Hampton Equine Vets Ltd
Terms and Conditions of Business
1. Introduction
These terms and conditions govern how Hampton Equine Vets Ltd provides products & services to clients. In these terms and conditions “we”, “us” and “our” means Hampton Equine Vets Ltd. Hampton Equine Vets is a trading name of Hampton Equine Vets Ltd. Some of the terms below include examples by way of clarification; these should not be regarded as exhaustive or limited. These terms also cover who we are, how you or we may terminate the contract, and what to do if there is a problem. When we register a client, we ask them to indicate that they have read, understood and agree to be bound by our terms and conditions which are available for viewing on our website.
2. Services We Provide
Hampton Equine Vets Ltd provides equine ambulatory services in accordance with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Code of Conduct. We are a limited company registered in England and Wales. Our company registration number is 15093370. Our registered VAT number is GB 448057871.
For registered clients, we provide a first opinion and emergency service 24/7, 365 days a year. We have high quality and fully mobile equipment including an x-ray, ultrasound, endoscope and gastroscope. Opening hours can be found on our website.
Hampton Equine Vets does not provide any services related to hospitalisation of horses, in-patient care and does not take responsibility for involved third party businesses such as external laboratories used for diagnostic testing. We do not offer routine dentistry or stud services.
Services that cannot be provided by us will be carried out by third party contractors. The identity of the contractor will be agreed with the client before instruction, except in an emergency in which case you agree to the reasonable opinion of the vet.
3. How To Communicate With Us
You may communicate by emailing us (office@hamptonequinevets.com), phoning us (01453 297 224), or by writing to our registered office address (Hyde Lodge, Hyde, Nr Chalford, Stroud, Gloucestershire, GL68NZ). In the case of an emergency outside normal office hours, please call the main office number which will be diverted to the on duty vet.
New clients must complete the application form on our website. Please note that submitting the form does not confirm registration. Each application will be reviewed on an individual basis, and you will be informed of our decision by phone or email within three working days. If your application is accepted, our contract does not begin until you have provided us with all previous patient medical history, and we have agreed to carry out treatment as instructed by you or your agent.
Please use our website to complete request forms for repeat medications, prescriptions, non-urgent appointments and pre-purchase examinations (vettings).
4. Instructions
We cannot accept instructions from anybody under the age of 18 years.
In certain situations we understand that requests will be made by persons acting as your agent, such as the yard manager or owner. We will assume, unless advised in writing by yourself, that they have your authority and are acting in your interest and on your behalf. As such, any instructions from your agent shall be deemed as an instruction from you. By consenting to these terms and conditions, you agree that we have the legal right to provide your animal, without your consent where your consent cannot be easily obtained, with emergency treatment which is essential for their welfare (including euthanasia).
Requests for any account details to be changed must be made in writing by the account holder.
Any incorporated business that becomes a registered client, needs to nominate a natural person with whom personal liability for fees will reside.
In the case of shared ownership or syndicate arrangements, each owner is jointly and severally responsible for any account fees.
5. Your Obligations
At Hampton Equine Vets Ltd, working with clients we trust and who share our ethos is an essential part of our practice culture. Maintaining professional relationships is crucial to ensuring that we can deliver the best service possible, and this requires our clients to do the following:
i. Co-operate with our staff members in terms of any reasonable requirements.
ii. Ensure that we are aware of any relevant previous clinical history prior to the appointment.
iii. Follow all reasonable instructions from our vets in relation to the treatment of any animal under our care.
iv. To not dispose of, and to take reasonable care of any materials, medication or equipment left on site. In such cases, please contact us without delay to inform us.
v. Ensure that the relevant owner or agent details are kept up to date with our office by notifying us of any change in writing. This includes changes in contact details and any patient alterations (e.g. sold/new/deceased/new yard address).
vi. As we offer our clients a comprehensive service, including our own in-house emergency service, and in keeping with the RCVS ‘under care’ guidance, we ask that your horse is only registered with Hampton Equine Vets Ltd. This is to ensure that we are fully aware of your animal’s full clinical history and are able to take this into consideration when administering emergency treatment. Exemptions to this condition will only be made in exceptional circumstances, as agreed with the director on a case-by-case basis. If you require a second opinion, or referral for services that we cannot offer, we will discuss and arrange this with your permission. If you decide to proceed with referral, you consent to us passing your contact details and any relevant clinical records to the referral centre.
vii. Comply with all applicable laws, including health and safety regulations.
viii. Adhere to our zero tolerance policy on threatening, abusive or violent behaviour to any members of our staff. If we feel there has been a breakdown in the professional relationship between us and the client, then we reserve the right to terminate provision of veterinary services (see section 19).
ix. Adhere to the remainder of these terms and conditions.
6. Fees
Professional fees are determined by time spent on a case, the time of day, and according to drugs, materials and consumables used. Emergency work outside of normal opening hours will be subjected to a visit surcharge. Visit fees will be split equally among clients sharing the same visit. In some instances, we will incur a cost on your behalf, for example testing at external laboratories. You may receive an invoice relating to these fees at a later date, once we have received our invoice from the third party.
All fees and drugs are subject to VAT at the current rate. The cost of prescription only medications is frequently monitored to ensure our prices remain competitive. Up front payment is required for prescriptions, repeat medications and certain services such as pre-purchase examinations (PPE). In the case of any alteration in the service provided, for example early termination of a PPE where a horse is deemed unsuitable for purchase, you will be refunded the appropriate amount within three working days. In addition, we reserve the right to request payment prior to, or at the time of the visit for new clients – you will be informed of this at the time of booking the appointment. Delays in starting a consultation, or late cancellations (within 24 hours of the arranged appointment time) will disrupt efficient scheduling of vet’s time. We reserve the right to apply surcharges for delays or late cancellations.
7. Estimates
On request, we will provide you with an estimate for the cost of treatment. However, please note that it is not always possible to predict all events during the course of a diagnostic investigation or treatment plan, and further costs may be incurred. We will endeavour to keep you informed of additional costs as and when they arise.
8. Payment Terms
As a small business, we need to ensure that payment of accounts are made on time to aid with cash-flow and allow us to keep our fees at a reasonable rate.
Hampton Equine Vets Ltd run a paperless invoice system. All invoices will be sent by email, unless a hard copy is specifically requested. If you require a hard copy sent by post, you will be responsible for the postage fees. By agreeing to our terms and conditions you agree to update the office with any changes to your contact details.
Payment terms are strictly within 7 days of the date of the invoice, and all amounts due will be paid in full without any set off, counter claim, deduction or withholding (other than as required by law).
We accept cash, credit card or online payment to our nominated bank. Payments can also be made via the payment platform on our website. Please include your client reference and invoice number when making payment so that it can be allocated to your account.
Account Name: Hampton Equine Vets Ltd
Account Number: 58041704
Sort Code: 60-83-71
For overseas payments, additional bank charges are payable by the client and shall be paid in Sterling Pound.
No payment shall be deemed to have been made until we have received cleared funds. Accounts more than 14 days overdue will be subject to a late payment fee of £30, plus interest at 8% above base rate compounded monthly. This will be done in accordance with the late payment legislation, with such interest to accrue on a daily basis from the due date until the outstanding amount is paid in full. Non-payment after 30 days may result in referral to a debt collection agency, or court action.
In the case of overdue accounts, routine work will not be carried out. Emergency work will require payment at the time of treatment. Alternatively, we may advise you in writing that we are terminating provision of veterinary services (see section 19).
9. Insurance:
Hampton Equine Vets Ltd supports the principle of insuring your horse against unexpected accident, illness or injury and recommends that you contact your insurance company once you are aware of any potential claim. It is your responsibility to obtain the veterinary fees claim form, fill out the relevant section and email it to our office for processing. You must ensure that all details submitted are correct. Hampton Equine Vets Ltd will not engage in cases of insurance fraud, and any expectation to be involved are grounds for us to immediately terminate our contract with you.
When you submit a veterinary fees claim form to us, we will accept this as authorisation to discuss the claim directly with your insurance company. Insurance claims carry the same payment terms as detailed in section 8. It remains your responsibility to settle invoices directly with us, and arrange the reimbursement from your insurance company separately. You are liable for any costs not covered by your insurance company; this includes our insurance administration fee, and your policy excess. Hampton Equine Vets Ltd accepts no liability should any claim be rejected (in part or full) – it is your responsibility to settle any outstanding invoices in full.
10. Passports
Please ensure that there is a passport for your horse available whenever the vet is in attendance. The passport will be checked to confirm whether the horse has been declared ‘not intended for human consumption’. Hampton Equine Vets Ltd reserves the right to sign the horse as not intended for human consumption. This will allow us to treat the horse according to clinical needs in an emergency situation, without having any additional restrictions regarding administration of drugs prohibited in food producing animals.
11. Medications and Prescriptions
As per the RCVS regulations, we can only supply prescription medications to animals under our care who have undergone a recent clinical examination. Repeat medications and prescriptions can only be issued following regular examinations, at a maximum of six monthly intervals. In some cases, more frequent monitoring may be required, and this will be at the discretion of the treating veterinary surgeon.
Medication and prescription requests should be submitted via the form on our website. Please allow plenty of time when submitting these requests, as they will require approval by a veterinary surgeon, and sufficient stock to be ordered. It remains your responsibility to ensure that a prescription review is arranged in good time before the requirement for a repeat prescription arises. Payment is required before prescriptions or repeat medications can be dispensed. Please note that as per guidance from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, we are unable to accept or credit returned drugs as they are unsuitable for resale. However, we can safely dispose of any unwanted medications.
It is an offence to alter a prescription in any way without authorisation from the prescribing veterinary surgeon. If we identify prescription misuse, we will inform our regulatory authority, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). The VMD will investigate the matter and decide what further action to take. In the event of deliberate prescription misuse, we may choose to inform you in writing that we are terminating veterinary services.
In some instances, we may decide that it is appropriate to prescribe ‘off label’ medication (outside the data sheet recommendations), or to prescribe a specifically prepared unauthorised medicine, or a medicine imported from another country under a Special Import Certificate. In agreeing to our terms and conditions, you accept that there may be risks and side effects associated with medications prescribed and supplied by Hampton Equine Vets Ltd.
12. Vaccination Reminders
Email reminders for vaccinations will be sent directly via our practice management system. Please note this a complimentary service, and it remains your responsibility to ensure that you book appointments at the appropriate interval to keep your animal’s vaccinations up to date. Hampton Equine Vets Ltd holds no liability for the costs incurred if an animal exceeds the recommended vaccination interval and requires a repeat primary vaccination course.
13. Clinical Records
All clinical records and diagnostic images (e.g. x-rays) remain the property of Hampton Equine Vet Ltd. Accumulated information may be used for the purposes of veterinary education, including publications and presentations unless you inform us in writing that you do not wish for this to be the case. Information used for such purposes will be completely anonymised such that no identifying data (client or animal name) will be apparent. In addition, any photos, videos or diagnostic images taken can be used by Hampton Equine Vets Ltd on social media platforms or the website, so long as they are anonymised if of a sensitive nature. Again, you must notify us in writing if you do not wish for this to happen. Unless there are outstanding fees on an account requiring settlement, we will supply a summary of the clinical records and required diagnostic images to another veterinary surgeon taking over treatment upon request.
14. Confidentiality and Data Protection
Hampton Equine Vets Ltd recognises that client confidentiality is of the utmost importance. We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office as the data controller. We will not pass any of your personal identifiable details to third parties without your permission. Any personal data we collect is used in accordance with our privacy policy, a copy of which can be found on our website.
15. Second Opinions
You are entitled to seek a second opinion with another veterinary surgeon at your cost. If all outstanding fees have been settled, we will send any relevant clinical history to the practice of your choice.
16. Disputes or complaints
Hampton Equine Vets Ltd are committed to providing a high standard of veterinary care, and hope you will never need to make a complaint. However, if you have a complaint we ask that this is sent via email (office@hamptonequinevets.com), or post at our registered address for the attention of the director. We will respond within five working days of receipt, and let you know who is handling the complaint, along with when you should expect to hear back from us.
Any invoice disputes must be submitted in writing to the director within seven days of the invoice issue date.
17. Liability
Liability wholly excludes the loss of profits, sales, contracts or agreements, anticipated savings, goodwill, software or data.
18. Personal Injury and Property Damage
You should review and confirm your liability insurance properly covers you for injuries sustained by people and property on your premises. If, for example, an animal in your care damages our property, other than for trivial items, you will be held liable.
19. Withdrawal of Veterinary Services
You have the right to stop veterinary treatment of your animal at any time by instructing us in writing. Hampton Equine Vets Ltd also reserves the right to withdraw veterinary services in the event of the professional relationship between veterinary surgeon and client breaking down. We will advise you of this decision in writing, and will provide emergency services only for 14 days before transferring veterinary care (and patient clinical history) to a practice of your choice.
If veterinary services are withdrawn or the contract is ended, it will not affect our right to receive any money which you owe Hampton Equine Vets Ltd under this contract.
These terms and conditions of business shall be interpreted in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. The English Courts have jurisdiction in any dispute arising out of our work on your behalf. We reserve the right to make amendments to our business terms and conditions from time to time – an up to date copy will always be available on our website.