Welcome To Acorn House Veterinary Hospital

Welcome to our practice website 

 

Practice Update 6th January 2022

In response to the current high prevalence of COVID and other respiratory infections the practice is not currently allowing clients to enter the consulting rooms with their pets. The practice has reverted to our previous COVID system in which clients speak to the veterinary surgeon on the telephone before and after the examination, and the pet is examined in the consulting room whilst the client waits outside.

Please read the following information carefully.

New registrations

New registrations from Bedford and surrounding areas are now being accepted. Please register using the online registration form on the practice website. You will receive a confirmation from the practice within 2 working days, after which time appointments can be booked using the online system or by telephoning the practice directly. 

Opening hours

Opening hours are 8am to 8pm weekdays and 8am to 4:30pm on Saturdays. Our on-site out of hours emergency service will operate as normal outside of these times.

Booking an appointment

Please call Reception during normal opening hours to make an appointment or use the online booking service via the website. All appointments must be booked in advance – please don’t just turn up!

There is currently very high demand for appointments. Please let us know if you book an appointment and then find that you are unable to attend.

Attending an appointment

Clients attending a pre-booked appointment will be greeted in the car park by a member of staff who will perform the “check in” so that there is no need to enter the building at this point. If the member of staff is temporarily unavailable, please approach the “Enquiries” portacabin in the car park or telephone the surgery from the car park to let us know that you have arrived. Please wait in the car park. Make sure that you have your phone with you, it is very important that you keep the line free for the vet to ring you at the start of the appointment.

 The vet will call you to discuss the problems that you have noticed with your pet. The vet will bring your pet inside the building whilst you wait outside. They will call you after the examination to discuss their findings and any treatment recommended.

After the consultation you will be invited to enter the Reception area to collect medication, make any future appointments, and to make payment. Reception has been adapted for social distancing (one-way system, plastic screening, hand sanitiser). Please note that only one client per pet should enter Reception, and a face covering must be worn. If you would prefer not to enter the Reception area, please telephone the Reception desk from the car park and payment can be taken over the telephone and medication brought out to the car park instead.

Ordering medication

Repeat medication can be ordered using our online click and collect service, by emailing info@acornhousevets.co.uk or by telephoning Reception. Please allow 48 hours (72 hours over a weekend) before travelling to the practice to collect this medication.

Collecting medication

Please let the staff member in the car park know that you would like to collect medication and they will direct you to the queue system inside Reception. Reception has been adapted for social distancing (one-way system, 2M queuing markers, plastic screening, hand sanitizer). Please note that only one client per pet should enter Reception, and a face covering must be worn. Medication can be collected and paid for at Reception. If you would prefer not to enter the Reception area, please telephone the Reception desk from the car park and payment can be taken over the telephone and medication brought out to the car park instead.

Clients that are self isolating

If you have COVID symptoms or have otherwise been asked to self-isolate, please do not attend the practice. Ask a friend or neighbour to bring your pet / collect medication for you, or telephone the practice to arrange a video consultation instead.

Procedures available

All procedures are available.

Vaccinations

All puppy, kitten, rabbit and adult dog/cat vaccinations may be booked in as normal.

Neutering

Cat, dog, rabbit and small pet neuterings are all available. Please call Reception to discuss and book.

Home visits

House visits are not currently available.

Nurse clinics

Nurse clinics are available for post operative checks, 6 month health checks, nail clips, anal gland emptying and medication administration. Please book by calling Reception or using the online booking system.

Euthanasia appointments

While the prevalence of COVID remains high, we are trying to minimise close contact between clients and staff. We are concerned that every contact risks a staff member contracting COVID and having to isolate, which could result in difficulties in staffing our veterinary service properly in the coming weeks and months. For this reason, our preference would be that euthanasia appointments for dogs take place in the practice garden. Outdoor euthanasia appointments are not appropriate for cats or small pets, and we would suggest that these patients are euthanised inside the building without their owners being present.

If these options are not acceptable, we will try our hardest to accommodate an indoor euthanasia appointment wherever possible. If you wish to arrange an indoor euthanasia appointment you will need to complete a COVID questionnaire over the telephone with a member of our team within 24 hours of the appointment. Please note that only one client may attend the appointment with the pet and that the questionnaire requires that the client has none of the classic COVID symptoms (new cough, loss of smell/taste, fever); no other cold or respiratory symptoms (sore throat, runny nose); no positive COVID result in the preceding 10 days; and that the attending client has taken a lateral flow test and tested negative within 24 hours of the appointment. Both vet and client must wear a face covering, and the vet will keep the time spent in close proximity to the client to a minimum. These exceptional arrangements will only be considered for existing clients; we are unable to accommodate transfers from other practices for the purpose of indoor euthanasia.

Whether clients are present or not, please know that we will always ensure that patients are reassured and supported by our team of vets and nurses before and during the procedure so that their passing is peaceful.

Thank you

The staff at Acorn House have worked very hard to continue to provide veterinary care for their patients during the constantly-evolving COVID pandemic. We are extremely grateful to our lovely clients who have worked with us to make the various restrictions and changes work over the past few months and thank you for your continued support and understanding.

 

                           

 

                           

 

                           

 

 

 

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