Your experience of PDSA

Re: Your experience of PDSA

Mark Hedberg — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 20:53:10 GMT

Interesting, hadn't realized it was so varied! I thought it was just one set of rules.

Re: Your experience of PDSA

CatherineThomas — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 13:24:13 GMT

We do similar to Chris. Except we don't insist on them being vaccinated. We only insits that they are examined at least once a year to be eligable to re-apply. This was only introduced last year as there were some animals registered who hadn't been seen for years. I don't think we refuse to take anyone on if they are eligable. Only one animal per household is allowed.

If they have been registered before and registration has lapsed this can cause problems as they are then not eligable for the emergency application. And it often takes a while for the registration to come through. We had a dog with a pyo yesterday who was registered with the PDSA but it ran out at the end of February. They didn't reapply in time and so their registration only starts again at the beginning of April. So the owner is left with the bill for the pyo, which they can only pay at £10 a week.

Re: Your experience of PDSA

Chris Barker — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:20:34 GMT

We run PDSA PetAid For eligible members of the public living within a specified postal code area, in receipt of the correct benefits, an application can be made to any PetAid practice for the ongoing support of one single pet. It is the practice's own choice whether to accept the animal onto the scheme or not. But if they accept them then they accept them warts and all - no exclusions. So those practices which apply exclusions are not acting fairly under the scheme - you either accept the animal or decline the animal as it stands. We additionally expect all dogs to be up to date, and kept up to date, with vaccinations for DHLP and for cats enteritis and flu. As long as we demand this of all PetAid clients the PDSA is ok with it.

The PDSA tries to encourage practices to take on 'chronics' by making an extra payment per month for a percentage of all registered animals, and hefty additional payments for specific animals with diabetes, cushings etc. But it is still up to the practice to choose what to take onto the scheme.

For animal presented in an emergency, and if the clients have never used PetAid before, application can be made for SpecialAid where the PDSA will match the payment made by the client up to a limit of £100. ie. Attention costs £160 - PDSA will pay £80, client £80 Attention cost £260, PDSA will pay £100 the client has to find £160. This has certainly ensured that some pets get treated rather than instant euth. And after the completion of the special aid course of treatment the animal goes onto six months of normal PetAid so providing it remain healthy the practice recoups a little more of the outlay should the residue remain unpaid

Chris B

Re: Your experience of PDSA

Clive Ansell — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 08:38:51 GMT

I have locumed in several practices that are part of the PDSA PetAid scheme. There seems to be some variation in how the rules are implemented with regard to eligibility and treatments given out; for example one practice would not take dogs >35Kg or allow more than 1 cat and 1 dog per household. Another practice would not finance any pre op bloods or histology unless the vet in charge of the case could justify it, although it would usually be denied.

Some practices exclude pre existing conditions, to prevent the scenario where someone rolls in with an elderly obese Labrador and says "oh by the way we just need Vetoryl, Metacam, Caninsulin, Atopica, and Vetmedin for him while we are here"

Registration is not instant, forms and payment have to be submitted to PDSA head office for approval, this prevents people just turning and registering on the spot.

Re: Your experience of PDSA

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 22:39:32 GMT

Doesn't the emergency payment disqualify them from using the regular pdsa service?

(We take on everyone who is eligible. Full stop.)