
I have been a client of this practice for around 10 years, and the staff have always been friendly and professional. The veterinary care itself has also been very good.
However, my most recent experience was disappointing. I attended a scheduled appointment and had already travelled approximately 10 miles to the practice. I had allowed a 40-minute window before another commitment, based on being told the practice was not busy. After waiting over 20 minutes beyond my appointment time with no indication of how much longer the delay would be, I had to leave as I could not risk being late.
I informed reception that I would return within 10 minutes. Shortly after leaving, I was contacted and told that the next available appointment was not until approximately three hours later.
I fully understand that some cases may be urgent and require immediate attention, and I would never expect a seriously ill animal to be turned away. However, given that I had arrived on time and had already waited beyond my appointment time, it was disappointing that it was not possible to accommodate my brief return shortly afterwards. The alternative would also have required a total of approximately 40 miles of travel that day, which was not practical.
I raised a formal complaint and received a response from the practice, but I also contacted VetPartners and received no acknowledgement or reply. This was disappointing, particularly as a long-standing client.
I hope this feedback is helpful in improving communication and appointment handling for clients in future.