Terms & Conditions

About us

Hawthorn Veterinary Clinic is an independent veterinary practice regulated by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Our veterinary surgeons and registered veterinary nurses are bound by the RCVS codes of professional conduct.

Appointments and cancellations

Appointments can be booked by telephone on 01780 555 042, online, or in person. We ask that you give us as much notice as possible if you need to cancel or rearrange, so we can offer the time to another pet. We reserve the right to charge for appointments missed without reasonable notice.

Fees and payment

• Our fees reflect the time, expertise, medicines, materials and equipment involved in your pet’s care. A current price list is available on request and on our website.
• Payment is due in full at the time of treatment unless a written arrangement has been made in advance.
• We accept the payment methods displayed at the practice. Estimates can be provided on request; please note that an estimate is a guide, and the final cost may vary as treatment progresses.
• Overdue accounts may be referred to a debt-recovery agency, and any reasonable costs incurred may be added to the balance owed.

Pet insurance

We strongly recommend insuring your pet. Please note that responsibility for settling your account remains with you, regardless of whether you are insured. Where your policy allows, we may be able to process a direct claim at our discretion; otherwise we ask you to pay us and reclaim the cost from your insurer. We are happy to complete claim forms, though an administration fee may apply.

Consent to treatment

We will always seek to discuss the recommended treatment and likely costs with you before proceeding. By presenting your pet for treatment you consent to examination and to such care as is, in our clinical judgement, necessary for its welfare. In an emergency where you cannot be contacted, we will act in the best interests of your animal.

Prescriptions and medicines

Prescription-only veterinary medicines (POM-V) are supplied only for animals under our care and following a clinical assessment by one of our veterinary surgeons. You are free to obtain prescribed medicines from us or, if you prefer, from another licensed supplier of your choice — in which case we will provide a written prescription. A reasonable charge applies for written prescriptions, and we will not charge differently for our other goods and services depending on where you choose to buy your pet’s medicines.

Some ongoing medications require your pet to be re-examined at appropriate intervals before a repeat prescription can be issued. We will tell you how often these re-examinations are needed and what they cost, so there are no surprises.

Microchipping

Microchipping is a legal requirement for dogs and, since 10 June 2024, for cats in England. Where we implant a microchip, we will register it on a Defra-compliant database. It remains your responsibility to keep your contact details up to date with the database — especially if you move home or change your phone number — so that you and your pet can be reunited if it is ever lost.

Out-of-hours and emergency care

In line with our professional obligations, we take steps to provide 24-hour emergency first aid and pain relief for our registered patients. Outside our normal opening hours, this cover is provided by our out-of-hours partner, Vets Now Peterborough, to whom you will be directed. Charges for emergency and out-of-hours care may differ from our standard fees. See our emergencies page for details.

Clinical records and ownership

Clinical records, radiographs, ultrasound scans and similar materials remain the property of the practice. On request, copies of records or a summary history can be passed to another veterinary practice. We handle your personal data as described in our Privacy Policy.

Liability

We will provide our services with reasonable care and skill in line with accepted veterinary standards. Nothing in these terms limits our liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, or for any other liability that cannot be excluded by law.

Complaints

We aim to provide the highest standard of care. If you are unhappy with any aspect of our service, please raise it with us in the first instance by emailing hello@hawthornvets.co.uk so we can put things right.

If we are unable to resolve your concern together, you can refer the matter to the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) — a free, independent and impartial service that helps resolve disputes about fees and customer care. You can find out more at vetmediation.co.uk. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, our regulator, considers concerns about the professional conduct of veterinary surgeons and nurses, but does not deal with disputes over fees or customer service.

Governing law

These terms are governed by the law of England and Wales, and any disputes will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of its courts.

Changes to these terms

We may update these terms from time to time. The version published on this page, with the date shown above, is the one that applies.