25 Mar 2024
“It’s happening, and we’ve just got to run with it; it’s really important that people contribute to it, that we engage with it, because i think there’s the opportunity to have some really positive change for the professions.”
From left: Sue Paterson, Malcolm Morley, Kate Higgins and Lyndsay Hughes.
On 12 March 2024, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published its main concerns following an initial review into the veterinary sector, which prompted more than 56,000 responses from the UK public and veterinary industry.
The body announced it had provisionally decided that it should launch a formal Market Investigation focused on its analysis of the issues in the sector, and was to consult on this proposal.
On 19 March, Vet Times – in partnership with the BVA and CloserStill Media – gathered together a hand-picked panel of experts to dissect the CMA’s investigation and discuss its implications for the professions.
Vet Times editor James Westgate was joined by RCVS president Susan Paterson, BVA senior vice president Malcolm Morley, BVNA president Lyndsay Hughes and independent practice owner Kate Higgins (Village Vets Formby) to answer questions submitted by an invited audience, gain clarity and guidance on the review’s implications, explore what it all means for the UK veterinary professions and consider what the next steps are.
Details of the consultation on whether to launch a market investigation into the veterinary services market for household pets can be found at https://bit.ly/4cGrh4e
This consultation closes at 5pm on 11 April 2024 .
Sue Paterson qualified from Cambridge in 1984. After a time in mixed practice in Devon she took her certificate then British and European diplomas in veterinary dermatology and has been an RCVS and European Specialist for more than 20 years. She has recently been elected as a Fellow of the RCVS for meritorious contributions to clinical practice.
Sue is a past president of the BSAVA and also the European Society of Veterinary Dermatology, and is currently president of the RCVS (2023-2024)
Malcolm qualified from the University of Bristol in 1993. He has mostly worked in first-opinion equine practice with a professional interest in pre-purchase examination.
He is a clinical director at Stable Close Equine Practice in Winchester, a practice he co-founded in 2003 and has since built into a leading first opinion practice, providing veterinary care to a wide range of horses across Hampshire.
Outside of clinical practice, Malcolm has been a BEVA council member, chairing its pre-purchase examination committee. He has also been a member of the BVA’s policy committee and was BVA president for 2022-23.
Lyndsay started working in practice in 2002 and qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2012. Since then, she has worked in various first opinion practices in head nurse or management roles. Currently she is one of the small animal directors of a busy small animal hospital in Wiltshire.
Alongside working full time, Lyndsay is president of the BVNA. She has undertaken the Edward Jenner leadership programme, received the veterinary leadership and management award with distinction, has an ILM level 5 in leadership and management and is also currently undertaking CIPD qualifications in HR and VMG Certificate in Leadership.
Lyndsay is also an OSCE examiner and guest lectures in business management for veterinary nurses.
Kate qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 2002. After several years working in the South-East she took a 6-month round-the-world trip before settling back home in the north west of England. Kate joined Village Vets Formby in 2010 and took ownership of surgery in February 2012.
She has an interest in feline medicine and has three cats at home called Netty, Rosie and Monty.
