Referral Forms

Veterinary Consent

• Veterinary physiotherapy can only be carried out with consent and referral from a veterinary surgeon by law and professional standards (Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966). If a year has passed since the last appointment, a new referral is required.
• The veterinary physiotherapist may contact the referring veterinary surgeon regarding the patient's wellbeing and treatment.

Owner Responsibilities

• The owner must provide a suitable environment for the patient (warm, cool, dry and suitable for treatment).
• The owner must disclose any behavioural issues or triggers. During the appointment, the owner is always responsible for the animal's behaviour.
• The owner may be required to hold the patient during treatment.
• The owner is responsible for claiming back the appointment charge from the insurance company.

Disclosure of Information

• The owner must consent to provide accurate information regarding medical history, current medications, previous injuries or surgeries, and changes in health status.

Payment Terms

• Stand Walk Canter Veterinary Physiotherapy reserves the right to ask for payment before treatment.
• Payment must be received, or proof of transfer provided, on the day of treatment. I reserve the right to pursue and invoice missed payments from the client.
• Failure to comply with this will result in withdrawal of the veterinary physiotherapist services.

Cancellation Policy

• Cancellations require a 48-hour notice period. A 'no show' will warrant a cancellation charge of 50% of the appointment cost.

Appointment Conditions

• The patient must be fit enough to undergo veterinary physiotherapy. If this is breached, the horse / dog will be referred to their veterinary surgeon.
• Owners must notify the veterinary physiotherapist of any health changes before treatments.
• The veterinary physiotherapist reserves the right to stop or refuse treatment if welfare concerns are raised. This includes if the patient becomes distressed, unsafe, aggressive etc.
• With owner consent, pictures and videos can be taken for social media and online presence purposes (e.g. progress stories and marketing). This can be refused and withdrawn at any time.
• If the owner is late for the appointment, the arranged end time of the appointment remains the same.

Risks & Limitations

• Outcomes cannot always be guaranteed, possibly due to the nature of diagnosis, complications, changes in management and owner compliance.
• Veterinary physiotherapy does not replace first-line veterinary surgeon care and I cannot diagnose.
• Risks and limitations include response to treatments varying between appointments, and the potential for soreness and fatigue post treatment.
• Stand Walk Canter Veterinary Physiotherapy recognises the risks of infectious diseases. The owner must notify me of any diagnosed infectious diseases on the yard or in contact with the patient.
• While I take every reasonable step for quality of care, I accept no liability for injury, illness, loss or damages except where caused by negligence.

Data Protection & Confidentiality

• I retain all client records, which can be forwarded to the patient's veterinary surgeon or paraprofessionals taking over the case. Records are kept for 7 years in a secure place.
• I will comply with the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018. By receiving treatment for your dog / horse, you authorise us to use that data in the course of the work that we do for you. I will, where specifically required, pass on to insurers details of clinical histories and case records relating to yourself or your animal. We will not divulge your details to other agencies except for debt collection purposes.

Emergency Situations

• In an emergency, the owner must provide consent for their dog / horse to be seen by a vet, regardless of their company, for the health and wellbeing of the animal at that time.

Complaints Procedure

• Stand Walk Canter Veterinary Physiotherapy aims for the highest quality of care and client satisfaction. I ask that any complaints are directed to me to resolve the issue at hand, and clients may secondly contact RAMP after the complaint has been raised with me.

By signing and accepting treatment, the client confirms they have read and agree to these terms and conditions.