Prescription Guide
If your chosen product does not require a prescription then simply add it to your shopping cart and proceed to our secure credit card facility. On receipt of your order your item(s) will be dispatched to you.
Some of the medications you may wish to purchase will require a Veterinary Prescription before they can be dispatched. A Veterinary Prescription is a legal document which must be written in accordance to UK regulations and signed and dated by a Vet with a UK/EU registration. The medications that require a prescription have in writing Prescription Required : yes within the features of the product.
Prescriptions can be posted, faxed or emailed to us (see terms below). Please note that payment is taken at the time of order, BUT please note that an order cannot be dispatched until the original paper prescription has been received by us.
There are 3 EASY STEPS to buying your pets prescriptions online (please see notes below if you are in the EU).
1. A vet will provide you with one of their prescriptions although if you prefer you can click the link and print one and take it to your vet to fill in. Your vet will need to fill in the details, date it, sign it and stamp it. (see below for blank prescription) Blank Veterinary Prescription
2. Place you order online and pay for your medications or call us and we will place the order over the phone for you.
3. Post, fax or email us your original signed prescription with your order number and contact number written clearly on the top (please see Prescription Terms below).
POST - Fivemiletown Farm Shop
96-98 Main Street, Fivemiletown, Co. Tyrone, BT75 0PW FAX - 028 89522172
EMAIL info@vetmedicinesdirect.co.uk
IMPORTANT Prescription Terms:
* Always write on your order reference number and contact number before you send us the prescription.
* To speed up an order prescriptions can be faxed or emailed to us providing they have been written by your vet and are dated within the last 7 days of the date you place your order. We will act on these copies for single use only.
* If your prescription has been faxed or emailed to us we ask the original paper prescription is sent to us within 3 days of placing your order as we need this for our files. PLEASE NOTE THAT AN ORDER CANNOT BE DISPATCHED UNTIL THE ORIGINAL PAPER PRESCRIPTION HAS BEEN RECEIVED.
* If your prescription is older than 7 days from the date signed by the vet we will only act on the original prescription posted to us.
* Repeats will only be issued against an original prescription we hold, we will not send out repeat orders against a photocopy or scanned prescription.
If we need to clarify an item on your prescription we may contact you or your vet for further information.
Only on receipt of your original paper prescription will we match this to your order and dispatch the items to you.
Questions regarding prescriptions
Below are some questions and answers. If you still have a query about placing an order or obtaining a prescription please email us at info@vetmedicinesdirect.co.uk or call us on 028 895 21144. We will be happy to assist you in any way we can.
Is Vetmedicinesdirect.co.uk a registered pharmacy?
In the UK, both registered pharmacists and veterinary surgeons are legally entitled to dispense prescription medicines for animals. A company can only be a registered pharmacy if it employs a pharmacist instead of a veterinary surgeon. All medication supplied by vetmedicinesdirect.co.uk is UK licensed.
What is a veterinary prescription?
A veterinary prescription is the same as a medical prescription you would get yourself from your doctor - but of course it is for your pet. It includes information such as the product/drug name, dosage, patient and prescriber details. It is a legal document.
Why do some medicines require a prescription and others don't?
Some veterinary medications are classed as POM-V (prescription only medicine). These products can be dangerous to your pet if used incorrectly and the classification is set to safeguard both your pets and public health.
Which medicines require a prescription?
All our medicines on the website that are classed as POM-V show in writing the words Prescription Required. For all these medications a veterinary prescription is required before we can send the medication to you.
Scheduled / Controlled Drugs eg Epiphen
Some prescription medicines contain drugs that are controlled under the Misuse of Drugs legislation and stricter controls apply for distribution. Any controlled drug on our website will be stated as this eg Epiphen.
For controlled drugs please note our terms:
1. The full quantity of medication allowed on the prescription must be purchased within 28 days of the date signed (not 6 months)
2. The original prescription must be posted to us, we cannot accept fax or emailed copies for legal reasons
3. We will not ship controlled drugs abroad
How do I get a prescription for my pet's medication?
Ask your vet! On request you should be provided with a written prescription. Or you can print off a prescription from our website and take it to your vets. This has to have the dose added, be stamped, signed and dated. Once you have this then place your order online or you can call us to place the order. A vet is legally obliged to write a prescription for you, it is then your choice where you purchase your pet's medication.
Once I have the prescription what do I do?
You can place an order online or over the phone . You then need to send us the prescription by post, fax or email (See terms above for more details on your options).
By post: Fivemiletown Farm Shop
96-98 Main Street, Fivemiletown, Co. Tyrone, BT75 0PW
Fax: 028 895 22172
Email: info@vetmedicinesdirect.co.uk
As soon as we receive the prescription we match this to your order and we can dispatch your items. Your prescription will be kept on file. If your prescription has been faxed or emailed you need to post the original to us within the next 3 days.
Will my vet charge for providing a prescription?
From the 31 October 2008 vets can charge to write a prescription. Your vet can charge any fee they wish and it is usually around £5-£7. It is worth noting that Vets can write a prescription to last for 6 months medication and this could ensure you benefit from even greater savings on your medications by buying online. If you have a 6 month prescription then you can buy all the medications at once or buy from us month by month to spread the costs. Vets can either produce their own prescription or you can print off a prescription and take it to your vets to complete (see: How do I get a prescription for my pet's medication?)
The RCVS guidelines say, Veterinary Surgeons should not make unreasonable charges for written prescriptions that could be regarded as a deterrent by clients who might otherwise ask for a prescription. If you think you are being overcharged or discriminated against you may want to inform Bob MacDowall at Office of Fair Trading who is monitoring the situation. His email address is bob.macdowall@oft.gsi.gov.uk or phone him on 020 7211 8574
Repeatable Prescriptions
If your vet writes you a prescription that is repeatable or lasts for a certain amount of time then this will be kept on our files and you can order against the prescription as and when required until the prescription runs out. The number of repeats is at the discretion of your vet and will need to be clearly marked on for us to class it as a repeatable prescription.
Vets can write a repeatable prescription for up to 6 months though this will depend on your pet's condition. If you do have a repeat you can choose to buy all medication in one go if you prefer. Please note will only send out repeat orders against an original prescription that has been posted to us. Please make sure if you have a repeatable prescription that it is posted to us with your order reference number clearly written on it.
Please also note if your prescription is valid for 6 months, then the repeats must be used up within this time period. If you prescription expires you will not be able to take further repeats against it.
FREE Prescription Reminder Service
If you keep a repeatable prescription on file with us, during the month the prescription will expire we will endeavour to give you a call to remind your prescription is about to expire and that there is medication to take. All prescriptions have an expiry date on them (usually 6 months from the date of it being written) and if you don't order before this date expires we can't dispense the medication to you and you will need to get a new prescription from the vet.
This service just reminds you and to help save you some money on charges that will occur if you have to get a new prescription. After the call it is then your choice to order the medication before the end of the month, otherwise after this time a visit to the vet and a new prescription would be needed.
(Please note if we are unable to reach you by telephone or email we will not be able to offer this service to you and we are not responsible if the message doesn't reach you).
Can my vet refuse to issue a prescription?
Your vet cannot refuse to issue a written prescription for medication they would otherwise be happy to dispense themselves. Legally an animal that a vet writes a prescription for must be registered with the practice. Your vet must establish the need for the medication and that it is appropriate for your pet. For some conditions this may mean a check up as frequently as every 3 months.
Can I ask my vet for a particular medication for my pet?
Your vet will determine which medications are required and are safe for your pet's condition, although if you see a similar drug which may be more affordable or perhaps easier to give then this should be discussed with your vet.
Claiming against your insurance
You may be able to claim your costs of medication against your insurance company. Most insurers will accept invoices from companies such as info@vetmedicinesdirect.co.uk. If your animal is insured it may be of benefit obtaining your medication through us if it is cheaper than your vets., This is a consideration if you have a upper limit on your policy. All orders are sent out with a full VAT invoice. If you are claiming against your insurance you need to keep these to send on to the insurers. Please note that we can't offer duplicate invoices if your order is over 3months old. If you are considering claiming against your insurance please keep all your invoices safely.
Prescriptions from Overseas
We are looking into the options of being able to send POM-V medication overseas that ensures we comply to VMD regulation but at this time we are unable to send POM-V medications outside the UK.
NOTES:
* It is an offence for a person to submit a fraudulent prescription to obtain veterinary medicines and for a person to amend a prescription unless authorised to do so by the prescriber. Any suspected cases of fraud or tampering with a prescription will be referred to the appropriate enforcement body.
* Legally we cannot accept any returns of prescription medicines for a refund or exchange. They can be returned for disposal only. | |
