MORE TH>N launches ‘NHS direct’ style service for pets

Unnecessary vet visits cost pet owners £118 million a year in vet fees, wasted miles and lost working time, according to research from pet insurer MORE TH>N. Such trips also cost British businesses £19 million a year from staff who take time off work as compassionate leave, or lie about their whereabouts to take their pets to the vets.

And when it comes to the vet visit, up to 49 per cent of the emergency trips may be unnecessary, with pet owners just needing advice rather than urgent treatment for their pets.

In a bid to reduce the burden of unnecessary vet visits, on Monday 2nd April MORE TH>N pet insurance is launching Vetfone – a new free-phone service where pet owners can speak directly to qualified vet nurses about their pets’ health, at any time of the day or night, just like NHS Direct.

Vetfone is now included in both new and existing MORE TH> N Pet Insurance policies with no additional cost on top of the customer’s normal premium. All calls to Vetfone are answered by qualified veterinary nurses who offer practical, professional advice on health concerns for any domestic animal – even those not covered under an insurance policy.

The service helps pet owners decide whether or not their pet needs veterinary attention, and if so, how quickly. A four-month trial of Vetfone run by MORE TH>N with its customers resulted in only 27 per cent of callers needing to take their pets to the vet urgently. Avoiding unnecessary vets’ visits will mean that customers save money on excesses for small claims, as well as the time and stress of going to the vet. In turn, vets will have more time to see animals with urgent problems and won’t be disturbed unnecessarily out of hours.

Vetfone’s veterinary nurses also offer advice on non-urgent matters like toilet training for young pets, behavioural issues, diet, grooming and vaccinations.

Mike Holliday-Williams, managing director of MORE TH>N, said: “It can be very worrying for owners when their pets become ill in the middle of the night and they don’t know what to do. Vetfone will give them fast, professional advice, any time of the day or night. Not only will Vetfone save them time and money in the event their pet doesn’t actually need to see a vet, but it will help put their mind at ease knowing help’s only a phone call away, whenever they need it.”

Michael Maltby, director of Vetfone, said: “I was part of the team that created the NHS Direct model and wanted to offer the same service to pets and their owners. Vetfone was born out of a real need for people to have advice from an expert on the end of the phone at all hours of the day or night.”

The MORE TH>N research reveals a strong demand for such a service. 42 per cent of pet owners claim that a service like NHS Direct for pets could have saved them time and money and a further 43 per cent say it would give them greater peace of mind.

When it comes to money, one in ten (9 per cent) claim having a pet is a real drain on their finances. MORE TH> N Pet Insurance offers great value, with premiums typically lower than many competitors and a broad range of policy features and benefits in addition to Vetfone.