pharmacist, Suitably Qualified Person (SQP). A medicine for food-producing animals (including horses), to be supplied only on veterinary prescription, which must be prescribed by a veterinarian, pharmacist or SQP (either orally or in writing) and which must be supplied by one of those groups of people in accordance with the prescription. (Formerly PML livestock products, MFSX products and a few P products.)

•POM-V Prescription only medicine – veterinarian. A medicine, to be supplied only on veterinary prescription, which must be prescribed (either orally or in writing) by a veterinarian to animals under his care following a clinical assessment, and which may be supplied by a veterinarian or pharmacist in accordance with the prescription. (Formerly POM products and a few P products.)

At Forest House Veterinary Surgery, the supply of all medicines (except AVM-GSL) must be authorised by a veterinary surgeon.

In the case of POM-V medicines a clinical assessment of the animal will be required before the medicine can be prescribed.

Typically, for POM-V medicines, the clinical assessment must take place immediately before the prescribing of the medicine. In the case of patients taking a POM-V medicine on a long term basis and requiring a repeat prescription, the assessment must have taken place within the preceding 3 months. In the case of a healthy animal requiring a POM-V medicine as a routine preventative treatment (e.g. parasite control), the assessment must have taken place within the preceding 12 months.

Written prescriptions are available on request. Written prescriptions will be supplied free of charge until the end of October 2008 (excludes medicated feed prescriptions); after this date, a prescription fee will apply to all written prescriptions.

Please allow at least 24 hours between requesting a prescription or repeat supply of medication to allow time for a veterinary surgeon to review and authorise your request.

In-Patient Care

We try to send patients home whenever possible. We believe that most animals are happier in their familiar surroundings and most owners prefer to care for their animals at home whenever possible. We will only keep a patient at the surgery if treatment is required that cannot be given at home (e.g. on a drip or frequent injections of medication) or if moving the patient would cause a problem.

After our surgery closes, a Vet, Veterinary Nurse or suitably trained Nursing Assistant will check your pet as often as is deemed to be necessary by the Vet on duty. The frequency of checks will vary depending on the individual patients needs. A typical schedule would be for the patient to be checked when the surgery closes, again between 10pm and midnight and not again until the premises re-open at 8am. A veterinary surgeon is available on call should the Veterinary Nurse or suitably trained Nursing Assistant have any cause to be concerned about his/her condition. At times other than for scheduled checks, the premises will not be manned unless the Vet is attending another patient, at which time additional checks will be performed.

At weekends and public holidays, routine checks will be performed every 4-6 hours during the day and as above over night unless the individual patient has specific needs.

We will phone you on the number that you gave us on the admission form to report on your pet’s condition. Please do not phone us when the surgery is closed.

Please phone us on (01423) 862121 between 9am and 10am on the next weekday or Saturday morning to find out if your pet is ready to be discharged that day and to make arrangements to collect him/her if applicable.