£12.50 Charge For Perscription From Vet

simontheiceman

missbargain wrote: »

Simon, that's lovely.

Even if some vets have to charge, how about saying to the pet's owner something like "We'll sort it out next time, don't worry about the payment now", or offering a discount, or just showing in some way that they cared about that pet and its owner just a little.

Anyway, when are you moving down to London, then?

Actually my wife would love it if I moved to London (culture monkey), but house prices and sizes really wouldn't work for us unfortunately. The only thing I can confidently predict is that I will be out of the UK within 10 years.

missbargain

A thought came to me this morning while in bed.

It would be great if Mr Stellios Haji-Ioanu, the owner of EasyJet, opend the EasyVet.

Of course, this would be just for routine treatments (boosters, defleeing, deworming, grooming, teeth check-ups etc), so nothing that needs ongoing treatments and care. The price would probably be 1/3 of the regular vets, but it would mean that we could take our cats there for those routing things, and have our expensive vets for more involved procedures.
That's what I do with my own health. I go to my private doctor for new, more "scarry", unknown symptoms, and pay 90-100 pounds per consultation. However, if I just need something routine and common (a cold, flu, skin irritation and similar) I go to my NHS practice, as there is no need (and common sense) to pay 90 quid for common things like that.

Stellios, if you are reading this, can you tell us what you think, please?

missbargain

Simon, house prices are falling like ripe pear from the tree. And if you were in London, you could charge sooooo much more. Although, your local pets would be missing you then...

I moved here after many years in Australia (I am not an Aussie, though), and most English people that I met thought that I was crazy. They all go there, fall in love with the place and want to stay.
But I prefer it here, I just love London, it's great! Obscenely expensive, but still a great place. Perhaps in few years time I will change my mind, I recently discovered Berlin and fell in love with it (also cheap as chips), but for now, I like it here.

~Chameleon~

missbargain wrote: »

A thought came to me this morning while in bed.

It would be great if Mr Stellios Haji-Ioanu, the owner of EasyJet, opend the EasyVet.

Of course, this would be just for routine treatments (boosters, defleeing, deworming, grooming, teeth check-ups etc), so nothing that needs ongoing treatments and care. The price would probably be 1/3 of the regular vets, but it would mean that we could take our cats there for those routing things, and have our expensive vets for more involved procedures.
That's what I do with my own health. I go to my private doctor for new, more "scarry", unknown symptoms, and pay 90-100 pounds per consultation. However, if I just need something routine and common (a cold, flu, skin irritation and similar) I go to my NHS practice, as there is no need (and common sense) to pay 90 quid for common things like that.

Stellios, if you are reading this, can you tell us what you think, please?

And if something like this were to happen there would be no nice regular vets left for you to take your cat to for non-routine procedures/treatments, and those that are would charge astronomical fees to which you'd only complain about even more! :rolleyes:

Don't you understand that it's the routine bread-and-butter consults that subsidise the practice and enable the vet to keep costs to a minimum. I don't think you've thought this through very well.

Ditto you mention shopping around and using several different vets depending on how much they charge. Yes, or course you are within your rights to do this but don't expect that nice friendly vet down the road to still be in practice when you need him in an emergency if you've been travelling to out of town cheaper practices in the mean time

Btw, I really don't think it's a good idea to take your cat on any train, not just the tube. Stations are incredibly busy and noisy places and a highly stressful environment for any animal, unless you happen to own an exceptionally tolerant and laid-back cat. I've seen a cat escape it's basket in KX station whilst it's owner was standing in the ticket queue. Prior to it's escape it was in a highly distressed state, howling pitifully and trying to claw it's way of the basket. Dreadful situation to be in

missbargain

I agree, trains and tubes are NOT a good idea.

I am not advocating against nice local vets, but perhaps they should lower the prices of routine treatments somewhat (or prices across the board), so that we don't have to go in search of another vet. I would not go to many vets, as continuity is important ih health care, only my 1 vet a bit further away.

And the local vet will still exist, because he is expensive, and there are many people in my area who don't even blink at any price.

The same way that my private GP still exists, even though I and probably few others, go to the local NHS practice for a flue jab.
If they were to make their prices more reasonable, we would not have to do that. It is not convenient for me to go to the next suburb, but I am not going to subsidise my vet's Jag and house in the South of France. And yes, I know he has it, because my neighbour has been using him for years and years, and has told me so. I'd rather support the reasonable, nice chap one suburb away that drives an old banger, than my greedy vet, that's it.

We have been paying through the nose for years for everything, so that greedy businesses can make huge profits. It is time that they come off their high horse, reduce the prices - and their profits (as many retailers are doing at the moment), start giving "service with a smile", otherwise, they will close down. And deservedly so. All I can see, at least in my area, that businesses that are reasonable and good are still thriving, regardless of the economy. The rip off ones have mostly closed down. The same should apply to everyone, icluding the vets.

MrsE_2

simontheiceman wrote: »

I usually fail to charge clients if I have a DOA out of hours - !!!!!! its dead, they dont need a bill for £120. They have to go home to an empty house - thats bad enough and with luck they will come with their new pup/kit and you can start again and "win" a second time. It really is worth not charging for events such as you describe - I often will see if clients will donate to the RSPCA / PDSA. As for a bit of time in the consult room - easy done and always offered - leave when you are done.

The £120 is a lot, but we had it, so I can't complain.

What upset me is the cleaner coming in & mopping the floor while I was having 5 minutes with Ted & sobbing my heart out, would it have killed him to wait for 5 minutes.

& after all the money we have spent there over the years, I don't think a spray of flea killer to have given him some dignity at his cremation service.

If I get another cat, I WON'T ever be going back there.

I did think about writing to them, about how upset I was about those two episodes.

I think for £120 we should have been given a few minutes peace in the room & a squirt of flea spray.

missbargain

I think you should write to them. Too late for you, but they may be more aware and sensitive to another person in the similar situation.

MrsE_2

missbargain wrote: »

I think you should write to them. Too late for you, but they may be more aware and sensitive to another person in the similar situation.

You're right & I will.

~Chameleon~

MrsE wrote: »

What upset me is the cleaner coming in & mopping the floor while I was having 5 minutes with Ted & sobbing my heart out, would it have killed him to wait for 5 minutes.

That is bang out of order and the cleaner should have shown you more compassion and left the room well alone until you'd left the building. I would seriously consider making a formal complaint about this. It's completely unacceptable and if a member of my staff had ever done something similar they would be facing a stern warning.

missbargain

Yes, the cleaner should have been instructed by the practice to leave you alone for 10 minutes. The cleaner was probably in a hurry to mop up and go home, it is the practice whose responsibility it was to instruct her/him to give you time to say your goodbyes. Definitely write that letter, they should know that their conduct was out of order.

God, I better go and do some work today, this Forum is addictive