An update for all small animal clients
We would like to inform you of changes to our emergency care provision, as up until now Park Issa has always provided our own out-of-hours service.
From 30th September 2022, we will still be providing some of our own out-of-hours, but we will also be utilising the services of Vets Now, the leading provider of out-of-hours care. Despite this, we do plan to continue the same care of inpatients every day, so any patients who are already hospitalised will be able to remain in Park Issa, and we will still have a Registered Veterinary Nurse on site every night to care for these patients, with veterinary oversight.
There has been much thought go into the decision to split our out-of-hours, but the main considerations for us as a practice were animal welfare and client care. Unfortunately, there is a national shortage of Registered Veterinarians, especially those able to cover emergency care. To liken our situation to human health care, veterinary staff who work in Vets Now are very much like those you would meet at a human accident and emergency clinic- they are highly trained and specialise in such care. Currently Park Issa operates as a first opinion practice (a bit like a human GP), but we also act as an accident and emergency service! As I’m sure you can imagine, finding staff to meet the requirements to operate both GP appointments and emergency appointments can be difficult, especially when there is already a national shortage of staff. Due to the inevitable movement of staff, we are now in a position where we do not have enough vets to meet both of these requirements, so rather than stretch the staff we have left, we decided that the best solution, to ensure gold standards of animal welfare, would be to utilise the dedicated accident and emergency staff that Vets Now employ, alongside our remaining vets who are able to do both first opinion and emergency work.
We currently plan to utilise Vets Now every Monday and Friday night, and every other weekend, though there may also be other occasions, due to staff absence, that we are required to utilise their services. Clients will always be made aware of the out-of-hours provider when they call the practice, and more information can be found out about this on our website.
To conclude, we hope that our clients can understand the decision for us to change the way in-which we provide out-of-hours. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support, and encourage anyone with any questions to refer to the “out-of-hours” section of our website, or to call the practice to discuss anything that may not be covered here.
FAQ's
Why are we no longer covering all of our own OOH?
The decision to split the out of hours is one that has taken much thought, with our paramount considerations being animal welfare and client care. There has been a significant rise in the number of animals requiring veterinary treatment, but there is also a national shortage of qualified veterinary surgeons who are able to meet the demands, especially when it comes to 24-hour care; unfortunately, this shortage is reflected at Park Issa and many other local practices. It is for this reason that we have decided to partner with Vets-Now, who specialise in emergency and critical care; they are able to provide this service and ensure there is no change to the level of care your animal will receive.
Will Park Issa Veterinary Hospital still be keeping patients in overnight?
Yes! We will still have a nurse at the practice 24/7 and a vet on call to attend to in-patients. So this will mean your animal will be cared for overnight and there will be no need to transport them to another clinic.
How will I know where to go in an emergency?
If you ring our practice number you will either speak to our on call nurse who will ask you to make your way to Oswestry clinic or the Vets Now service who can provide directions to your nearest Vets Now clinic.
How far will I have to travel?
There are clinics in Wrexham, Colwyn bay and Telford. The nearest clinic details will be sent to you by text.
How much will Vets Now cost?
The initial consultation is between £250-£300. The Vets Now team are well rested and experts in emergency and critical care, so you have a dedicated night team to attend to your poorly animal.
Will we still be able to put it through the insurance?
Yes you can! Vets Now are able to do direct claims on your behalf just like us, but they do ask if you can pay a contribution at the time.
What happens if my animal is admitted to stay the night in the Vets Now hospital?
If your animal is admitted to stay the night, you may be required to pick up your animal if discharged the following morning. You would then either bring your animal here to Park Issa to be re-admitted or take home if the animal is feeling better.