These Terms of Business apply to all clients of The Veterinary Wellness Centre and to all services we provide, unless we have agreed otherwise in writing. By registering with us or accepting treatment for your animal, you agree to these terms. Please read them alongside our Privacy & Cookie Policy and, if you are a member, the Pet Wellness Plan Terms & Conditions. If there is anything you do not understand, please ask a member of our team.
1. Who we are
The Veterinary Wellness Centre is a trading name of Botanical Veterinary Care Ltd, a company registered in Scotland (company number SC723753, VAT GB448558745), of 73–77 Whitehill Street, Newcraighall, Musselburgh EH21 8QZ. We are a practice registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
2. Our fees
All fees, diagnostic procedures, medicines and consumables are subject to VAT at the current rate. Our fees reflect the time spent on a case and the medicines, materials, diagnostics and equipment used. A range of our standard fees is published on our prices page; a detailed invoice or receipt is available for every consultation, procedure or transaction.
3. Estimates
We are happy to provide an estimate of the likely cost of a course of treatment, and we encourage you to ask for one. Please remember that any estimate can only be approximate — an animal's illness may not follow a predictable course, and costs may differ from the estimate. We will do our best to keep you informed and to discuss any significant change with you as the situation develops.
4. Payment
Payment is due at the time of treatment or on collection of your animal or medicines, unless a payment plan such as the Pet Wellness Plan has been agreed in advance.
- We accept payment by card and other methods displayed at reception. Card payments — and any card you keep on file — are handled securely by our payment processor, Nordhealth Pay; we do not store your full card details ourselves.
- With your authority, we may keep a card on file to settle accounts (for example for the Pet Wellness Plan, or for treatment costs).
- Accounts not settled when due may be subject to a reminder, an administrative charge, interest, and/or referral to a debt-recovery agency. Any costs we incur in recovering an overdue account may be passed on to you.
5. Pet insurance and direct claims
We strongly support insuring your pet against unexpected veterinary costs. Please note:
- You remain responsible for settling your account with us, regardless of whether you are insured;
- Where your policy and insurer allow, we can process a direct claim so that payment comes to us from your insurer. Direct claims handling is included for Pet Wellness Plan members, and is available to other clients for a fee. Processing a direct claim is subject to your insurer's agreement;
- If an insurance claim remains unpaid after 90 days, the outstanding balance will be charged to the card held on file;
- If a direct claim is declined or only part-paid, the outstanding balance becomes payable by you.
6. Medicines and prescriptions
We can only prescribe prescription-only medicines (POM-V) for animals under our care. You are entitled to ask for a written prescription so that you may obtain medicines elsewhere, and to ask about the price of any medicine. A charge applies for writing a prescription. For some long-term conditions, your animal will need to be re-examined at appropriate intervals before further medication can be dispensed; our team will advise you of the relevant interval.
7. Out-of-hours and emergencies
We are committed to providing 24-hour care for our patients. Outside our normal opening hours, emergency and out-of-hours care for our clients is provided by our trusted partner, ICR Loanhead. If you call our usual number — 0131 516 2499 — out of hours, your call is automatically forwarded; you never need a different number. Out-of-hours services are charged separately by the provider of that care.
8. Ownership of records, images and samples
Clinical records, radiographs (X-rays), ultrasound images, laboratory results and similar materials are made as part of the care of your animal and remain the property of the practice, even where a fee has been charged towards their creation. On request, we will provide a copy of your animal's clinical history, and we will share relevant records with another veterinary practice when your animal's care is transferred.
9. Consent, second opinions and referral
We will seek your informed consent before carrying out procedures, and we will explain the likely costs and risks. You are always welcome to seek a second opinion, and we are happy to refer your animal to a specialist where this is in its best interests.
10. Data protection
We handle your personal information in accordance with UK data protection law. Please see our Privacy & Cookie Policy for full details of what we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your rights.
11. Complaints
We aim to provide the highest standard of care, but if something has not met your expectations we want to hear about it. Please raise any concern with the Practice Manager in writing in the first instance, so that we have the opportunity to put things right. If your concern remains unresolved, you may refer the matter to the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS), a free and independent service. Concerns about professional conduct may also be raised with the RCVS.
12. Changes to these terms
No addition to or variation of these terms will bind the practice unless agreed in writing by a director or partner. We may update these Terms of Business from time to time; the current version will always be available on this page, with the date it was last updated shown above.
13. Governing law
These terms, and any dispute arising from them or from the services we provide, are governed by the law of Scotland and subject to the jurisdiction of the Scottish courts.
14. Contact us
The Veterinary Wellness Centre · 73–77 Whitehill Street, Newcraighall, Musselburgh EH21 8QZ
[email protected] · 0131 516 2499