Out of Hours Emergency Care 01707 666399
| This service is only available to clients and pets of participating Practices. Please enquire within your usual Veterinary Practice to find out if they are a participating Practice. If your Practice subscribes to our Out of Hours Service, you will automatically be redirected when you call their number; if you call us direct, we can check that you belong to one of our member Practices before you come in. |
Your pet may need emergency care because of illness or accident at any time. To make sure that your pet can receive emergency treatment 24 hours a day, your usual Veterinary Practice has arranged for us (the Queen Mother Hospital for Animals) to provide an emergency veterinary care service on their behalf. This might be during your Veterinary Practice's normal working hours, or it might be 'Out of Hours' - at night, weekends or at any other time when your normal Veterinary Practice is closed.
The Queen Mother Hospital for Animals (QMHA) is the largest and most advanced veterinary teaching Hospital in the UK and is part of the Royal Veterinary College. Please click here for directions and map.
The Out of Hours Emergency Care Service operates between 7:00pm and 8:30am weeknights and from 12:00pm on Saturday until 8:30am Monday morning. We aim to provide a high quality service and our team of qualified Vets and Nurses, with support from students in their final year of clinical study, will provide any immediate treatment required and take care of your pet until he or she is well enough to return to you or your usual Vet.
What you can expect from our service:
- We will assess your pet as soon as possible after arrival.
- Your pet will always be seen and treated by a qualified Veterinary Surgeon usually assisted by a final-year veterinary student.
- Animals that require the most urgent and immediate treatment will be seen as a priority.
- In the majority of cases, our primary care team will be able to treat your pet and provide all the veterinary care required.
- We will contact your usual Vet with an update of your pet’s progress as soon as possible during normal opening hours.
- An efficient, professional, courteous and high quality service
| If your pet is critically ill or requires immediate specialist attention, with your consent they will be transferred to our Emergency and Critical Care Service and Intensive Care facilities. Please be advised that your pet will only be transferred to our Emergency and Critical Care Service if we think it is necessary to do so. Your pet will not automatically be treated by this Service. |
Contacting the QMHA in an emergency
Call the QMHA on 01707 666399. Your call will be taken by a member of the Out of Hours Emergency Care team who will take details and advise you on appropriate action. At this point you will be given an indication of the relevant consultation fees.
Directions
Our address: Queen Mother Hospital for Animals, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, North Mymms, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA.
Clients arriving by road are urged to follow the roads outlined in grey on the map and approach the Main Campus along Hawkshead Lane from the A1000.
From the M25 leave at Junction 24 and take the A111 (Southgate Road) to Potters Bar. At the first main junction and traffic lights, turn right onto the A1000 towards Hatfield. Follow the A1000 through Potters Bar and then follow the signs to the Vet College (turn left into Swanley Bar Lane then a right turn onto Hawkshead Road and then left into Hawkshead Lane).
From the A1 take the A1001 Eastbound and then take the A1000 Southbound and follow the signs to the Vet College (a right turn onto Hawkshead Road and then into Hawkshead Lane).
Upon Arrival
Please report to Reception. Your pet will be promptly assessed and you will be advised on the next steps.
Our Out of Hours Emergency Care team can be recognised by their burgundy scrubs with the Out of Hours logo embroidered on the left hand side.
Consultation and Treatment
In most cases this is a consultation with a member of the veterinary team, during which a treatment plan and any further associated costs for treatment will be discussed.
What we expect from you:
- Please try to remain calm and let our Vets know of any pre-existing illness that your pet may have, or treatment that he or she is currently receiving.
- Please be patient if our team is dealing with another emergency.
- Most cases can be treated while you wait, but if we need to keep your pet in the Hospital overnight, you must make arrangements to pick up your pet between 9:00am and 10:00am the next working day to take them home, or to your usual Vet should that be necessary; normally only pets transferred to Intensive Care remain in the Hospital longer.
- All members of our staff are here to help you and your pet: please treat them with courtesy and respect.