19 May 2021
Vets voice disappointment at being shut out of a live debate on <em>Good Morning Britain</em> during which guests criticised their charges for fees and services.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Image © Monkey Business / Adobe Stock
The BVA has hit back after the prices vets charge in fees and services was questioned in a live debate on national TV.
Former Blue Peter presenter Peter Purves appeared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on 18 May as part of a segment with journalist Liz Jones in which the pair discussed the likelihood of an NHS for pets.
No veterinary representatives were asked to take part in the controversial debate, during which Mr Purves cast doubt on whether veterinary fees are regulated.
He then went on to detail how he had spent approximately £40,000 on different surgeries on the many dogs he has owned over the years and agreed with fellow interviewee Ms Jones that 20% VAT on veterinary services was too much.
Clips of the exchange have been shared across social media and prompted a backlash from vets angry that their profession was not represented in the debate.
BVA president James Russell said: “We take no issue with Good Morning Britain choosing to pose a question about whether there should be an NHS for pets.
“It is clear the production team tried to present both sides of the argument by inviting Liz Jones to speak in favour and Peter Purves to explain why he opposed that idea.”
Mr Russell added: “However, the item at no point offered a response from the veterinary profession, and it could at the very least have looked at the reasons why veterinary businesses have to charge for their services.
“This omission has resulted in an item, which, we feel, is imbalanced and does not give a fair representation of the way that practices operate.”
This isn’t the first time the issue of vet bills has been in the news of late; The Sunday Times published a story on 16 May claiming pet owners are paying three times more for medication from vets than from online pharmacies.
Mr Russell added: “Online suppliers are able to buy medicines in much larger quantities and carry lower overheads than veterinary practices, which need to cover the cost of equipment, premises and expert staff to comply with legislation for keeping and dispensing medicines.
“When owners buy medicines from a practice, they will also receive tailored advice on how to administer it and monitor recovery.”
The Good Morning Britain debate also touched on alternative methods of funding animal health care, including an extra fee or increase in tax to cover all veterinary expenses in the same fashion as the NHS.
Ms Jones, citing The Sunday Times’ article, said: “Vets charge three times in their clinics what you would pay at an online pharmacy.
“Think of all the lonely old women who have got a cat and that cat has been the only company they have had in the past year. Animals are members of our society. Why are we charging double the cost we ask to treat a person?”
