Our Video Consultation Service uses technology to allow our veterinary team to assist you when we’re not able to provide care and treatment in the surgery - which is particularly important during the current COVID-19 situation.
Using a technology platform called Microsoft Teams, our vets can give you general advice, help monitor and update treatment for pets already under our care. In certain circumstances, we may be able to provide veterinary attention to new cases, where no other more suitable arrangements can be made.
Please contact our reception team and we can provide more detail about the service and discuss the best way forward for you and your pet.
- Get advice without visiting the practice
- Same cost as a standard consultation
- Call our practice and we’ll discuss the most appropriate way to manage your request
How does it work?
- Please call the practice. Our receptionist will take some information from you and decide what is the best way to manage your request.
- A further telephone triage appointment may be required in order to determine if a video consultation is appropriate.
- For a video consultation, we will arrange a time with you and send an email to confirm the details, the cost for the appointment (which is the same as a standard consultation) and our privacy policy.
- Please email back to the practice and confirm you are happy to progress with the consultation.
- Once you have confirmed, the practice will email back with the time of the appointment, the vet who will run the consult and the link to follow for the video consultation.
- Download the Microsoft Teams app. The appointment will then take place as planned as a video consultation with an appropriate member of our Practice team who will have access to your pet’s notes, we already have available in our practice.
Following professional guidance from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)
Vets work under professional guidance from the RCVS and the Medicines Act; this restricts what can be carried out remotely to diagnose and treat your pet when they are unwell.
Currently, in the circumstances of the coronavirus outbreak, the RCVS has introduced temporary permission to remotely prescribe medicines where it is appropriate and no reasonable alternative is available, such as when an owner must remain isolated at home or treating a pet in practice is not practical.
Under these circumstances a video consultation might be appropriate. In the first instance, please call the practice and we will discuss the best way to manage your request.
Video Consultation Service terms and conditions
- Our vets will be able to give general advice, help monitor and update treatment for pets already under our care. We may be able to provide veterinary attention to new cases where no other more suitable arrangements can reasonably be made. Depending on the individual circumstance of any request – the final decision to conduct a video consultation will be made by the practice.
- The Video Consultation Service can only be booked once our veterinary team agree it is appropriate to do so. In the first instance you must call the practice, where the options available will be discussed with you. Any agreed video consultation must be pre-booked and is subject to availability.
- Fees will be charged in line with our standard consultation fee. Payment will be taken prior to the video consultation appointment with receipts sent via email or post. Payment for any further treatments or medication will be taken after the consultation. You will need to call the practice to agree how medication can be obtained (if posted, an additional delivery charge will apply – depending on the delivery service requested).
- The video consultation will take place using the technology platform Microsoft Teams. The Microsoft Teams app must be downloaded and installed prior to the consultation. Please note that use of the app is subject to your agreement to Microsoft’s terms and conditions. This app is currently free of charge (as of 23.03.20) – however please consult your app provider for the costs at the time of download. You will be responsible for all costs charged by your network provider relating to the use of this service.
- Use of this Video Consultation Service will be subject to our privacy policy which can be found here.
In addition, our standard terms and conditions will apply. They can be found here.