RCVS and BVA respond to CMA’s final report
RCVS highlighted concerns about changes to its governance structure.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) have each published their response to the CMA’s final decision report.
The CMA has confirmed an enhanced role for the RCVS as part of its remedy package, with the College responsible for monitoring compliance for the legally-binding remedies. RCVS will also be involved with a ‘comparison site’, through which pet owners will be able to directly compare veterinary practices.
Linda Belton, RCVS senior vice-president, has welcomed RCVS’ involvement with compliance, which is set to be funded by a new levy on veterinary businesses.
RCVS has expressed concern about other features of the report, including its approach to anti-parasitic medicines. Ms Belton warns against focusing purely on the costs of such medicines, without considering suitability, the environment and public health.
However, it has also commended the CMA for removing some proposed remedies in line with its concerns.
Ms Belton said: “We ourselves have been advocating legislative and governance reform for some years, but are also concerned by the CMA’s proposed changes to our governance structure, where there is limited evidence provided to support the recommendation.”
She also said: “We will continue to work with the CMA over the coming months on developing implementation plans for the remedies and how they are monitored and enforced on an ongoing basis.”
The BVA has similarly commended the CMA for listening to its proposals. It particularly thanks the CMA for acknowledging the ‘intense public scrutiny’ caused to veterinary teams by the investigation.
In its statement, the BVA highlights the higher prescription price cap, the increased implementation time frame for the remedies and the scrapping of a proposed annual pet owner survey as positive changes to its provisional remedies.
Rob Williams, BVA president, said: “This isn’t quite the end and as we get down into the detail of the CMA’s final measures, BVA will support our members to help them understand what they need to do to comply. We will also continue to engage with the CMA to ensure that they get the details right and there aren’t any unintended consequences.”
Image © RCVS
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
