RCVS calls for more powers after CMA remedies
RCVS says additional regulatory measures could result in increased costs for businesses.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has released its response to the remedies shared by Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).
The College has continued calls for remedies to increase its monitoring powers, as well as further development of its existing structures and measures.
In its response, the RCVS says that it acknowledges why recent changes to the veterinary sector would prompt the CMA’s investigation. It agreed with the increased focus on consumers, welcoming opportunities for improved consumer protection.
However the College says that it is ‘not yet clear’ which issues would have adverse impacts on the veterinary sector.
It also warns that there is a risk that the CMA’s suggested remedies could have unintended consequences for areas that were not included in CMA’s market investigation. This would include the equine, exotic animal and charity sectors.
The RCVS says that, while it is motivated to engage with measures to improve transparency, it believes that proposed remedies must be ‘proportionate’ to the issues they seek to address.
It says that any additional regulatory measures would result in greater costs for both the business providing the veterinary services and the regulator themselves. This, in turn, risks regulatory costs being passed onto consumers.
If smaller practices then find themselves unable to operate, it could reduce available choices and increase costs.
Its statement calls for measures to be ‘proportionate, enforceable, effective, applicable across all veterinary settings’, as well as being mindful to the additional burden they pose to veterinary practices. It also says there should be a ‘clear review mechanism’ to make necessary changes.
The College has recommended that the veterinary sector builds upon its existing structures, such as its Practice Standards Scheme, rather than establishing new regulatory bodies to carry out the functions. It has also called for additional monitoring powers and enforcement, stating that existing legislation makes it ‘challenging’ to enforce.
It has also continued its campaign for the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 to be reformed.
The response states: “We believe that the key change required to bring about improvements to consumer protection, standards within veterinary practice, and support for veterinary professionals working within clinical practice, would be for the RCVS to implement a scheme of mandatory practice regulation. To achieve this, new legislation is required.
“The RCVS has been pushing for such legislation for many years, as the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 is out of date – a point well understood by the CMA.”
The full response can be read here.
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