Your Appointment...

Except for very urgent cases or emergencies, you should always make an appointment in advance so that you can see the veterinarian of your choice. Please telephone our receptionists on 01708 384444 or drop in to make an appointment.

We usually are able to give an appointment on the same day you contact us, if that is what you require. If you do not have an appointment and need to be seen urgently we will try to fit you in when you arrive, within surgery hours, but you must be prepared to wait and you will not necessarily see the veterinarian of your choice.

If you find that you no longer need an appointment or are unable to keep one, it is most important that you let us know so that we can offer your appointment to another client. The correct working of the Appointment system depends on the co-operation of our Clients whilst abuse of the system results only in inconvenience and irritation for all concerned.

We will do our utmost to run to time but due to the nature of medical treatment and unpredictability of investigations and examinations required, there may be times when this is not possible. If someone arriving after you is seen before you, it will be because their appointment was before yours. If you are late for an appointment, you will still be seen but you may well have to wait for a suitable opportunity for us to see you in between, or after, those clients that have arrived on time for their appointments.

Home Visit

Home Visits are available for animals that are considered far too ill to come to the surgery and providing you are in Harold Wood, or neighbouring areas.

If you feel you need a home visit, please telephone before 10am so that the Veterinarian can arrange their schedule, accordingly. Please bear in mind that the veterinarian can see four to five patients in the surgery in the time it takes to make a home visit and you will be charged for this time.

Home visits are not normally available on Saturdays or out of normal surgery hours and it is for the veterinarian to decide whether a home visit is necessary or not.

New Clients

We are happy to accept new patients on a first opinion or referral basis.

Where clients do not live within an acceptable distance from the surgery they are advised to make arrangements for emergency care of their pet with a more local practice.

If you are currently registered with another veterinary practice, we will require either a referral letter from the veterinary surgeon or we will have to attempt to contact the practice for a detailed case history before we can see you. It is important for the health of your pet that we have up to date medical records but also so that we are complying with the Guide to Professional Conduct as issued by our governing body, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Parking

Parking is permitted directly outside the surgery on the single yellow line at all times EXCEPT between 10.30am to 11.30 am.

This hour restriction was brought in by Havering Council to prevent the road being full of Rail Commuters who, prior to the restriction, used to park in the surrounding streets all day preventing others from doing so.

We welcomed this restriction as it vastly improved the access and parking around our practice. Please be mindful of these restrictions when booking your appointment, if you have to travel by car. A Visitors parking pass is available from the Harold Wood Library if you feel you do need one.

Emergency Service

Like all Veterinary Practices we have made arrangements to provide an out of hours emergency service for the provision of First Aid and relief of Pain.

This service is provided by a dedicated Emergency Clinic, just off the M25 (junction 25). The use of an Emergency Clinic that is open and fully staffed, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year allows the highest level of services in what is often a life or death situation.

This service was decided to be used as the best way of our establishing a system to deal with emergencies and offer the provision of first aid or pain relief for those cases that cannot wait until normal surgery hours without endangering the life of the animal concerned. This service is expensive to provide and is charged for accordingly. We would ask that you respect this service and not use it unless there is a life threatening emergency or intractable pain that cannot wait until the next surgery.