TERMS OF BUSINESS
Thank you for entrusting the care and attention of your animal to the Glasgow Equine Hospital & Practice.
The Glasgow Equine Hospital & Practice ( Weipers Centre School of Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, 464 Bearsden Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH) is part of the University Court of the University of Glasgow (incorporated under the Universities (Scotland) Act 1889 and having its principal office at University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ, a registered Scottish charity in terms of Section 13 (2) of the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (Charity Number SC004401, Charity Name ‘University of Glasgow Court’ “Hospital”.
These terms and conditions and the consent form which these terms and conditions are attached to (together “these Terms and Conditions”) are the terms and conditions for the provision of the services.
Your attention is particularly drawn to the liability paragraph and the entire agreement paragraph below which limit the Hospital and Practice’s liability under these Terms and Conditions.
Estimates of Treatment Costs
The Hospital will provide a written estimate as to the probable costs of a course of treatment when your animal arrives at the hospital. You accept that any estimate given can only be approximate and does not include any emergency procedures, follow up treatment or investigation – often an animal’s illness will not follow a conventional course. The Hospital will provide regular updates on the current costs of an animal’s treatment. You accept that you are liable for all costs incurred in the treatment of your animal.
Charges
All fees and drug charges are subject to Value Added Tax at the current rate. Fee levels are determined by the time spent on a case and according to the drugs, materials and consumables used. You will receive an invoice for every consultation, surgical procedure and/or transaction with the Hospital & Practice. A cancellation fee of £15 inc VAT will be charged if the Hospital & Practice does not receive 24 hours advance notice of any unattended appointments.
Methods of Payment
You must settle your accounts at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your animal or upon collection of drugs/diets. You may settle your account using credit/debit card (visa/mastercard), BACS (details can be found on your invoice) cash or cheque (with a current Bankers Card). Any cheque returned by our bank as unpaid, any credit 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 interest.
Settlement Terms
Should an account remain outstanding, a reminder will be sent. If you do not make any payment due to the Hospital & Practice by the due date for payment (being the latter of the end of the consultation, the discharge of the animal or upon collection of drugs), the Hospital may charge interest to you on the overdue amount at the rate of 4% a year above the base lending rate of HSBC. This interest shall accrue on a daily basis from the due date until the date of actual payment of the overdue amount, whether before or after judgment. You must pay the Hospital & Practice interest together with any overdue amount.
After due notice to you, overdue accounts will be referred to our Debt Collection Agency and charges (10% of outstanding debt) will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt.
Inability to Pay
If, for any reason, you are unable to settle your account as specified, the Hospital & Practice asks that this matter is discussed as soon as possible with a senior member of Hospital & Practice staff.
Animal Health Insurance
The Hospital & Practice strongly supports the principle of insuring animals against veterinary fees arising as a result of unexpected illness or accidents. It is your responsibility to maintain contact with your insurance company throughout the process and keep the Hospital & Practice updated.
It is your responsibility to settle the Hospital & Practice account and you will then reclaim the fees from your insurance company. The Hospital & Practice will complete any sections of a claim form as soon as reasonably practicable. In some circumstance direct claims may be permitted (at the Hospital & Practice’s sole discretion), however it remains your responsibility that the account is settled. If a pre-authorisation is required it is your responsibility to ensure this is submitted and approval received by the insurer before treatment is carried out.
If a direct claim is made and your insurance has not paid the full balance within sixty (60) days of the form being sent to them, you will be required to settle the full balance. All excesses should be paid immediately by you.
Ownership of Clinical Records
Case records including (but not limited to) radiographs and similar documents are the property of, and will be retained by, the Hospital & Practice. Copies with a summary of the history will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case upon written request of such veterinary surgeon.
The care given to an animal may involve making some specific investigations, for example taking radiographs or performing ultrasound scans. Even though the Hospital & Practice charges for carrying out investigations and interpreting their results, ownership of the resulting record, for example a radiograph, remains with the Hospital & Practice.
Prescriptions
Medications cannot be refunded once dispensed (including blister packs) due to unknown and off-site storage conditions. The Hospital & Practice can provide repeat prescriptions and can also post drugs (although a charge will apply) if required. You may obtain relevant veterinary medicinal products from your veterinary surgeon OR ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or a pharmacy.
Out of hour’s policy
The Hospital & Practice provides qualified veterinary surgeons and additional support staff to care for animals overnight. Further veterinary surgeons are on call overnight however it is not possible to provide specialists in all disciplines that are provided by the Hospital & Practice during normal working hours.
Students
The Hospital & Practice provides clinical experience for senior veterinary students. You accept that students, acting under appropriate supervision, may be involved in the examination and care of your animal.
Retention of samples
You give permission for the retention and use of all clinical data/records, pictures (including digital diagnostic images), samples (urine, blood, DNA, biopsies, autopsies) by the Hospital & Practice for teaching purposes and for future studies to help animal welfare. All such material will be used anonymously.
Attendance by particular clinicians
No assurance can be given that the treatment will be carried out by a particular veterinary surgeon. This is because the veterinary surgeon may have to attend to other animals at that time. Whenever reasonably possible however, the Hospital & Practice will try to provide the veterinary surgeon of your choice.
Feedback
The Hospital & Practice welcomes your comments. If you feel that there is something that you wish to discuss, please contact, in the first instance, the manager of the Hospital & Practice at the address below. Each letter will be acknowledged within fourteen (14) days and passed to the appropriate person. A response will be provided as soon as possible thereafter. Any queries in relation to treatment costs must be put in writing within fourteen (14) days of the relevant invoice date.
Equine Clinical Services Manager
Glasgow Equine Hospital & Practice
Weipers Centre
University of Glasgow
464 Bearsden Road
Glasgow
G61 1QH
Liability
With regard to injury or death of any animal and any associated losses, the liability of the Hospital & Practice shall not exceed the higher of two times the cost of the treatment for the relevant animal(s), or five thousand pounds sterling (£5,000) per any one animal or event involving more than one animal.
The Hospital & Practice shall not under any circumstances whatsoever be liable for any:
i. economic loss;
ii. loss of profit;
iii. loss of goodwill;
iv. loss of business;
v. loss of business opportunity;
vi. loss of anticipated saving;
vii. loss or corruption of data or information;
viii. foreseeable loss or damage; or
ix. loss, damage, cost or expense to the extent that such loss damage cost or expense arises from the negligent act or omission on the part of students of the Hospital & Practice, suffered by you that arises under or in connection with these Terms and Conditions.
Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits the liability of the Hospital & Practice in respect of any liability which cannot, by law, be excluded or limited.
You shall not make any claims under, or in relation to, these Terms and Conditions against any individual (including, but not limited to, students of the Hospital & Practice), any such claims shall be made against the Hospital & Practice.
Variation of Terms and Conditions
No addition or variation of these Terms and Conditions will bind the Hospital & Practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by an authorised signatory of the Hospital & Practice. No other agent or person employed by, or under contract with, the Hospital & Practice has the authority to alter or vary these Terms and Conditions in anyway.
Other Important Terms
The Hospital & Practice may transfer its rights and obligations under these Terms and Conditions to another organisation, and the Hospital & Practice will always notify you in writing if this happens.
You may only transfer your rights or your obligations under these Terms and Conditions to another person if the Hospital & Practice agrees in writing.
Each of the paragraphs and sub-paragraphs of these Terms and Conditions operates separately. If any court or relevant authority decides that any of them are unlawful, the remaining paragraphs and sub-paragraphs will remain in full force and effect.
If the Hospital & Practice fails to insist that you perform any of your obligations under these Terms and Conditions, or if the Hospital & Practice does not enforce its rights against you, or if the Hospital & Practice delays in doing so, that will not mean that the Hospital & Practice has waived its rights against you and will not mean that you do not have to comply with those obligations. If the Hospital & Practice does waive a default by you, the Hospital & Practice will only do so in writing, and that will not mean that the Hospital & Practice will automatically waive any later default by you.
Entire Agreement
These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between the Hospital & Practice and you and supersede and extinguish all previous agreements, promises, assurances, warranties, representations and understandings between them, whether written or oral, relating to its subject matter.
You agree that you shall have no remedies in respect of any statement, representation, assurance or warranty (whether made innocently or negligently) that is not set out in these Terms and Conditions. You agree that you shall have no claim for innocent or negligent misrepresentation or negligent misstatement based on any statement in these Terms and Conditions.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
These Terms and Conditions and any claims relating to its subject matter (contractual or otherwise) shall be interpreted according to the laws of Scotland. The Hospital & Practice and you agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland.
