Our Commitment to You
Thank you for entrusting the South Downs Veterinary Consultancy Ltd to provide Veterinary services to your business/animals. We aim to provide you with a first class service and the highest standard of treatment and care.

Fees
All fees, diet and drug charges are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case, visit distance and according to the drugs, materials, and consumables used. Details of our fees are available on request and a detailed invoice is provided for every consultation, investigation, procedure or other transaction.

Methods of Payment
Accounts are due for settlement in full within 30 days. Your account may be settled using:
Cash
Credit/Debit card
Cheque
Bacs

Settlement Terms
If for any reason your account has not been settled within 30 days we reserve the right to withhold services until the balance is paid in full. In the event of non-payment within the following month, a further invoice will be sent which will incur administrative costs. Overdue accounts, after due notice to you, will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency or the County Courts if satisfactory repayment arrangements have not been made with us. This could incur you further costs whilst collecting the debt. Any cheque, which you issue which is returned unpaid, any credit card payment not honoured and any cash tendered that is found to be counterfeit will result in your account being restored to the original sum together with any fees incurred in the process.

Inability to Pay
If, for any reason, you find yourself in the unfortunate position of being unable to pay your account, we ask you to discuss this matter as soon as possible with Mark Elliott. Please note that instalments or part payments of any account may only be sanctioned with the express permission of the Directors.

Written prescriptions for In Feed Medication
A charge is made for writing and supplying a written prescription for in feed medication, and as necessary any visit or consultation needed to comply with prescribing legislation.

Client data and confidentiality 
We keep clinical records in both hand written format and on a computer database, including certain essential details about clients. This information is entirely for use within the practice and is not divulged to any third party without prior consent of the client.

Complaints
We aim to provide the highest standard of patient and client care at all times and hope that our service does not give you cause for complaint. However, if you do wish to complain, please contact Mark Elliott in the first instance. See below for complaints procedure.

Feedback
We are always pleased to received compliments/feedback on the service we provide.

Ownership of Records

In accordance with Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons guidelines:
Clinical and client records including diagnostic images and similar records, are the property of, and should be retained by, veterinary surgeons in the interests of animal welfare and for their own protection. Although clients do not own their clinical records, they have the right to access information about themselves under data protection legislation as well as under professional guidelines set by the RCVS.
Upon request copies of records with a summary of the history of your animal/business will be passed to another Veterinary Surgeon taking over your animals well being.

Variations of Terms and Conditions of Business
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the Practice unless specifically agreed in writing by the Directors. Additionally, no agents or person employed by or under contract with the Practice has the authority to alter or vary these terms and conditions in any way.

Complaints Procedure

South Downs Veterinary Consultancy Ltd is committed to providing the highest standards of care. One of the ways in which we can continue to improve is by listening and responding to the views of our clients, including responding positively on occasions when expectations are not met.
We hope that we will always be given the opportunity to address any concerns, most of which can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise and directly with the person concerned.If you are still not satisfied, please put your concerns in writing.

Please be aware that if you leave things too long after the event, it may be impossible to investigate the complaint properly; therefore it is always best to alert us to any concerns you may have at the time. To help us to help you, please provide as much detail as possible with regards to dates, times, personnel involved and the nature of the complaint and the outcome you are hoping for.
All written complaints will be acknowledged within five working days, detailing the proposed actions, how we will keep you updated and the timescales involved. The time from complaint to resolution can vary depending on the individual circumstances, availability of personnel and complexity of the problem.
If we do not succeed in resolving the problem to your satisfaction, you should contact the professional conduct department of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons at Belgrave House, 62- 64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF.