Oathall Vets – Terms and Conditions

Terms and Conditions of Business 

Thank you for choosing Oathall Veterinary Group for your pet’s care. We’ve put together the following Terms and Conditions to help explain how we work. If anything is unclear or you’d like more detail, please feel free to ask a member of the team.

Fees

All fees, medications, diets and consumables are subject to VAT at the current rate. Fees are based on the time we spend with your pet, and the type and numbers of products or treatments required. A detailed invoice is provided for every consultation, procedure, or purchase. For further information please see our website or talk to a member of the team

Estimates

We will provide an estimate for the likely cost of treatment. Please keep in mind that estimates are a guide only – as with any medical condition, the course of treatment may change depending on your pet’s needs.

Payment

Payment is due at the time of treatment or when collecting medications or food. We accept the following methods:

  • Cash
  • Credit/debit card (excluding American Express)
  • Cheques
  • Direct insurance claim by arrangement (additional fees may apply)

Overdue Accounts

Payment is due at the time of treatment however if an account remains unpaid after 14 days, a reminder will be sent, and an administrative fee will apply. If additional reminders are required there will be further administrative charges. If an account remains unpaid after further notice, it will be referred to a debt collection agency. Additional costs incurred in recovering the debt – such as legal fees, reports, or home visits – will be added to the outstanding balance.

Payments returned unpaid (e.g., bounced cheques or declined card transactions) will also incur further fees and interest.

If You Are Unable to Pay

If you’re concerned about paying your bill, please let us know as early as possible. Any agreement to pay in instalments or part-payments must be authorised by one of the directors in advance.

Pet Insurance

We strongly recommend insuring your pet to help cover unexpected costs.

Our team is happy to provide guidance, but please note it is your responsibility to settle the account with us and then reclaim fees from your insurer. In some circumstances we are happy to claim directly from your insurance company, but this must be by prior arrangement, and subject to checks.

You remain responsible for any outstanding or unpaid balances.

We are pleased to be working in partnership with Pet Proactive to offer our customers simple and fairer pet insurance. More details can be found here

Complaints

If you are unhappy with any part of the service you have received from Oathall Veterinary Group and were unable to resolve your concerns at the time, please contact our Practice Manager so that they may be addressed at the earliest opportunity.

If you have the need to raise a concern please contact us by email complaints@oathallvets.co.uk, via PetsApp or write to us at the Practice. Please ensure you include the following information to allow us to investigate and respond appropriately:

  • Your name, address, email and preferred telephone number.
  • The name of your pet.
  • A brief description of your concerns including the names of any team members involved.
  • A summary of what you feel would be a satisfactory outcome to your concerns.

If serious concerns remain following our response, please address these to The Directors.

Alternatively, you may contact appropriate external bodies such as:

Ownership of Records

All clinical records (including histories, test results and notes) remain the property of Oathall Veterinary Group. If another veterinary surgeon takes over your pet’s care, we will send a copy of your pet’s records to them on request.

 

Ownership of X-rays and Diagnostic Images 

If your pet’s treatment involves x-rays, ultrasound or other diagnostics, the images and reports remain the property of the practice. Charges cover the cost of producing and interpreting these images, not ownership.

 

Sharing of records following Out-of-Hours treatment 

If Oathall Veterinary Group is not your regular daytime veterinary practice and we see your pet Out-of-Hours, it is necessary for us to provide a copy of the clinical records to your regular veterinary practice in order to facilitate ongoing care.

This will involve sharing personal information that you have provided to us.

Privacy Policy/Data Storage

Oathall Vets is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Notice explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal data in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

1.Our Contact Details

Oathall Veterinary Group – Haywards Heath Branch 

30 Oathall Road, Haywards Heath,

West Sussex, RH16 3EQ

01444 440224

enquiries@oathall-vets.co.uk

 

Oathall Veterinary Group – Piltdown Branch

Unit 4

Ashgrove Farm

Piltdown, TN22 3XN

01825 818637

enquiries@oathall-vets.co.uk

2.What Personal Data We Collect 

We may collect and process this personal data about you:

  • Full name
  • Address
  • Telephone numbers
  • Email address
  • Payment information
  • Pet information and medical history
  • Insurance details (where applicable)

3.How We Use Your Data and Legal Basis for Processing

Your data will be used for the following purposes:

Purpose

  • To provide veterinary services and treatment
  • To send appointment reminders or follow-ups
  • To maintain medical records for your pets
  • To process payments and issue invoices
  • To communicate with you about your account or services
  • For marketing purposes

Legal Basis

  • Performance of a contract
  • Legitimate interests / Consent
  • Legal obligation / Legitimate interests
  • Performance of a contract
  • Legitimate interests
  • Consent (you may opt out at any time)

4.Sharing Your Data

We will only share your personal data where necessary and in accordance with applicable laws. This may include:

Laboratories and referral clinics (for diagnostic or specialist treatment)

  • Debt collection agencies (if invoices remain unpaid)
  • IT and system support providers (for practice management systems)
  • Insurance companies (for claims or treatment authorisation)
  • Regulatory or legal bodies if required by law
  • We ensure all third parties respect the security of your personal data and treat it in accordance with the law.

5. Data Retention

We will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including satisfying any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Typically, we retain client and pet records for at least seven years from the date of the last treatment or transaction, unless a longer period is required by law or regulatory bodies.

6. Your Data Rights

Under data protection laws, you have the following rights:

  • Right to access – You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Right to rectification – You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to erasure – You can request we delete your data, where there is no legal reason to continue processing it.
  • Right to restrict processing – You can ask us to restrict the use of your data in certain circumstances.
  • Right to data portability – You can request to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format.
  • Right to withdraw consent – Where we rely on consent to process your data, you may withdraw it at any time.
  • Right to object – You can object to the processing of your data based on our legitimate interests.

7. Data breach complaints

If you are concerned about how we have handled your personal data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

ICO Contact Details:

Website: https://ico.org.uk

Helpline: 0303 123 1113