Pet Pain Relief
Dr James Hunt
41 High Street
Dulverton TA22 9DW
drjames@petpainrelief.co.uk
01398 630030
Terms of Service
Please read the following important terms and conditions before you seek treatment of your
animal or buy anything from us and check that they contain everything which you want and
nothing that you are not willing to agree to.
- INTRODUCTION
1.1 In these terms and conditions:
1.1.1 “We”, “us”, or “our” means Dr. James Russell Hunt, Veterinary Pain Management
(Sole Trader) whose registered address is at Lower Roborough Farm, Upton, Taunton, TA4
2JD 1.1.2 “You” or “your” means the person seeking referral pain management veterinary
services for an Animal or wishes to buy products from us; and
1.1.3 “Animal” means the animal in respect of which we are providing veterinary services.
1.2 Where you book an appointment with us online or visit our practice we will require you
to confirm your agreement with these terms. Once you have agreed to the terms they will
form the contract between us (the “contract”) and it will apply to all future goods and
services you purchase from us.
1.3 We may update these terms from time to time in which case we will ask you to agree to
the updated terms.
1.4 Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your Animal to us. Some aspects of the
contract may not be relevant to you and we request that you ask for further
explanation/clarification if required, including if you would like this contract in another
format (for example, audio, large print, or braille).
1.5 You may contact us by email to drjrhunt@gmail.com or by writing to us at 41 High
Street, Dulverton, TA22 9DW
1.6 This contract binds you in respect of all goods and services delivered by us to you
including veterinary services for your Animal. If you purchase goods and/or services from
us, you agree to be legally bound by this contract.
1.7 This contract contains our general terms. There may be other terms applicable to
competitions, prizes, pet health care plans, and any other services we offer. Where this is
the case the specific terms will also apply.
1.8 Please be aware that the health and welfare of your Animal is our primary concern and
responsibility. Our policies have been developed to care for your Animal whilst complying
with the codes of practice determined by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the
Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Health and Safety Executive, Environmental Health
Departments and the Financial Conduct Authority. - REGISTRATION AND YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
2.1 It is essential for us to maintain accurate records of our customers and their Animals. In
order to do this we will periodically ask you to confirm the details we hold for you. Up-todate
contact details are particularly important. If your details change at any point, please
inform us so we may ensure our database is as up to date as possible.
2.2 We may contact you either by letter, phone, text or electronic means in order to advise
you of outstanding accounts, reminders of your Animal’s preventative health care treatments
and any marketing offers that might be of benefit to you or your Animal. Please tell reception
if you wish no contact to be made or make your selection clear when you are asked online.
However please be aware that this will remove the ability for us to send vaccination
reminders.
2.3 Our “Privacy Policy” is available on request and on our website.
2.4 Your privacy and personal information are important to us. Any personal information that
you provide to us will be dealt with in line with our Privacy Policy, which explains what
personal information we collect from you, how and why we collect, store, use and share such
information, your rights in relation to your personal information and how to contact us and
supervisory authorities if you have a query or complaint about the use of your personal
information.
2.5 Consultations may be recorded and transcribed to assist in the recording of medical
information. Any internet transmission will be governed by GDPR. - OUR SERVICES
3.1 All veterinary services provided by us are supplied by suitably qualified staff, taking into
account the nature of the services to be supplied in each instance. We will always carry out
the services with reasonable care and skill.
3.2 We reserve the right to provide any veterinary services at our discretion.
3.3 We will carry out the veterinary services by the time or within the period which you and
we agree. If you and we have agreed no time or period, this will be within a reasonable time.
3.4 Our performance of any veterinary services under this contract might be affected by
events beyond our reasonable control. If so, there might be a delay before we can provide the
services or we may have to cancel providing services completely until we notify you
otherwise, but we will try to provide the services as soon as those events have been fixed.
Examples of events which might be beyond our reasonable control include where additional
services are required above those agreed from the outset.
Appointments and Consultations
3.5 You and your Animal(s) are attended to by veterinary surgeons and nurses during
consulting hours by appointment. Appointments are available in the morning, afternoon, and
early evening at times which vary according to the day of the week. Consultations will be
conducted either at our clinic premises, your home address, or the practice premises of your
referring veterinary surgeon. Please contact us for appointment availability.
3.6 A treatment plan for the supply of veterinary services will normally be agreed with you
following an initial consultation and in advance of any further treatment. We may not be able
to prepare a treatment plan in some circumstances e.g. in an emergency.
3.7 In an emergency, we reserve the right to provide veterinary services as are reasonably
necessary, in our professional judgement, without your agreement of a treatment plan.
Out of Hours
3.8 Our services are provided by referral only. By engaging our services you confirm that
you have arrangements with your primary practice for the emergency treatment of your
Animal(s). Urgent advice relating to treatment prescribed by Us can be obtained by
telephoning 01398 630030 or emailing drjrhunt@gmail.com.
Overnight Stays
3.9 By engaging our services you confirm that you have arrangements with your primary
practice for the emergency treatment (including hospitalisation, if necessary) of your
Animal(s). In rare cases it may be appropriate to hospitalise a patient at our clinic premises.
The level of supervision available overnight will be explained to you prior to admission. - GOODS ORDERED
4.1 When you decide to place an order for goods with us, this is when you offer to buy such
goods from us.
4.2 We may contact you to say that we do not accept your order. If we do this, we will try to
tell you promptly why we do not accept your order e.g. because we do not have the goods in
stock, including medication, available or because we are unable to sell them to you.
4.3 Any goods that we supply to you will be:
4.3.1 of satisfactory quality; and
4.3.2 fit for the purpose as expressly agreed by the veterinary surgeon providing the
veterinary services under this contract,
and must only be used in accordance with the instructions supplied with them including
within the packaging of the goods and as directed by the veterinary surgeon providing any
veterinary services relating to the same.
4.4 If we cannot supply certain goods we may need to substitute them with alternative
goods of equal or better standard and value. In this case:
4.4.1 we will let you know if we intend to do this but this may not always be possible; and
4.4.2 you can refuse to accept such substitutes, in which case we will offer you a refund or a
replacement and let you know how long such an offer remains open for.[
4.5 If there is something wrong with the goods or services provided to you under this
contract, please contact us using the contact details at the top of this page. You may ask:
4.5.1 us to replace the goods;
4.5.2 us to repeat the services;
4.5.3 for a price reduction; or
4.5.4 to reject the goods or services (or both) we have provided to you under this contract,
and we will discuss this with you in good faith and ensure that your matter is resolved in
accordance with your legal rights.
4.5.5 Returns of Pet Food Supplements purchased online
If you change your mind about your purchase, you may return unopened pet food supplements within 14 days of receiving your order for a full refund, less any postage fees.
To qualify for a refund:
The product must be in its original packaging, sealed, and in a condition suitable for resale.
For health and hygiene reasons, we cannot accept returns of any supplements that have been opened, unsealed, or used.
You are responsible for the cost of returning the item unless the product is faulty or we have sent the wrong item.
Please contact us using the details above before sending your return so we can provide instructions and a return address.
If the product is faulty, damaged, or not as described, please notify us within 30 days of delivery. We will arrange a replacement or full refund, including any postage costs you paid. Refunds will be issued to your original payment method within 14 days of receiving your returned item(s).
This policy does not affect your statutory rights under UK law.
Re-stocking
4.6 A re-stocking fee may be charged if goods ordered by you, for example repeat
prescriptions, are not collected within a reasonable time. A higher re-stocking fee may be
applied for special orders which are not collected. The full retail price will be charged for
uncollected special-order goods in addition to a re-stocking fee. - FEES AND PAYMENT
5.1 For certain goods and services we may be able to offer a fixed price but due to the
nature of veterinary services it may be that we are only able to provide an estimate in
advance for some services.
5.2 Where an estimate is provided, this will be based on our best calculation, from our
experience, of how much the course of treatment will cost. Please bear in mind that any
estimate given can only be approximate and is not binding – often an Animal’s illness will not
follow a conventional course and there is a certain amount of unpredictability. We will try to
contact you on the contact numbers you have given us if we believe the treatment costs are
going to exceed the estimated costs however if you are not contactable we will treat your
Animal as is necessary for the prevention of pain or suffering.
5.3 When we come to charge you for the goods and services provided when we have
previously only provided an estimate, we will charge you for our veterinary services based on
the time and skill level required for the services actually provided. We also charge according
to the medicines, materials, and consumables used.
5.4 Our charges may be based on the allocation of appointments, or/and the consultation
process, with or without an Animal present. We may also charge you fees for missed
appointments where these have been pre-booked including for operations and consultations.
5.5 All fees charged to you are inclusive of VAT at the current rate where this should be
applied.
5.6 Our fees may be adjusted annually and we will notify you of such an adjustment.
5.7 We will invoice you and your account is due for settlement at the end of the consultation,
the discharge of your Animal, or upon collection of medicines/diets, as applicable. You may
request a detailed and itemised breakdown for your invoice.
5.8 You acknowledge and agree that if you are the registered owner of the Animal according
to our records, you are liable for any fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your
Animal even if your Animal is brought to us on your behalf by a relative, friend, or agent or
otherwise by a third party. We will endeavour to obtain written confirmation from the
relative, friend, or agent who has brought your Animal to us that they have your consent in
respect of the treatment to be provided to your Animal. However you acknowledge that this
may not always be possible. Regardless of this, you agree to be liable in respect of any such
fees incurred in the diagnosis and treatment of your Animal.
5.9 Please do keep us updated if the registered owner of your Animal changes so that we can
keep our records up to date. If you have not updated us prior to charges being incurred under
these terms, we may approach the registered owner on our system for payment.
5.10 We accept cash, online payments, and BACS transfer. In some cases we may accept relevant
vouchers that are valid and in date.
5.11 Any credit or debit card payment not honoured and any cash tendered that is found to be
counterfeit will result in the original account being restored to the original sum with further
charges added in respect of bank charges and administration costs together with interest on
the invoice amount. - LATE PAYMENT
6.1 If, for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, we ask you to
discuss the matter as soon as possible with a member of our staff.
6.2 Should your invoice not be paid and your account not be settled on the date payment is
incurred then a reminder will be sent to you with an additional accounting charge added in
respect of the administrative costs incurred. Should it be necessary for further reminders to be
sent, further administrative costs will be incurred. These however, may be deducted at our
discretion if payment is made promptly.
6.3 After due notice to you, overdue accounts may be referred to our debt collection
department or an external agency and further charges may be levied in respect of costs
incurred in collecting the debt. This can include production of reports, correspondence, courts
fees, attendance at court, phone calls, and home visits. - ANIMAL INSURANCE
7.1 We strongly support the principle of insuring your Animal against unexpected illness or
accidents. We are currently unable to submit claims directly to your insurers, therefore you
will be responsible will be responsible for settling your account in the normal way directly
with us at the time of treatment. If you require information from us as part of your claim we
will provide all reasonable assistance as soon as we are able to.
7.2 We undertake to complete any insurance documentation within 7 days of receiving such
from You or your insurers. - PRESCRIPTIONS
8.1 Our treatment recommendation to your primary vet may be that they prescribe
medication. Alternatively a written Veterinary Prescription may be issued which can be
fulfilled by a registered pharmacy or veterinary practice.
8.2 Our repeat prescription service for Animals on long term medication allows you to reorder
medication and/or written prescriptions over the phone and/or online. In compliance
with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons best practice guidelines, we do insist that
your Animal is examined by your vet every six months (or more frequently should the
recommendation for the use of a specific medication require it) and that any recommended
diagnostic tests associated with monitoring the efficacy and/or side effects of the drug are
completed. We will advise you when these are due.
9.5 It is practice policy to limit the amount of any Prescription Only Medication (POM-V) to
that which our veterinary surgeons reasonably consider is required. For some POM-Vs we
may be able to supply six (6) months’ treatment whereas for others it may be much less.
Please discuss with us our policies in respect of individual POM-Vs if you are looking to use
this service.
9.6 Medication posted to clients will be sent by recorded delivery and subject to a post and
packing charge, which will be added to your account. - CONSENT
9.1 Written signed consent for procedures is required in all cases of admission to our practice
and/or hospital and we will endeavour to discuss alterations prior to action being taken or
other services being provided.
9.2 Consent is also required for the use of medications in species for which they were not
licensed. In some instances we may also suggest human alternative medicines which are not
licensed for use in Animals but have proven activity and in such circumstances we will
obtain your consent in advance. In all circumstances where licences are not available for the
use of medicines with specific Animals, we must use drugs which have proven efficacy despite a lack of licence. - FEEDBACK, STANDARDS, AND COMPLAINTS
10.1 We appreciate your feedback, it helps us to deliver our commitment to excellence, for
you and your pet. If you have any questions or feedback for us please speak to one of the
Practice team.
10.2 We are committed to providing a high standard of service and care. We realise,
however, that things can go wrong and there may be occasions when you feel your
expectations were not met. We hope that you will give us a chance to put things right. Most
problems can be sorted out easily and quickly, often at the time they arise. If your problem
cannot be sorted out in this way, and you wish to make a formal complaint, we would like
you to let us know in writing within 3 months of the incident that is the subject of the
complaint as it is easier to investigate and resolve complaints regarding recent rather than
historic incidents. This does not affect your ability to make a claim in respect of defective
goods or services at law either under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or otherwise or in
instances where you believe there has been professional negligence or misconduct. Please do
let us know as soon as you are able to about any issue you may have.
10.3 We want to avoid you feeling any unnecessary distress or frustration – however, most
issues can be resolved informally, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss any
concerns with you. Please speak to a member of the Practice team as soon as possible. We
commit to:
10.3.1 Listen;
10.3.2 Fully investigate;
10.3.3 Bring the right people together to respond to your questions and concerns;
10.3.4 Keep you updated, and come back to you when we say we will; and
10.3.5 Learn from discussions to make sure we continually improve the quality of our
service.
10.4 If you feel that you need to raise a formal complaint:
10.4.1 Please put your concerns in writing;
10.4.2 Include a factual summary of events that have led to this point;
10.4.3 Let us know what your expectation is for resolution; and
10.4.4 Let us know how you would like us to keep you updated.
The process we will follow is:
10.4.5 Your complaint will be passed to our Complaints Manager who will provide an
acknowledgement within 2 working days (Mon – Fri).
10.4.6 We’ll engage all appropriate people and investigate thoroughly.
10.4.7 We’ll aim to respond to you within 7 working days (Mon – Fri) of this
acknowledgement. If we can’t achieve that, we’ll be in touch to set an expectation on
timescales.
10.4.8 We’ll arrange a telephone call or meeting with you to discuss the findings, so we can
add context and discuss any subsequent questions. However, if you require a written response
please let us know and we’ll arrange that.
10.5 If you remain unhappy with the outcome, the Veterinary Client Mediation Service
(VCMS) offers a free of charge service that may be able to help. You can find more
information at https://www.vetmediation.co.uk/clients VCMS can help you if your concern
relates to the service you have received from your veterinary practice, the fees you have been
charged or negligence. Negligence is the failure of staff to act in the way expected of
similarly qualified professionals in those circumstances, i.e. their performance is short of the
expected standards. You can learn more about negligence at
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/document-library/a-note-on-negligence/ If discussions with your
veterinary practice have not led to the apology, further treatment or financial conclusion you
feel is necessitated by the situation, you can contact VCMS at; Tel: 0345 040 5834, Email:
enquiries@vetmediation.co.uk
10.6 The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) can only deal with the most serious
concerns that relate to a vet or vet nurse’s professional conduct. This includes very poor
professional performance which falls far short of the standards set out in the RCVS Code of
Professional Conduct. These serious shortfalls can affect a vet / vet nurse’s ability to practise.
If you think your concern is for the RCVS you can contact them on 020 7202 0789 or fill in
their short enquiry form at https://animalowners.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/ - OWNERSHIP OF CLINICAL RECORDS AND DIAGNOSTIC IMAGES
11.1 Case records including radiographs, photographs and similar documents are the property
of, and will be retained by us. Copies with a summary of the history can be passed on request
to another veterinary surgeon or allied professional providing care to a case if needed on
your request.
11.2 The care given to your Animal may involve making some specific investigations, for
example taking radiographs or performing ultrasound scans. Even though we make a charge
for carrying out these investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting
record, for example a radiograph, photograph or video, remains with us. - REFERRALS AND SECOND OPINIONS
12.1 On some occasions it may be necessary to refer your Animal to another veterinary
surgeon. This is normally only necessary if your Animal’s condition requires specialist
knowledge or facilities that are not available in our practice. By way of example, this
sometimes happens for orthopaedic and neurological cases which require CT or MRI
facilities. We do not charge a referral fee in such instances but the receiving vet will charge
directly for the services provided by them.
12.2 Second opinion appointments can be requested either to see another veterinary surgeon
within our practice or to another veterinary practice. These are sometimes requested if a
client wishes to confirm a diagnosis or obtain a different veterinary opinion. In all cases we
will on request provide a full clinical history to the requesting veterinary surgeon or the
client, but not both. - LIMITS ON OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO YOU
13.1 Except for any legal responsibility that we cannot exclude in law (such as for death of a
person or personal injury caused by our negligence) or arising under applicable laws relating
to the protection of your personal information, we are not legally responsible for any: .
(a) losses that
(b) were not foreseeable to you and us when the contract was formed. Loss or damage is
foreseeable if either it is obvious that it will happen or if, at the time the contract was made,
both we and you knew it might happen, for example, if you discussed it with us during the
sales process; or
(c) that were not caused by any breach on our part of this contract;
13.1.2 business losses; and
13.1.3 losses to non-consumers.
13.2 Subject to clause 13.1 above, our liability to you will be limited to an amount equal to
the value of the goods and services provided by us under this contract. - END OF THE CONTRACT
If this contract is ended it will not affect our right to receive any money which you owe to us
under it. - GENERAL
15.1 No one other than a party to this contract has any right to enforce any term of this
contract.
15.2 No addition or variation of this contract will bind us unless it is specifically agreed in
writing and signed by one of the partners. No agent or person employed by or under contract
with, us has the authority to alter or vary this contract in any way.
15.3 If any provision of this contract (or part of any provision) is or becomes illegal, invalid
or unenforceable, the legality, validity, and enforceability of the other provisions of this
contract between us and you will not be affected.
15.4 If you want to take court proceedings, the courts of England shall have exclusive
jurisdiction, except where you live in another part of the United Kingdom and in such
instances you may make a claim in the courts of the country in which you reside.
15.5 The laws of England and Wales will apply to this contract.