Vets must reveal prices and owners under new UK rules
Key Points
- UK vet practices must publish price lists for common treatments
- Written prescription fees capped at £21
- Vet businesses must disclose ownership for the first time
- Mandatory licensing, inspections and compliance reports proposed
- Independent veterinary ombudsman under consideration
Vet practices in the UK will be required to publish price lists for common treatments and disclose who owns them under a government White Paper published on Thursday (9 July), which also caps written prescription fees at £21.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said the reforms represent the biggest overhaul of veterinary regulation in 60 years, replacing a framework built around the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.
The White Paper proposes statutory regulation of veterinary businesses for the first time, including a mandatory licensing system, inspections and published compliance reports.
Practices will need an official operating licence, similar to GP surgeries and care homes, and must be transparent about treatment options and price changes.
The measures will be supported by an enhanced Find a Vet service, and the government is considering a new independent veterinary ombudsman with the power to make binding decisions when complaints cannot be resolved directly with a practice.
Secretary of State for Defra Emma Reynolds said the changes would help owners avoid unexpected bills.
“Pets are part of the family, but for too many households the cost of caring for them has become a real worry. These reforms will help owners avoid unexpected bills, compare prices more easily and get the best value care for their pets,” she said.
Ownership disclosure and competition
Vet businesses must disclose their ownership so pet owners know whether a local practice is independent or part of a larger corporate chain.
Defra said the sector was dominated by agricultural practices and small family-run businesses when the 1966 Act was introduced, but is now dominated by small animal care and a handful of large corporates.
The White Paper responds to a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation that raised concerns about transparency and competition in the veterinary sector.
Chief Executive of the CMA Sarah Cardell said the regulator backed the proposals. “For the first time, these proposals would ensure that vet businesses are accountable to an independent regulator, while offering consumers more protection and a fairer deal,” she said.
Regulations extended to vet nurses
The reforms will bring veterinary nurses and certain allied veterinary professionals into regulation, which Defra said would free up veterinary surgeons to focus on specialist care and reduce delays.
Veterinary nurses will receive legal recognition, and the title “veterinary nurse” will be restricted to properly qualified professionals.
President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Tim Hutchinson said the proposals were the biggest reforms to the sector since 1966. “They will provide stronger powers for the RCVS to regulate all veterinary and animal healthcare businesses and introduce a modern fitness to practise framework,” he said.
Registration and fitness to practice processes will also be modernised to focus on current competence rather than past mistakes.
The White Paper follows a public consultation that received thousands of responses from the public and the veterinary sector.
