Terms and Conditions | Goodna Veterinary Surgery

TERMS & CONDITIONS

Goodna Veterinary Surgery Terms & Conditions of Business

Thank you for entrusting the care of your pet(s) with Goodna Veterinary Surgery.

This document outlines the terms of the contract established between us (Goodna Veterinary Surgery) and yourself (the registered animal owner or individual requesting veterinary services) which comes into actuality when you register your animal with our veterinary practice or when you ask us to provide veterinary services.

Should you have any queries regarding any aspect of these terms of business please do not hesitate to ask us for further clarification.

Veterinary Care

Goodna Veterinary Surgery will endeavour to provide veterinary services in accordance with reasonable standards denoted in the relevant legislation which can be found on the following website https://www.business.qld.gov.au/. These Acts and Regulations outline the practice standards and the professional conduct of veterinary surgeons.

Registration

It is essential for us to maintain accurate records of our clients and patients. In order to do so, we will periodically ask you to confirm the details we hold. If your details change, please inform us promptly so we can ensure our database is up to date. This will also ensure that you receive all correspondence regarding your pet’s health.

Costs

All fees for services and prices for goods (including food, parasiticides, drugs and over the counter products) are subject to GST. Prices for goods are as marked or notified at the point of purchase. A full fee breakdown will appear on your invoice.

Fees for services include our professional fees in respect of the veterinary services provided along with the cost of any drugs, diagnostics, materials or consumables used in the provision of the services. Professional fees vary according to the time spent on a case, and the level of expertise required from the staff looking after your animal.

Estimates of Treatment Costs

We will happily provide an estimate as to the probable costs of a course of treatment.

Estimates are provided verbally by the Veterinarian during consultation. Written estimates are available on request. All estimates given are only an approximation, and the final fee could vary from this estimate depending on several factors which include but are not limited to: complications that arise during treatment and patient response to the treatment. Often a pet’s illness/ailment will not follow a typical course of treatment and sometimes unforeseen expenses may occur –we will endeavour to inform you of any additional costs at our earliest opportunity dependant on your pet’s health and safety.

Estimates are valid for 30 days.

Methods of Payment

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet and upon collection of drugs, prescriptions, food & over the counter sales. You may settle the account using cash and/or credit/debit card. Credit cards that we accept are AMEX, MasterCard and Visa.

We do offer payment plans through Afterpay, Deferit, Humm, Vetpay and Zippay however we do not offer in-house payment plans or Centrepay. For more information about Afterpay, Deferit, Humm, Vetpay and Zippay please refer to our payment plans page which has links to these third-party credit provider websites.

We do not accept cheque payments.

Terms of Business

The following general payment terms apply in all cases.

Accounts are due for settlement at the end of the consultation, the discharge of your pet & upon collection of drugs, prescriptions, food & over the counter sales. If you prefer a particular treatment but cannot afford to pay for that treatment, you may wish to discuss our external provider payment options. Goodna Vet’s external provider payment options are Afterpay, Deferit, Humm, Vetpay and Zippay.

As a vet, we have professional ethical considerations; however, under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001, the owner or representative is responsible for the animal. Your inability to pay does not pass that responsibility to us and thus falls under the law of shoplifting and fraud.

We shall be entitled to suspend the provision of any further goods and/or services until you have paid any outstanding sums in full and reserve the right to file a report with the QLD police which could result in a criminal charge. Where we consider it appropriate to do so we may require payment on account before goods and/or services are provided.

Please note that if a pet is registered with our practice we will assume that any person other than the registered pet owner who may bring the pet in for treatment is duly authorised by the registered pet owner to seek treatment for the pet and we will assume that the individual requesting treatment accepts liability for all costs incurred.

Where a pet is not registered with our practice, we will also assume that the individual requesting treatment accepts liability for all costs incurred.

In the event that your pet is hospitalised, we may require a deposit to be paid in advance of any period of hospitalisation and/or stage payments for longer periods of hospitalisation. If your pet is hospitalised, we will try to phone you to discuss the progress of your animal and the fees incurred once the veterinary surgeon has completed their rounds.

Shoplifting and Fraud

Shoplifting can mean more than just taking something from a shop without paying. Criminal offences covered by this act include:

shoplifting—taking goods from a store without paying
eating or drinking something in a shop without paying
swapping, removing or altering price tags to get a lower price for an item
leaving without paying.

If the value of goods stolen is less than $150, shoplifting falls under the Regulatory Offences Act 1985 and carries a fine of 6 penalty units ($800.70).

If the value of the goods stolen from a store is more than $150, you can be charged with the more serious offence of stealing (or fraud if you leave without paying a bill greater than $150) which carries a maximum penalty of 5 years in prison.

Fraud is a type of stealing that involves obtaining goods, property, money or services dishonestly—by not telling the truth.

Appointments, Surgery Bookings and Cancellations

Appointments and Surgery Bookings are made accordingly to ensure that our Veterinarians and Veterinary Nurses have enough time with our clients and their pet(s) to address their health concerns.

Whilst walk-in appointments are sometimes necessary, they can have a massive impact on not only the Veterinary Team but also the wait times of every client waiting for Veterinary Care. We strongly emphasise the importance of bookings and advise that walk-in appointments will have to wait until time allows for us to see them unless it is identified as an emergency.

It is also best that the number of conditions presented in a standard 20-minute appointment be limited to a maximum of two. This is to ensure that the consulting Veterinarian won’t run out of time to discuss your pet’s health concerns. If you feel like your appointment will require longer or you wish to discuss more than two conditions, please advise reception when booking your appointment. This way we can make sure your booking will have the appropriate time to discuss everything you wish (extra costs will apply). Appointments that run overtime or run out of hours will also incur extra charges.

Goodna Veterinary Surgery reserves the right to refuse your appointment if you turn up more than 5 minutes late. Upon forfeit of your appointment, you will be given alternate times for which you may reschedule at a less busy time. If you are running late, we do request that you please give us a courtesy call beforehand.

Late cancellation of appointments is a major inconvenience to our Veterinarians and to other clients who are needing Veterinary Care. We understand that in some cases events can occur meaning your appointments may need to be cancelled or rescheduled. If you need to cancel or postpone your appointment, we would appreciate it if you would provide at least 24 hours’ notice. Cancellations or rescheduling requests should be communicated by phone call, email or SMS. If you do cancel within this period or fail to attend the appointment you will be charged the late cancellation/no show fee.

Late Cancellation/No Show Fees:

Appointment/Vaccination - $55.00

Procedure/Surgery - $200.00

Home visits

In most cases, your pet will receive better treatment if it is brought into the surgery where we have the equipment, facilities and staff necessary to treat them. However, there are some cases when it may be preferable to provide treatment at your home. We endeavour to come out to your home at your convenience but we ask that you call the surgery so we can arrange this around other duties. There is a higher charge for a home visit. You will be provided with an estimate of fees when calling to book a visit and prepayment over the phone will be requested.

Out of Hours Service

Goodna Veterinary Surgery is open Monday to Friday 8:00am to 6:00pm and Saturday 8:00am to 12:00pm. Outside of these hours all emergencies are transferred to the care of Animal Referral Hospital or Animal Emergency Service. If you require emergency treatment for your pet(s) call Animal Referral Hospital on 07 3172 0593 or Animal Emergency Service 07 3715 9999.

High dependency cases may be referred for continuous monitoring if required; in this circumstance, you are responsible for arranging transport to the appropriate premises and the cost of further treatment.

Behaviour and Demeanour

Zero Tolerance Policy

All our staff are trained professionals and are dedicated to giving you the necessary assistance you require and will always treat you with courtesy and respect. In return, we ask that you and anyone that you bring with you to Goodna Veterinary Surgery treat our staff with the same courtesy and respect.

We have a ZERO TOLERANCE approach to any of the following behaviour displayed towards our staff or other clients.

Verbal abuse
Emotional abuse
Sexual Abuse
Racial Abuse
Aggressive and violent behaviour
Threats
Blackmailing
Use of profanity

Please note the above list is not an exhaustive outline of all forms of abuse and/or violence.

We respectfully advise you that abuse and/or violence will not be tolerated.

If a client or anyone a client brings with them to the Surgery, is abusive, aggressive or violent towards our staff and/or other clients the police will be called and may result in you being removed from our Surgery list.

Please note veterinary care will be withheld from clients who appear aggressive and abusive to staff members.

Consent

Written signed consent for procedures is required in all cases of admission to Goodna Veterinary Surgery and any alterations will be agreed upon either verbally or in writing prior to action being taken.

Client records

Client and clinical records, and other similar documents (including, but not limited to, digital imaging results), are and shall remain the property of Goodna Veterinary Surgery. Copies of clinical records may be passed to another veterinary surgeon on request should you move clinics.

Patient records are the property of the attending veterinarian. Legal precedent indicates that a client does not have a legal right of access to patient records. A veterinarian has the right to decide whether to provide a copy of patient records to clients.

A decision by a veterinarian to refuse to provide an animal’s patient record to a client on request by the client – is not sufficient to justify a complaint to the Veterinary Surgeons Board.

For further information please refer to: https://www.vsb.qld.gov.au/resources/guidelines/guidelines-practitioners/veterinary-records

Ownership of Records, X-rays & Similar Documents

The care given to your animal may involve making some specific investigations, for example taking blood samples, X-Rays or performing ultrasound scans. Even though we make a charge for carrying out these investigations & interpreting their results, the resulting records, clinical or otherwise, remain the property of the practice.

A decision by a veterinarian to refuse to provide an animal’s patient record to a client on request by the client – is not sufficient to justify a complaint to the Veterinary Surgeons Board.

For further information please refer to: https://www.vsb.qld.gov.au/resources/guidelines/guidelines-practitioners/veterinary-records

Privacy Policy

At Goodna Veterinary Surgery, we take your privacy seriously. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information that we collect about our customers.

What Information Do We Collect?

We collect personal information such as full names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, emails addresses and credit card information (which is tokenised for protection and meets PCI DSS standards) to ensure high quality services and to comply with legal requirements.

How Do We Use Your Information?

We use your personal information to provide our services to you, and to comply with any legal requirements. We may also use your personal information to communicate with you about your appointments, follow-up treatments, and other important updates.

How Do We Protect Your Information?

We take the security of your personal information seriously. We have implemented appropriate measures to protect against unauthorised access to your personal information.

Do We Share Your Information?

We do not share your personal information with any third parties unless required by law. However, we may share your information with our trusted service providers who assist us in providing our services to you.

How Can You Access or Correct Your Personal Details?

Our clients can contact our reception team to access or update their personal details. They can do so by calling our office, sending an email or by visiting our surgery in person.

Alternatively, you may choose to use our secure online portal where you can access and update your personal information at any time. This requires creating a login and password system to ensure data security.

Data protection

When you register your animal with our practice or request veterinary services, we will collect personal information about you and, if applicable, your employees and/or agents. We only gather information necessary to provide our services, process payments, distribute our newsletter, or make contact, such as names, dates of birth, contact details, and potentially some financial information. Please be aware that if you fail to pay invoices on time, we may share your details with the police, debt collection agencies, and/or our legal advisers to recover outstanding fees.

We will take reasonable precautions to ensure that your data is stored securely, used appropriately, and not disclosed to third parties, except as necessary for the reasons outlined above or for the healthcare of your pet(s).

Our practice management software is designed with bank-level security, ensuring that all your information is kept secure. All data is encrypted using RSA and SSL technology.

Payment Card Information

By providing your debit/credit card information, you authorise us to charge your card in the event of a no-show or late cancellation of your appointment with us. We understand that unforeseen circumstances may arise, and we kindly request that you provide us with at least 24 hours' notice if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment. Failure to provide sufficient notice may result in a charge to your debit/credit card for the Late Cancellation/No Show Fees amount of the appointment as outlined in our terms and conditions above.

We take the security and privacy of your personal information seriously and will only use your debit/credit card details for the purpose of processing payments related to your appointments with us. We will take reasonable steps to ensure the security of your information, and will destroy or de-identify the information when it is no longer required.

By providing your debit/credit card information, you agree to these terms and conditions and acknowledge that you have read and understood our privacy policy. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the use of your debit/credit card information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

https://www.windcave.com/certifications-and-compliance

Pet Health Insurance

Goodna Veterinary Surgery strongly supports the principle of insuring your pet against unexpected illness or accidents. Unfortunately, we are unable to recommend a specific insurer and this choice falls to the client to select a product/level of cover you deem suitable. We are also unable to make comment on whether your insurance will cover your pet appropriately and you will have to make contact with your provider to validate the coverage.

Please be aware that it is your responsibility to settle our account and then reclaim the fees from your Insurance Company.

It may be possible for us to submit electronic claims on your behalf to some insurance companies. Please contact reception if you would like to know if your insurance has this capability.

Dispensing of Drugs

Prescriptions are available from this practice. Prescriptions are subject to a fee and you will be advised of the prescription charge when you contact the practice. Prescription charges are applied only when you request a prescription from us but go elsewhere to have the prescription filled. You are responsible for sourcing these medications from a suitable supplier and should bear in mind that delay in the start of treatment may not be in the best interest of the welfare of your pet. A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary. You will be informed, on request, of the price of any medicine that may be dispensed in house for your animal.

The policy of this practice is to re-assess an animal requiring repeat medications/prescriptions at a maximum every 6 months, however, in more complicated/unstable cases re-examinations will be more frequent depending on the professional judgement of the veterinary surgeon managing that case. Please give us at least 24 hours notice for any requests for a repeat or written prescription. There is a charge for a re-examination, details of which will be provided on enquiry.

The above policy is in line with the law set by the Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland.

Return of unused drugs

We are happy to accept unused medications back into the practice for disposal only. However, drugs which have left the premises are no longer fit for resale and no refund can be given. Drugs purchased from any other supplier will not be accepted for disposal.

Return of used sharps

We are also happy to accept used sharps back into the practice for disposal. However, to do so all sharps must be returned to us in a sharps disposal container. A disposal fee will be applicable for the purpose of disposing of the sharps as these containers are taken away by a third-party company.

Sharps disposal containers can be purchased from reception.

Complaints & Feedback

We hope that you never feel the need to complain about the standards of service received from Goodna Veterinary Surgery. However, if you feel there is something you wish to provide feedback about, please contact the Practice Manager either by phone or email.

Phone: 07 3288 1822

Email: info@goodnavet.com.au

Variation in Terms and Conditions 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. No agent or person employed by, or under contract with, the practice has the authority to alter or vary these conditions in any way.

Disclaimer: Any published information provided by us is used as an educational service to our clients and should not be treated as a substitute for veterinary care and advice.