Practice Terms & Conditions
Portland Vets
Our Branches
East Grinstead – 27 Portland Road, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19 4EB, 01342 327799
Edenbridge – Shefts Croft, Mill Hill, Edenbridge, Kent TN8 5DB, 01732 868680
Horley – 8 Sangers Mews, Horley Row, Horley, Surrey RH6 8DH, 01293 782684
It is important to us that you have a good experience at our practices. Read our terms and conditions here so you know what to expect or contact us for more information.
Our Mission Statement
Portland Vets is an independent small animal veterinary practice with three branches providing first opinion and referral services – East Grinstead in West Sussex, Edenbridge in Kent, and Horley in Surrey.
We provide tailored, individual care to each of our patients by:
- Having skilled and experienced clinical staff with up to date knowledge and varied areas of interest
- Prioritising preventative healthcare and animal wellbeing
- Investing in modern equipment and facilities
- Offering a wide range of treatment options
We meet the needs of our clients by:
- Providing excellent customer service
- Holding consultations by appointment throughout the day
- Being transparent with our fees
- Creating an open, friendly atmosphere that enables effective communication
We nurture our workplace culture of compassion, respect and balance by:
- Mentoring and building strong relationships
- Empowering staff to work proactively and creatively
- Talking openly about wellbeing and mental health
- Focusing on job crafting and career development
Consultations
Consultations are available throughout the day on weekdays and until 3pm on Saturdays (11.30am at Edenbridge). All consultations are by appointment, but emergency cases will be accommodated as required.
Our current vet consultation fee is £54.50 for initial and follow up visits (correct as of Sept 2024). Clients are welcome to request an appointment with a particular vet.
A wide range of services are provided by our veterinary nurses, including puppy and kitten development checks, weight loss and mobility clinics, nail clipping and blood pressure measurement.
Surgical and Diagnostic Procedures
We perform planned surgical operations and diagnostic procedures between 9am and 4pm, from Monday to Friday. Patients are usually admitted between 8.15 am and 10am and are accommodated in our comfortable kennels, with an assigned member of staff to look after them. We contact owners during the day to provide updates and to confirm a discharge appointment time.
Emergency care must be prioritised which, on occasion, can mean an unavoidable delay to planned procedures.
In-Patient Care
We provide 24-hour care at the East Grinstead surgery for our in-patients during the week, with nursing staff on site overnight and a veterinary surgeon on call. From 4pm on Saturday until 8am on Monday and bank holidays, our in-patient care is provided by the Vets Now in Tunbridge Wells and Sutton. Animals that require ongoing care are transferred on Saturday afternoon, or the evening prior to a bank holiday, either by their owner or in our ambulance.
Any changes to this arrangement will be posted on our website and communicated to affected clients.
Client Conduct
The vast majority of our clients treat Portland Vets’ team members with the courtesy and respect that is essential for an effective professional relationship.
People have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at work and Portland Vets has a zero-tolerance approach to harassment and bullying of team members by clients.
We encourage our employees to report instances of harassment or bullying to their line managers, and allegations will be considered speedily, seriously and confidentially.
Unacceptable client behaviour will be responded to by the Practice Manager. This may result in a written warning regarding the client’s future conduct or formal notice of withdrawal of veterinary services (‘sacking’).
Out of Ours Service
Provision of excellent healthcare is important to us 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We appreciate that veterinary attention may be required outside of normal opening times, so our out of hours service is readily accessible and well resourced.
Our own veterinary surgeons provide this service up until 10pm on weeknights and until 4pm on Saturday afternoons.
Vets Now in Tunbridge Wells and Sutton provide a dedicated veterinary emergency service, with a team of night vets and nurses available from 10pm until 8am and during weekends and bank holidays.
Vets Now Tunbridge Wells can be found at 11 Culverden Park Road, Tunbridge Wells,TN4 9RD. Their telephone number is 01892 457918.
Vets Now Sutton can be found at 609–613 London Road, North Cheam, SM3 9DF. Their telephone number is 0208 1092717.
Prescriptions
Medication is usually dispensed directly from the surgery at the time of the appointment, in accordance with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and Veterinary Medicines Directorate guidelines. You may obtain Prescription Only Medicines Veterinary, (POM-Vs) from your veterinary surgeon OR ask for a written prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or a pharmacy. These can only be provided for animals under their care.
Written prescriptions can be requested to allow drugs to be purchased from a UK online pharmacy. These must be approved and signed by a vet and are only available for animals under their care. The current prescription fee is £17.50 (Jan 2024).
Long-Term Medication
For pets on long-term treatment, our repeat prescription service allows medication and written prescriptions to be requested by phone. To comply with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons best practice general policy of this practice is to re-assess any patient requiring repeat prescriptions every 6 months, to ensure nothing has changed that could make using the medication harmful to the patient. The fee for this appointment will be £54.50. Prescription check may vary with individual circumstance, e.g. when doses change. We will inform you if this is the case.
POM-V medication used for preventative healthcare, such as flea and worm treatments, can be dispensed for animals that have been examined by one of our vets within the last year.
Medication can be sent by recorded delivery, subject to a post and packing charge payable at the time of ordering.
Fees
Our fees reflect the service, facilities, equipment and clinical expertise required to offer our patients the best possible care.
The practice policy is to charge fairly, consistently and openly. We can provide written cost estimates prior to diagnostic procedures, surgical operations and planned treatment. Please bear in mind that any estimate given can only be approximate, but we will keep you informed of additional costs at the earliest opportunity.
If you are concerned about fee affordability, please discuss options with the veterinary surgeon or practice manager before treatment proceeds.
All fees, food and drugs are subject to VAT.
Our consultation fee is currently £54.50 (correct as of Sept 2024). Missed appointments may incur a £10.50 charge.
Payment
Payment is expected at the time of consultation, on the collection of medication/diets or prior to the discharge of a patient. In certain circumstances, we can make direct claims for insured pets – this should be discussed prior to treatment, if possible.
We accept payment by cash, debit/credit card or bank transfer. Any credit card payment or insurance claim not honored, or any cash tendered found to be counterfeit, will result in the account being restored to the original sum, with further charges added to cover our bank charges and administration costs.
We understand that treatment of your pet may incur costs that you had not budgeted for. If, for any reason, you are struggling to settle your account as specified, we ask you to discuss the matter as soon as possible with the practice manager. Please note instalments or part payments of any account may ONLY be sanctioned with the express permission of the practice manager.
Unpaid accounts may be subject to additional fees and interest.
We reserve the right to refuse any treatment other than emergency first aid to animals belonging to clients with long term outstanding accounts. Clients may be refused all treatment and asked to register with another veterinary practice after appropriate notice has been given.
Insurance
We highly recommend that all pets are insured to help cover the costs of veterinary treatment. Please see our separate insurance document for more information.
Second Opinions & Referrals
Clients may request a second opinion for their pet. This can be arranged with an alternative veterinary surgeon at Portland Vets or by attending a different practice. Please ask the chosen practice to contact us and, with permission, we will forward the clinical history.
Occasionally, animals may require specialised treatment that we do not have the equipment or skills to offer. We work with an orthopaedic surgeon who is able to come to our surgery for a referral consultation and, in other cases, we arrange an appointment at a local referral practice. There is an administration fee for this process.
Immunosuppressed Owners
A small number of medications and vaccines can be potentially harmful to people with compromised immune systems. Please inform the veterinary surgeon if anyone who has close contact with the pet is pregnant or immunosuppressed, eg receiving chemotherapy or anti-rejection drugs.
Microchipping
It is a legal requirement for dogs and cats to be microchipped and the registration details kept up to date. Our vets and nurses can implant and check microchips.
Use of Images
We sometimes take images of our patients and these can form part of their clinical records. We may also wish to use images on our social media pages or website to highlight veterinary issues and/or market the practice but we will always obtain permission from the owner before publishing.
Ownership of Case Records, Radiographs & Similar Documents
Case records, including radiographs and other similar documents, remain the property of and will be retained by Portland Vets. Records can be copied and, with your permission, forwarded to another veterinary surgeon.
We have controls in place to deal with personal details and client records in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulations 2016.
Feedback
We welcome your feedback on our service at any time. If you feel that any aspect of the practice could be improved or has particularly impressed you, or you are interested in joining the Portland Vets client forum, please speak to our client care coordinator or email the practice manager.
Complaints
We hope that you never have reason to complain about the standard of service received from Portland Vets.
However, if there is something you wish to bring to our attention, please speak to a member of the veterinary, nursing or reception teams or ask for the practice manager. See our full complaints procedure.
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