What’s next for UK vets? BVA Congress to explore the impact of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation on the profession

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into UK vet services will top the agenda at this year’s BVA Congress at the London Vet Show as the investigation Chair joins top vets to update and engage with the profession. 

The investigation, which focuses on the veterinary provision for household pets, has already had a wide-ranging impact on the whole profession, shaping public perceptions of UK vet teams and increasing scrutiny on veterinary fees and practice ownership. 

As the investigation progresses, BVA Congress will give veterinary professionals the chance to join the debate on how we should all be engaging with the issues raised by the CMA and what steps we can take to build trust with clients. Related Congress sessions will continue the discussion of how the profession can adapt, with stimulating presentations and panel discussions on issues such as contextualised care, workplace culture and risk-based preventative care.   

There is also a strong focus on topical animal health and welfare issues, including a session looking at alternative pet diets, another on ethical questions around gene-editing and a debate on balancing the needs of pets and their owners.  

The full two-day programme for BVA Congress – a highlight of the London Vet Show (14-15 November 2024) – has been unveiled today and includes:  

• Competition and Markets Authority update and Q&A: This will be a split session with Martin Coleman, Chair of the Inquiry Group, CMA Market Investigation into vet services, offering updates on the process followed by a separate debate with leading vets, including Danny Chambers MP, exploring what proactive changes the profession can make before the CMA process concludes next year. 

• Great Workplaces: is culture the key to a thriving profession? Hear from Great Workplaces by BVA accreditors and teams who have been assessed about how this innovative new workplace accreditation scheme can help build a thriving veterinary workforce. 

• How do we advise clients about feeding their pets? Sally Everitt, Chair of BVA’s Companion Animal Feeding Working Group joins Georgia Woods-Lee of the Royal Canin Weight Management Clinic, University of Liverpool, and Jo White, Co-Director, Human Behaviour Change for Life (HBCL) to discuss the impact and risks of alternative diets for pets. 

• What's the role of risk-based preventive health care within a contextualised care framework? This session, in association with Mars Veterinary Healthcare, will dig a little deeper into how risk-based preventative care can be used to predict and prevent clinical disease within a framework adapted to the owner's finances, lifestyle, preferences, and their ability to provide suitable care. 

• The Vet Record Debate: People or pets - whose needs should take priority? BVA past president Sean Wensley is joined by Rowena Packer, Senior Lecturer in Companion Animal Behaviour and Welfare Science, Ruth Serlin, of Vet Humanities UK and Bolu Eso, of the Vet Record Advisory Board, for this debate about balancing the desires of owners and the needs of their pets. 

• Practise what you preach: reaching net zero is a team effort Experts consider how the vet sector should be engaging in the race to zero. 

Launching the programme, BVA Junior Vice President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: 

 “This year has held many challenges for our profession but we welcome the scrutiny of the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation, believing that it also represents an opportunity to reflect on what we could all be doing better. BVA Congress provides a unique platform for the veterinary world to come together and debate these pressing issues, whilst also presenting an opportunity to engage directly with the CMA.  

“After a year that has left many of us feeling concerned about how our profession is being portrayed, this is the perfect opportunity to consider how we want to shape the future of our profession. This is an outstanding programme and I encourage all veterinary colleagues to make room in their London Vet Show schedule to join these thought-provoking discussions. BVA Congress sessions are open to all London Vet Show attendees, not just BVA members, and count towards your CPD.” 

BVA Congress sits among an array of educational sessions from BVA and the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) including the BVA Farm stream and Equine streams, the BVA Career Development stream and the RVC companion animal clinical streams. There is a total of 17 hours of veterinary CPD to be gained from attending the show. BVA members can get access to the full BVA offering, as well as the rest of the London Vet Show programme, for 15% less than the lowest advertised price, using their BVA membership number.