Our Terms of Business

Terms

It is normal procedure for clients to settle their account at the time of consultation or treatment. Failure to make payment after reminders have been sent, may result in the matter being referred to a debt collecting agency, whose charges will be added to, and payable within the invoice debt. Returned cheques or payment not honoured may incur charges.  We reserve the right to request full or partial payment for services in advance, at our discretion. If for any reason, you are unable to settle your account, please raise the matter with a member of staff as soon as possible. Please do not send children under 16 with pets to the surgery unless by prior arrangement with the Practice.  If a pet is brought in by a third party, a note from the owner giving permission for the procedure and consultation is required.

Fees, Payments & Prices

All fees and costs are inclusive of V.A.T.  Charges are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the drugs, materials and consumables used, they also contribute to the costs and overheads of running an accredited 24 hour hospital.  We are always happy to provide you with an estimate prior to treatment, but this is not a quote.  We will try to contact you if we believe costs will exceed the estimate.  However, if you are not contactable, we will act in the pet’s best interest and for the prevention of suffering.  Priory always aims to keep you updated on your bill throughout treatment, and will discuss all available options for your pet.  A detailed invoice is available on request. Please note that returned medication(s) cannot be refunded if they have left the building. Our out of hours fees are greater than those made during our normal working day to support the cost of such service provision.

Our price list is available here (correct at 1st February 2026).

Training Practice

As an RCVS Approved training Practice, we offer the clinical training and work experience essential for veterinary nurses to complete their qualification. We have Student Veterinary Nurses (SVNs) training with us under the supervision of Registered Veterinary Nurses and our vets. This means a Student VN may be involved in caring for your pet. If you would prefer this not to happen, please let your any member of staff know.

Complaints & Standards

Our standards and procedures are meticulously monitored by the R.C.V.S. (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) in order to maintain our Accredited Hospital status.  We are privately managed, and committed to providing first class care.

We try our hardest to avoid dissatisfied clients.  However, if you do have any concerns, we would like to know about them. Complaints are handled by:

Nicola Holmwood (Practice Manager)
Emma Newton (Director)

We have two other Directors – Daniel May and Jess Roose, who are also available. Please contact us  on 01202 484466, email Nicola at [email protected] or Emma at [email protected].  We aim to respond within 48 hours.

Ownership of Records

We release your pet’s history to other vets upon request.  All case records, x-rays and laboratory reports are the property of, and are retained by, the practice.  The Data Protection Act 2018 (the UK’s implementation of GDPR) gives anyone the right to be informed about any personal data relating to themselves upon request.

Out of Hours Service

As an accredited Veterinary Hospital, we provide a 24/7 out-of hours emergency service at our Christchurch Hospital.  This service operates from 5pm to 8am weeknights, and on Sundays and Bank Holidays.  This service is for our registered active clients.  This means you and your pet are already registered with us, and have been seen within the last twelve months.  If you are not registered, we haven’t seen your pet within the last twelve months or you have seen another vet since we last saw your pet, you should access your own vet’s out-of-hours service first. Call us on 01202 484466 to receive instructions on how to contact a vet out of hours for a genuine emergency.  You will be able to get through to either the On Duty Veterinary Surgeon or Nurse. There may be times that they will not be able to answer straight away, please leave contact details and any relevant information for them to get back in touch with you.

Insurance

Whilst advances in veterinary medicine mean we can do more for your pet, treatment costs can soon mount up. As vets, we see pet insurance as a means for pet owners to budget for the unexpected. If the worst happens, it enables our vets to carry out the most appropriate treatment, increasing the likelihood of recovery and a better quality of life for your pet.

We pride ourselves on being one of the only remaining privately owned, independent practices in the local area. However, we can only stay this way by veterinary bills being paid. Finances are the last thing you want to be worrying about when your pet is sick and having a good level of cover can avoid any heartbreaking decisions having to be made for cost reasons. Click here for more information on what to consider when looking at pet insurance.

For the majority of cases we respectfully request payment at the time of treatment, and we will then process your claim as promptly as possible. We aim to provide an efficient service for all insurance claims. Please note that due to the administration involved, the processing of insurance claims may take up to 2 weeks from the date of submission.

In some cases, clients may be able to request a direct claim but this must be authorised by a member of our team prior to any treatment being started. Clients must have a valid pet insurance policy, and will be asked to pay the excess amount as well as a processing fee. Those on our Priory Pet Club healthcare plan will not be required to pay the processing fee.

Clients with policies from Pet Proactive (our preferred insurance provider) can make a claim directly through our reception at each visit once the excess payment has been covered.