These are the terms and conditions that will apply when you ask us to provide veterinary care for your pet. We would recommend you keeping a copy of these for your records.
Please note that there are additional terms which apply for those clients who have animals enrolled in the Veterinary Hospital Care Plan (VHCP), and these will be shared directly with you at the time.
Our Information
We are ‘Lincoln Veterinary Services Ltd’ trading as ‘The Veterinary Hospital’. We are an independent practice owned by vets Anneli Beese and Carolyn Harvey-Myers.
Our primary site is The Veterinary Hospital, 175 Newport, Lincoln, LN1 3DZ with a branch premises based at The Skellingthorpe Surgery, 32 Lincoln Road, Skellingthorpe, LN6 5UU.
You can contact us via phone (01522 800333) or email vethosp@tiscali.co.uk
We are able to provide veterinary care for pet dogs, cats, rabbits and other small pets. We do not have specialist experience with exotic animals such as fish, reptiles and birds but can offer emergency care for these species.
Professional Fees and Settlement Terms
There is a charge for all professional services and treatments provided, which must be paid for at the time of treatment.
Consultation fees are based on 15-minute-long appointments. Fees for procedures are determined based on the expertise required, the time spent working up a case together with the laboratory tests required, drugs, materials, and consumables required. If reports or referral letters are required a charge will be levied dependent on the time taken to formulate the necessary material. All charges are subject to VAT at the current rate.
We are always happy to provide details of our fees on request and a detailed invoice will be provided for every consultation, procedure or transaction. The most common prices are advertised on our website.
Due to an increasing number of missed appointments, we have implemented the following protocol: Should you fail to arrive for a booked appointment on two occasions, you will receive a warning that a further missed appointment will incur a consultation fee which will require payment before any further treatment can be given.
Inability to Pay
It is essential that if, for any reason, the account cannot be settled as described in the settlement terms above, the matter is discussed with the practice manager in advance of treatment being administered. Please note that we are not able to offer installment plans directly, but can offer payment using Paypal Pay-in-3 in some circumstances.
If payment is not made at the time of treatment, an invoice will be sent out the following day via email or post and should be paid within 7 days in person, via BACS, over the phone or via our website. If the account remains outstanding after 7 days, a reminder will be sent. After due notice overdue accounts will be referred to our debt collecting agency or the County Court and further charges will be levied in respect of costs incurred in collecting the debt, such as production of reports, correspondence and court fees etc. 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 being added in respect of bank charges and administrative costs together with interest on the principal sum.
Estimates
An estimate will be given for all inpatient medical and surgical procedures. Due to the variable and unpredictable nature of veterinary work, this should be considered an estimate only and not a ‘quote’, and the eventual cost of treatment may vary depending on the exact medication or treatment your pet ultimately needs. The VH team work with your pets’ best interest in mind at all times and no two pets are the same. We will always endeavour to contact you prior to completing any work that would result in an increase to the estimated cost.
During your visit
Owners are responsible for keeping their pet under control whilst in the waiting room area.
Dogs must be kept on appropriate leads; cats in secure cat baskets; and small pets such as rabbits, rats and guinea pigs in secure containers. If your dog is of a type listed under the UK’s banned breeds legislation, it must wear a muzzle while on the premises, as veterinary practices are considered public places for the purposes of this Act.
A dedicated cat waiting area is provided, with a cat bookshelf at the end of the waiting room for you to put your cat in their basket. We can also provide covers for cat baskets – please ask our team on reception.
We would ask, in the interests of personal safety that, all clients do not to approach animals that they do not know without the express permission of their owner. Please note that some dogs in particular need space and this may be indicated by the dog wearing a yellow ribbon, bandana or something similar on its lead or collar.
Consent Forms
You are required to sign a consent form for any surgical or inpatient treatment of your pet. This form contains a clause that specifies that you are responsible for any fees and costs of your pets’ treatments. Clients will be required to pay a 50% deposit of the estimated costs at the time of admit for any surgical or inpatient treatment, with the balance due on the collection of your pet. In signing the consent form, you agree to these terms and accept the financial liability.
Home Visits
Where necessary we can arrange to visit your pet at home. This will incur an additional charge based on the time taken to travel to and from the property, the number of employees required to attend and the time of the visit. A payment of a deposit will be requested prior to us attending the home visit. Whilst we do our best to arrange visit at short notice, under emergency circumstances your pets may benefit from being brought to the surgery straight away where there are more staff on hand and essential life-saving facilities available.
Inpatient Care
If your pet needs to stay in the hospital overnight, they will be under the care of our on-call duty vet and a member of our nursing team. The nurse remains onsite and will perform patient checks at least every 4 hours. They will contact the vet if there are any concerns who will attend the practice if neccessary.
It is essential that clients ensure that their contact details are up-to-date and that they are readily contactable whilst their pet is an inpatient so that, should any significant alteration to the planned procedure prove necessary, this can be discussed where possible, prior to any work being undertaken. By signing the practice consent forms in relation to those animals undergoing in-patient procedures, services or operations it is deemed that consent has been given for administration of immediate treatment to prevent pain or suffering should the need arise where a client is not contactable.
Emergency and Out of Hours Care
Emergencies during normal opening hours will always be seen as soon as possible. It is very helpful if clients telephone the practice when the emergency arises, to let us that you are on your way, so immediate practical advice can be given and preparations can be made for your arrival.
For veterinary emergencies arising out of our opening hours we utilise ‘Vets Now’ who are based North Hykeham. They can be contacted on 01522 441412.
We have a vet and a nurse on call to care for our inpatients on site at Newport and see any patients with emergent complications arising from surgery or overnight care with us in the preceding 7 days. A separate phone number for this service is detailed on your copy of the consent form for your pet’s procedure or admittance.
Pet Health Insurance
Pet health insurance against illness or injury can help alleviate the worry of meeting vet bills, particularly when referral to a specialist becomes necessary. It is advisable to consider the type and level of cover required as there are multiple variations of policies available.
Any pet insurance policy is a contract between you and your chosen provider, and so in usual circumstances we ask that you settle your account with the practice in full and then claim the cost from your insurance company later. If your insurance company requires the practice’s input to complete the insurance claim form a fee will be charged for this service. If a further claim is required later, an additional charge will be payable. Continuation claims are charged at a lower fee as they tend to be less complex to complete and therefore require less administrative time.
Some insurance companies offer a direct claim facility – where the insurance provider pays the veterinary practice directly. We can authorise a direct claim if all of the following applies:
- The estimated cost for treatment exceeds £500.00 AND
- We have successfully completed an insurance claim from this policy before AND
- The client has been registered with the practice for more than 12 months AND
- The client can show us their policy document AND
- The client pays their insurance excess and the insurance form administration fee at the time of the patient admit.
- OR
- The treatment estimate exceeds £500 AND
- A pre-authorisation for the entire estimate is agreed by the insurance company.
If any of these cannot be confirmed, we will follow our usual policy for payment which requires you to pay half of the estimate on admit, and the final balance on collection of the patient.
In the event of a direct claim being agreed we also request the policy holder to sign a ‘Direct Claim Agreement’. This states that in the event of the insurer not making full or part payment, the policyholder will be responsible for settling the full account balance upon being made aware of the insurer not making the full or part payment.
Authorisation for direct claims must be arranged in advance of the procedure being performed, and if agreed by the practice, claim forms must be submitted for completion at the time the work is carried out. As direct claims require considerable administrative effort and can result in a delay in payment to the business of several weeks, a charge will be levied for this service. If, after the initial claim has been made, you wish us to continue to make direct claims for an on-going condition, claim forms must be submitted at each visit and these will carry an additional fee for completion on each occasion.
Should the Veterinary Hospital authorise a direct claim please be aware that you will be liable to pay any outstanding balance should your claim not be settled by the insurance company within four weeks.
Prescriptions
Animals with ongoing illnesses need to be reassessed at regular intervals by a veterinary surgeon to ensure that both the best results are achieved for the patient and compliance with the relevant veterinary medicines legislation is achieved. The interval between re-examination appointments will vary dependent on the condition, the stage of the disease, together with any specific requirements set out by manufacturers for monitoring certain medications. It is practice policy that these animals are clinically examined by a veterinary surgeon at least every 6 months, however for some conditions a shorter interval may be deemed more appropriate by the prescribing veterinary surgeon.
Please note that if you call to order a repeat supply of medication or a written prescription and we need to check your pet, you will need to book an appointment before the prescription is dispensed. All repeat prescriptions including written prescriptions will be issued for a maximum of 3 month’s supply. Controlled drugs will be an exception to this (30 days) and preventative treatments (e.g. flea and de worming products) may be purchased/prescribed for up to 12 months. Please note each case will be based on the Veterinary Surgeon’s knowledge and clinical judgment of the individual case.
When requesting a repeat prescription of a drug for your pet, please provide us with an update on their condition. Please also give 48 hours’ notice to allow a veterinary surgeon to check your pet’s records and consider the information that you have provided on your pet’s health, to ensure that prescribing the medication remains appropriate.
We are happy to supply the medication directly or issue a written prescription for use at an alternative pharmacy. These can only be authorised by our veterinary surgeons and are restricted to animals under their care. This service carries a fee which covers the professional time taken for your vet to authorise the requested medication, provide dosage advice and maintain the required medical records for your pet. A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary.
When requesting a repeat prescription for your pet- there are now 3 options available-
- Call the practice on 01522 800333 and press Option 2
- Email us on vethosp@tiscali.co.uk
- Complete the form on the website
Return of unused drugs
Whilst we are happy to accept unused veterinary medications back into the practice for disposal, we are unable to refund any payment made as once they have left the practice they cannot be returned to stock.
Ownership of Records
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, remains with the practice and will be retained by us. Case history records, radiographs and similar documents are the property of, and will be retained by us. Copies, with the clinical history will be passed on request to another veterinary surgeon taking over the case.
Your Data
We hold records of your name, address, telephone numbers and email address, together with details of your pet(s). These will be used to send you reminder texts for appointments or preventative treatments and on occasions to let you know about special offers. Should you not wish this to happen please inform us. Our complete Privacy Policy is displayed on our website.
Complaints and Standards
At Lincoln Veterinary Hospital we are committed to providing a high-quality veterinary service to all our clients. However, if you do not feel that this has been provided to you and your pet, then we need you to tell us about it as soon as possible to allow us to resolve the issue.
If you have a complaint, please inform us, in writing, of the incident, with as much detail as possible, including any names of staff members involved. Please address your complaint to
S.Brown (Practice Manager)
175 Newport
Lincoln
LN1 3DZ
We will aim to acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within five working days of receiving it. As part of the investigatory process, we may contact you for further details of the incident so that we can better understand what happened. We will also normally check your clinical records and speak to any members of staff involved.
Mr Brown will send you a detailed written reply to your complaint, including his suggestions for resolving the matter, within 14 days of sending you the acknowledgement letter.
We will inform you on receipt of the complaint if either Mr Brown or the employee(s) involved in the complaint are on holiday or sick leave at that time as this may inevitably introduce a delay in resolving the issue.
If you feel that the matter remains unresolved, then you can contact the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons by writing to:
Professional Conduct Departments, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Belgravia House, 62-64 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AF
Variations in Terms of Business
No addition or variation of these conditions will bind the practice unless it is specifically agreed in writing and signed by the practice owner. Additionally, no agent or person employed by, or under contract with the practice has the authority to alter or vary these terms and conditions in any way.
UPDATED: December 2025
