As the lockdown gradually eases, we wanted to give you a Windmill update.

We are starting to carry out more routine consultations which include booster vaccinations, medication checks and flea and worm checks, alongside all consultations deemed urgent or an emergency as we have throughout the lockdown period.  All consultations are looked at on an individual basis by a veterinary surgeon and triaged by telephone and booked in appropriately. . Please do bear with us as we catch up on booster vaccinations that are currently more than 8 weeks overdue.  We do aim to ensure that the efficacy of the vaccine does not expire in line with manufacturer recommendations, although due to the restrictions that we have all been faced with, whilst this cannot be guaranteed, we are doing our very best.

We have continued to neuter cats during the lockdown to help with any unwanted litters and now we are able to consider the neutering of dogs and carry out any less urgent dental procedures, together with other routine operations.  Again, this is on a case by case basis and we thank you for your patience as we book those more urgent cases first, but please do phone the practice to discuss your needs.

We have dispensed preventative treatments in the form of flea and worm products required throughout lockdown, together with repeat medications for your pets; most of these have been collected from Winslow.  We have asked you to pay over the phone for consults, operations and medications as our building remains closed to human clients and we thank you very much again for your understanding, we really appreciate it.

As we plan and prepare ourselves for the next stage of the relaxing of lockdown within veterinary practice, we ask for your continued patience whilst we ensure your protection and safety together with that of our staff.  Currently we have split into two teams, so we would be able to provide continued care for you and your pets, should one of our team get a call to isolate, or worse contracts covid19. This way, we can still provide a high level of medical and surgical provision for your pets, although we are not back to our full service.  Our phones are extremely busy and we apologise to anyone that has experienced a delay in answering.  We have recently amended our staff rotas to try and ease this, but with the team split, this may not yet be back to our usual high standard.  

We have bought some Perspex screens for reception. These will put in place when we can safely allow clients within our building waiting rooms. The confined space of the consult room still represents a high risk area, as it is impossible to maintain proper Social Distancing.  At this time, we will be asking that all clients wear face coverings. We hope you can appreciate that we are unable to allow our clients in yet. Due to the nature of our work, we are in close proximity with each other, for example in examining,  treating  and monitoring your pet during an operation, and we cannot allow further risk to our staff or yourselves until the virus is further reduced but we will do so when the local R number is lower.   Some of you have asked when Buckingham will open and we hope to do that soon, but for now we will continue to ensure the smooth and safe running of Winslow and continue to help our Buckingham clients with deliveries.

Our clients have been wonderful and understanding with the protocols we have in place, which are not only for our protection, but for yours too and for that we thank you very much.  Please be assured that we are all working exceptionally hard to bring you our usual high standard of customer care during these unprecedented times.

Thank you, stay safe

Team Windmill