If you are looking to book a cat vaccination, please be aware that there is an ongoing shortage of some cat vaccines affecting all UK Veterinary practices. Find out more here.

Frequently Asked Questions

A list of FAQs we receive

For your convenience we’ve put together a list of questions we frequently get from clients, visitors and referring vets. If you don’t find the answer to your question here, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Our friendly and efficient reception team are happy to help.

What if I have an emergency? Or need help out-of-hours?

The dedicated team at Priory Emergency Treatment Services (P.E.T.S.) operates from our Brighton hospital at night and weekends ensuring reassuring continuity of care for New Priory Vets patients.

The P.E.T.S. team are available to answer questions about emergencies 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 01273 566993. You can find out more about P.E.T.S. here.

Will my pet have to stay overnight after an operation?

Wherever possible, your pet will return home the same day following an operation. Sometimes they might have to stay overnight in our Brighton hospital, especially if additional treatment is required. Under these circumstances, the hospital’s veterinary surgeon and nurse will be assigned to your pet’s care and you’ll be kept updated. We’ll always discuss whether your pet needs to stay overnight before they’re admitted.

Do you have parking available?

Yes, we have ample parking at both our Brighton and Peacehaven locations.

Do you have disabled access?

Yes, we have disabled access at both our Brighton and Peacehaven locations.

Do I need to make an appointment to see someone?

Yes. You can make an appointment through our reception team or contact your nearest clinic by phone.

Do you offer overnight boarding for animals?

Under certain circumstances we can board patients overnight before surgery the following day. We don’t offer a boarding service but we can recommend local kennels.

Do you run diagnostic tests in-house?

Yes, we are able to run a comprehensive range of diagnostic tests from our state-of-the-art Brighton hospital as well as our recently refurbished clinic in Peacehaven. This ensures your pet gets a faster and more thorough diagnosis.

Do you treat small animals and exotic pets?

While we have some experience in unusual pets, birds and species considered ‘exotic’ require expert knowledge. We encourage you to contact our clinic in the first instance. If we can’t help you, we’ll happily assist to find the right vet for your needs.

My pet is anxious. What kind of experience can we expect when we visit New Priory Vets?

We encourage you to let us know your pet is anxious when booking your appointment so we can ensure the best possible experience for both of you. There are a number of preliminary steps we can take, including booking your appointment at less busy times. We strongly encourage nervous patients to visit between consultation times for a more relaxed, informal introduction to the practice – we find a cuddle and a treat goes a long way to making the next visit run smoothly.

Do you offer home visits for euthanasia and can you advise about cremation services?

We understand that some families would like their loved one at home when the time comes to say goodbye. At this time we are unfortunately unable to offer home visits except under exceptional circumstances.  Please call us to chat through your options. The team can also organise cremation using a local, reliable service.

Do you offer a repeat prescription service?

Yes, repeat prescriptions can be ordered online and your medication is available 48 hours later. In most cases, pets must have visited us in the preceding 6 months to review their health status and medication before repeat treatments can be dispensed. An exception to this is for flea and worm treatment, which we are happy to dispense for up to 12 months after seeing your pet. For some medications, our vets may want to review your pet more frequently than every 6 months; you will be advised if this is the case.

If you’re an existing client you may take advantage of our online medication request service. Most medications can be collected from either the Brighton or Peacehaven Clinics within forty-eight hours of the request being submitted.

New Priory Vets is a certified Cat Friendly Clinic - what does this mean?

We understand that bringing your cat to the vets can be a stressful experience for both you and your pet. The Cat Friendly Clinic scheme is a national accreditation that recognises veterinary practices that have promised to make a visit to the vets a stress-free as possible for your cat. We have separate cat-only areas and committing to ongoing staff training so vets, nurses and receptionists are as cat-friendly as possible. More information on this accreditation can be found here.

What are your opening times?

The Brighton Clinic: Monday to Friday appointments are available from 8am to 6.00pm and on Saturday between 8am to noon. Outside of these times our P.E.T.S. team are available for emergency appointments.

The Peacehaven Clinic: Monday to Friday appointments are available from 9am to 6.30pm but is closed on the weekend. Outside of these times our P.E.T.S. team are available for emergency appointments.

What about insurance. Can I make a direct claim or will I need to pay up front?

Our standard policy is that payment is expected at the time of treatment, and we will always assist our clients in claiming this back from their insurance company.

You can see details of our insurance policy here Insurance information

Please review our insurance information if you want to make a direct claim, (where we receive payment direct from your insurance company). Direct claims our made at our discretion on a case-by-case basis.

Do you have a pet health scheme?

We do! Our popular Healthy Pet Club helps with the affordability of your pet’s health by enabling you to spread out the cost of routine care and offers some great discounts on medications and non-standard procedures.

I’m a vet wanting to refer a patient. What is the best way to organise a referral?

You’ll find all the information you need via our referrals website Brighton Veterinary Referrals. However, if you would like to speak with a member of the team please call our Brighton hospital on 01273 540430.

Can I have a house visit?

To provide patients with the highest standards of care we encourage our clients to visit our clinics. At this time we are unfortunately unable to offer home visits except under exceptional circumstances.  Please call us to chat through your options.

Can I see the vet of my choice?

We understand trust and confidence is an important part of your ongoing relationship with our veterinary team. We will always endeavour to ensure you see either your preferred vet or the same vet following your last visit to ensure continuity of care.

What payment methods do you take?

We accept debit and credit cards, including American Express, Apple Pay and Google Pay. We discourage the use of cash and no longer accept payment by cheque. You can make an on-line payment here.

What about advice on nutrition?

We offer a wide range of prescription and life stage diets. To discuss your pet’s requirements do get in touch.

Do you treat wildlife or stray animals?

We work very closely with local charities and organisations to treat stray patients. Although we can provide first aid treatment to wildlife, they require expert handling and are often referred to specialist local centres. Please contact the team if you have any concerns about local wildlife and strays.

What changes have you made during the Covid Pandemic?

We are still here to help you and your pets. Like everyone we have had to make some changes to how we work and the services we can provide during the pandemic.

It is impossible for our staff to socially-distance from each other at all times. We must do everything we can to protect our staff  and clients from the increased infection risk this brings. For this reason, our staff all wear full PPE and we continue to ask clients not to enter the hospital.

To see the precautions we take and learn what to expect when you visit please read Covid 19 response

What if I have feed back or a complaint?

Our aim is to provide you and your pet with the best possible service and care. Please let us have your feedback, positive or negative, with comments and suggestions so we can endeavour to improve and make our service more suited to your needs.

Things sometimes don’t go as smoothly as we would like. All our Vets, Nurses, Receptionists and Practice Manager will take your comments seriously and will want to know how we can help address any concerns you have.

If you feel we’ve let you down, we always welcome the opportunity to put it right. So please contact us and we’ll deal with your concerns as a matter of priority. For more information please see our feedback and complaints page.

In the first instance, please tell the person in charge of your pet’s care –often they may be able to resolve your concern there and then. If they are unavailable, please discuss your concerns with any member of our team who will only be too happy to help. We would like to address any issues sooner rather than later.

Alternatively, you are welcome to write to us. Please address all correspondence to our Practice Manager or Clinical Directors.