1D. Your responsibilities to your clients

(Your client in this context is the person who requests your professional services for an animal)

1.  The provision of veterinary services creates a contractual relationship under which the veterinary surgeon should:

a. ensure that clear written information is provided about practice arrangements, including the provision, initial cost and location of the out-of-hours emergency service, and information on the care of in-patients

b. take all reasonable care in using their professional skills to treat patients

c. keep their skills and knowledge up to date

d. keep within their own areas of competence save for the requirement to provide emergency first aid

e. maintain clear, accurate and comprehensive case records and accounts

f. ensure that a range of reasonable treatment options are offered and explained, including prognoses and possible side effects

g. give realistic fee estimates based on treatment options

h. keep the client informed of progress, and of any escalation in costs once treatment has started

i. obtain the client's consent to treatment unless delay would adversely affect the animal's welfare (to give informed consent, clients must be aware of risks) (see Annex 3E, 'Consent forms specimens')

j. ensure that all staff are properly trained and supervised where appropriate

k. ensure that the client is made aware of any procedures to be performed by support staff who are not veterinary surgeons (see Part 2F, 'Treatment of animals by non-veterinary surgeons')

l. recognise that the client has freedom of choice.

2.  The professional/client relationship is one of mutual trust and respect, under which a veterinary surgeon must:

a. maintain client confidentiality

b. treat the client with respect, and observe professional courtesies

c. avoid conflicts of interest

d. give due consideration to the client's concerns and wishes where these do not conflict with the patient's welfare

e. provide fully itemised accounts if requested.

3.  Veterinary surgeons must ensure that all their professional activities are covered by professional indemnity insurance or equivalent arrangements. Such cover may be held individually or through an employer.

Continuing Professional Development

4.  Veterinary surgeons must continue their professional education by keeping up to date with the general developments in veterinary science, particularly in their area of professional activity and must maintain a record of CPD undertaken as evidence of so doing.

5.  Employers should encourage and facilitate participation in CPD programmes.

6.  New graduates must be supported and assisted by senior colleagues until they are confident of their own ability to provide a full professional service. It is strongly recommended that employers of new graduates support their continued development through an appropriate appraisal system, to enable them to complete the RCVS Professional Development Phase (PDP).

7.  Those returning to practice, or changing direction, must undertake appropriate training to ensure that they are competent to do so.

Medicines prescribed or supplied by veterinary surgeons

8.  Veterinary surgeons must:

a. ensure clients are able to obtain prescriptions, as appropriate
(A veterinary surgeon may prescribe a medicine of category Prescription Only Medicine, Veterinarian, [POM-V] only following a clinical assessment of an animal under his or her care; a prescription may not be appropriate if the animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary.)

b. subject to any legal restrictions, ensure there is adequate provision of information on medicine prices, including the current prices for the ten relevant veterinary medicinal products (see paragraph 10) most commonly prescribed during a recent and typical 3 month period, to provide clients with a fair and representative illustration of the practice's medicines prices

c. provide the price of any relevant veterinary medicinal product stocked or sold, to clients, or other legitimate enquirers, making reasonable requests

d. if requested, inform clients of the price of any medicine to be prescribed or dispensed

e. where possible and relevant, inform clients of the frequency and charges regarding further examinations of animals requiring repeat prescriptions

f. provide clients with an invoice that distinguishes the price of relevant veterinary medicinal products from other charges and, where practicable, provide clients with an invoice that distinguishes the price of individual relevant veterinary medicinal products

g. advise clients, by means of a large and prominently displayed sign or signs (in the waiting room or other appropriate area), with reference to the following:

"Prescriptions are available from this practice.

You may obtain relevant veterinary medicinal products from your veterinary surgeon OR ask for a prescription and obtain these medicines from another veterinary surgeon or a pharmacy.

Your veterinary surgeon may prescribe relevant veterinary medicinal products only following a clinical assessment of an animal under his or her care.

A prescription may not be appropriate if your animal is an in-patient or immediate treatment is necessary.

You will be informed, on request, of the price of any medicine that may be prescribed for your animal.

The general policy of this practice is to re-assess an animal requiring repeat prescriptions for/supplies of relevant veterinary medicinal products every XX months, but this may vary with individual circumstances. The standard charge for a re-examination is £XX.

The current prices for the ten relevant veterinary medicinal products most commonly prescribed during XX [a typical 3 month period] were:
[The ten relevant veterinary medicinal products and prices listed.]

Further information on the prices of medicines is available on request."

h. provide new clients with a written version of the information set out in the sign or signs referred to in paragraph 7, which may be set out in a practice leaflet or client letter

i. on a continuing basis, take reasonable steps to ensure that all clients are provided with a written version of the information set out in the sign or signs referred to in paragraph 8g, which may be set out in a practice leaflet or client letter.

j. from 31 October 2008, a reasonable charge may be made for written prescriptions; such prescriptions for POM-V medicines may be issued only for animals under the care of the prescribing veterinary surgeon and following his or her clinical assessment of the animals.

A veterinary surgeon must not discriminate between clients who are supplied with a prescription and those who are not in relation to fees charged for other goods or services.

" relevant veterinary medicinal product" has the same meaning as in The Supply of Relevant Veterinary Medicinal Products Order 2005; in brief, these are medicines of category POM-V, excluding medicated feeding stuffs.