How to use this list
A confident, well-run practice will generally welcome these questions. If they don't, that is useful information. Each question below comes with two markers:
- Good answer — the response pattern that suggests they're competent and transparent.
- Red flag — the response that should give you pause.
Don't try to ask all ten in a single visit; you'll overwhelm yourself and the staff. Phone or visit once for the credentials and cost questions (1–5), then book a wellness check to experience the day-to-day questions (6–10) for yourself. You'll often learn more from observation than from any answer they give you.
For the bigger picture on choosing a UK vet, see our decision framework.
If they push back on the questions, that's information
A practice that's genuinely interested in earning your trust will typically treat these questions as completely normal. If a receptionist seems impatient, ask to speak with a vet or practice manager instead. How they handle a polite enquiry is itself a quality signal.
Credentials and standards
The first three help you assess whether a practice meets the regulatory baseline — and whether they go beyond it.
Are you accredited under the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme, and at what level?
Good answer: a clear yes, with the level (Core Standards, General Practice, Veterinary Hospital, or Emergency Service Clinic) and a willingness to explain what their level covers. Red flag: confusion about what PSS means, or "we're as good as accredited but haven't bothered". Around 31% of eligible UK practices aren't in the scheme — that's not automatically bad, but they should be able to explain their position. Background reading: the verification guide.
What qualifications and special interests does the team have?
Ask specifically about Registered Veterinary Nurses, post-graduate certificates (e.g. surgery, dermatology, dentistry), and any vets with declared special interests relevant to your pet. Good answer: specifics — names, roles, qualifications, areas of focus. Red flag: vague reassurance like "everyone here is very experienced".
How do you handle referrals to specialists?
Some conditions need a referral to a specialist hospital. Good answer: a clear pathway with established relationships at named specialist centres, and willingness to refer when a case is beyond their expertise. Red flag: reluctance to discuss referrals, or implying they handle absolutely everything in-house — most general practices don't.
Costs and pharmacy policies
Until mandatory price lists arrive (expected December 2026 under the CMA reforms), asking directly is your best tool.
Can you show me a price list for common procedures?
Consultations, vaccinations, neutering, dental work, and emergency fees. Good answer: a printed or online list, given without hesitation. Some forward-thinking practices already publish lists ahead of the December 2026 mandate. Red flag: difficulty providing prices, or "it depends" without any baseline figures — if a practice can't give you a ballpark for a consultation, that's a meaningful signal.
What's your written-prescription policy, and what's the fee?
Pet owners can request a written prescription and buy medications from outside pharmacies, often more cheaply. Good answer: an explicit yes, with the fee stated upfront and proactive mention that medicines may be cheaper elsewhere. Red flag: discouragement, vagueness, or refusal. From March 2027 (large groups) and September 2027 (smaller practices), prescription fees will be capped at £21 first item / £12.50 additional items per the CMA, but the attitude to prescriptions is a useful cultural signal even today.
Emergency and out-of-hours care
Emergencies don't happen at convenient times. Two of the most consequential questions on this list.
What are your out-of-hours arrangements, and is the OOH provider PSS-accredited?
Some practices run their own cover; many refer to dedicated emergency centres. Good answer: a clear explanation of what happens when you call outside hours, the name and address of the emergency provider, and (ideally) confirmation that the provider is PSS-accredited at General Practice level or higher. Red flag: uncertainty, or "just call 999" (which isn't typically how veterinary emergencies are handled).
If my pet is hospitalised overnight, who's on site?
Often forgotten, often crucial. Not every practice has staff present overnight. Good answer: a clear policy — either on-site staff (typically required at Veterinary Hospital level) or a regular check-in protocol. Red flag: evasiveness, or "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it". If overnight monitoring matters to you, a practice at Veterinary Hospital PSS level is usually the safer option.
Day-to-day care and culture
These reveal what the ongoing relationship will actually feel like.
Will I see the same vet each visit?
Continuity matters — a vet who knows your pet's history can often spot changes earlier and communicate better with you. Good answer: a named-vet preference system, even if not always guaranteed. Red flag: "you see whoever's available" with no option for continuity, especially in larger practices. Worth asking even if the practice runs a vet-of-the-day model: many will accommodate a preference if you ask.
How and when do I get test results and follow-ups?
Good answer: a clear process — phone within a stated timeframe, an online portal, or text updates — and a commitment to call you regardless of whether results are normal. Red flag: "we'll call if there's a problem" without a guaranteed update otherwise. No news isn't always good news in veterinary medicine; sometimes it's a system that lost the result.
How do you handle anxious animals?
Many UK pets find vet visits stressful. Good answer: specifics — separate cat waiting areas, Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation, fear-free trained staff, calming pheromone diffusers, pre-visit medication options, or willingness to do consultations in the car for severely affected pets. Red flag: "they'll be fine" with no acknowledgement that vet anxiety is a real and addressable issue.
Save the OOH provider in your phone tonight
Don't wait for a crisis to find out where your nearest emergency vet is. Once you've registered, ask for the address and phone number of their out-of-hours provider, save it in your phone, and check the route. At 2am with a sick pet, you'll be glad you did.
The two-visit strategy
“Don't try to fire off all ten questions at the desk in one visit. Phone or visit briefly to ask 1–5 (credentials and costs). Then book a wellness check for your pet to experience 6–10 in practice. You'll often learn more by watching how the practice operates than from any answer they give you.”
FetchRated Editorial Team
Independent UK Vet Directory
Quick answers
Take this with you
Save or print these ten questions before your next practice visit. Skip the ones that don't apply (no kitten, no chronic condition) and lean into the ones that do. A practice that gives you good answers to the relevant ones is generally a practice you can trust.
