The Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS) has responded to the publication of the Competition and Markets Authority’s final remedies following its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets.
The CMA’s final package includes legally binding measures on pricing transparency, written estimates, itemised billing, complaints handling, referral information, medicines and practice ownership transparency, with final Orders due by 23 September 2026 and most remedies then phased in over the following three to 12 months. Smaller veterinary businesses are generally expected to have an additional three months to implement most of the changes.
Responding to the announcement, Kate Higgins, SPVS Junior Vice President, said:
“The CMA’s final remedies will bring significant change for some veterinary practices, and there is no getting away from the fact that some of these measures will have real operational and commercial consequences for businesses.
There are some areas where the final package is more workable than earlier proposals, including the approach to written prescription fees and the additional implementation time for smaller providers. The written prescription issue was a major focus for SPVS throughout this process. In our hearings with the CMA, we consistently raised concerns about the original proposal and backed that up with evidence, including data from our fees survey. We also pressed for longer implementation timeframes for smaller practices, particularly in relation to medicines and prescribing remedies, because of the operational challenge those changes would create. It is important to recognise that this evidence-based advocacy has helped secure a more workable outcome in those areas.
But the focus now has to be on what this means in practice. Veterinary businesses will need support to implement these changes in a way that is workable, proportionate and sustainable. That is where SPVS will be focusing its efforts — helping practices understand what needs to change, adapt their systems and processes, and protect the long-term sustainability of their businesses while continuing to provide high-quality care.”
SPVS said the final package is somewhat more workable than earlier proposals in some areas, but will still require substantial changes inside practices. Under the CMA’s remedies, practices will need to publish standardised price information, provide written estimates for treatment expected to cost £500 or more, supply itemised bills, make ownership information clearer, improve complaints handling, and comply with the new written prescription fee caps of £21 for the first medicine and £12.50 for additional medicines prescribed at the same consultation.
SPVS will continue to support practices through the implementation phase, including through its upcoming roadshows in May, where the practical implications of the remedies and the steps practices may need to take will be explored in more detail.
For more information about SPVS CMA Roadshows and to book visit https://spvs.org.uk/cma-roadshow/
