Healthy Pet Club and pet treatments

Fleaintheear

Hello,

Please could someone give me some independent advice regarding HPC payments and animal treatments.

I have had 3 animals covered under the scheme two cats and one dog. We were attending a local vets practice for 10 yrs which relocated 20 miles away in August 2021.

Due to the various lockdown restrictions throughout 2021 (and that I don’t have a vehicle) I didn’t take the cats to the same vets for their six months health check.

The cats' last health checks were on 18th October. In the last week of October, I tried contacting a new practice that was nearer to me to arrange an appointment which is owned by a sister company. Sadly, they weren’t holding any routine appointments because we were entering another stage 4 lockdown but I transferred all my animal’s records over to them anyway.

My questions are:-

I have been HPC payments by D.D for both can I claim back these payments? From August to today's date?

I asked the new practice if I could have some flea treatment for 3 months just to tide us over until routine check ups are allowed again and they refused. As the cats were only 10days overdue for their annual check-ups I felt this response was a little OTT  but the tone they used was so condescending that I actually received a flea in my ear! So, I wrote them an email and received this is their reply.

‘It is also important to note that any medication should not be dispensed without having a health check (as a minimum annually) to ensure that the medication is still appropriate and that there have been no changes in health/weight or underlying conditions that may not have been noticed by an untrained person.’

I don’t disagree with this statement my issue merely that I have been paying for a treatment that we are not receiving and plus having to buy an alternative treatment as well. In addition, I took my dog to the vets who I suspected was having an ear infection and I was charged an emergency appointment when he was also eligible for a free health check under the HCP.

I’m wondering if I was being unreasonable in my request for flea treatment and have the dog check F.O.C?

Fundamentally, I’m questioning if I should proceed to use the new vet, continue with the HCP, or scrap it altogether. These costs do add up over the year! 

So, I'm seeking advice really and I do apologise; I know that it’s been an immensely stressful year for all and I am seemly only going on about flea treatments! But any advice, particularly from any vets out there, would be much appreciated in addition to the consumer rights regarding the HCP.

Thank you.

 

KxMx

I couldn't make sense of your timeline but when I had my cat (also a HPC customer) I only ever took her in once a year for a check up with boosters. She was absolutely terrified at the Vets.

I don't have a car either but managed with taxis although I appreciate 20 miles is quite a way away. It is however your responsibility and not the Vet's to get your animals there. 

Healthy Pet Club generally covers a routine general health check up twice annually. An emergency appointment for diagnosis and treatment of an acute problem seems appropriate.
Did you raise a dispute or question the charge at the time? 
I know when my cat was ill I paid the consultation fee without quibble because to me even as an HPC customer that was the right way for the Vet to behave. 

I definitely would be unhappy about not getting flea treatment and having to pay out for it elsewhere.

I'd make a formal complaint both to the Vet and the administrators of the HPC and see whether you get anywhere.

You may also be better cancelling now so you don't pay them anymore essentially for nothing, and sign back up at a later date if you want to. 

sheramber

if the vets weren't doing routine health appointments your old vet may have been prepared to and do a phone appointment send you the flea treatment since you health scheme payments were made to him and he had previously dealt with your animals.
The new vet had not previously seen your animals so would not be allowed to prescribe the flea treatments.
My vet is currently limiting consultations to urgent cases only and I had a phone appointment to request some painkiller for my dog. Normally it would have required a visit but in the present circumstances they prescribed after the phone consultation.