Written Prescription Terms & Conditions
At The Ealing Vet, we are happy to provide you with a written prescription for your pet's chronic medication or parasite prevention, allowing you to buy the products online. Please ensure that you have read through the below information before requesting a written prescription.
Pricing, Payment and Processing Times
Written prescriptions are subject to a fee of £27 per prescription and must be paid for in advance. We require a minimum of 2 working days to process and prepare your prescription. Please ensure that you allow plenty of time (ideally 2 weeks) to have your pet’s medication delivered; after our processing time, you must then allow time for the product to be ordered and delivered to you. Written prescription fees are non-refundable.
Long-Term Medications Only
Written prescriptions are only issued for long-term medications (more than a two week course). Pets starting new medications must have approval from the veterinary surgeon, in order for a written prescription to be issued. Your pet must have been seen by us within the last 3-6 months, depending on the medication type, in order for us to supply a written prescription.
Medication Quantities
We aim to provide you with a written prescription for the highest quantity that is legally possible. Under the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) guidelines, patient's can be given 3-6 months of medications in between veterinary examinations performed in a consultation.
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In order to obtain the maximum amount of medication on a written prescription, it is encouraged that clients request a written prescription at the time of a consultation, or shortly after. Requests made in the following months will result in a lower amount of medication being provided on the prescription, as per our professional obligations.
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Here are some examples of quantity allowances:
1. For Medications on a 6-Month Repeat
The maximum amount of medication allowed per prescription is calculated as:
6 - (Months lapsed since the last exam) = Medication allowance per prescription.
Example:
a. Last exam was 4 months ago.
6 - 4 = 2 months’ worth of medication can be prescribed.
b. Last exam was 7 months ago.
6 - 7 = No medication allowance (as it's more than 6 months since the last exam, no repeat medication is allowed).
2. For Medications on a 3-Month Repeat
The maximum amount of medication allowed per prescription is calculated as:
3 - (Months lapsed since the last exam) = Medication allowance per prescription.
Example:
a. Last exam was 1 month ago.
3 - 1 = 2 months’ worth of medication can be prescribed.
b. Last exam was 4 months ago.
3 - 4 = No medication allowance (as it’s more than 3 months since the last exam, no repeat medication is allowed).
3. For Parasite Control (e.g., Flea, Tick, Worming Treatments)
The maximum amount of parasite control allowed is calculated as:
12 - (Months lapsed since the last exam) = Parasite control allowance.
Example:
a. Last exam was 4 months ago.
12 - 4 = 8 months’ worth of parasite control can be prescribed.
b. Last exam was 13 months ago.
12 - 13 = No parasite control allowance (as it’s more than 12 months since the last exam, no repeat treatment is allowed).
Quantities allowed are non-negotiable.
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No Changes After Dispensing
Once a prescription has been dispensed, no changes can be made to the medication or quantity. Please ensure that you fill in all of the details on the form correctly, in order to avoid this. If changes are required, a new prescription fee will be chargeable.
Opening Hours & Contacting Us
We are open on Monday, Tuesday and Friday; please note that we cannot respond to inquiries when we are closed.
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Contacting Human Pharmacies
We recommend avoiding using human pharmacies for your pet’s medication but if you are obtaining a medication from a human pharmacy and you require us to contact the pharmacy to discuss any prescription queries, or to further verify a prescription, there will be a £25 administration fee.
Expiry
All written prescriptions will have an expiry date or will last a maximum of 6 months from the date of issue. It is the sole responsibility of the client to ensure that they use their prescription before the expiry of the prescription. Please check this expiry date when you receive your prescription; if it is not used within this time, a new prescription will be required and a new prescription fee will apply.
Written Prescriptions for Parasite Control
Quantity
As with other written prescriptions, those for parasite control can only be issued if you have an agreement with the veterinary surgeon that they can be supplied. Written prescriptions for parasite control are issued for a 12-month supply from your pet's last examination date (e.g. if your pet was seen 6 months ago, we can supply you with a written prescription for 6 month’s supply of parasite control). ​​
Puppies & Kittens
Written prescriptions are not given for puppies and kittens until they have fully grown, as they may outgrow the dosage, leading to under dosing.