BVNA encourages vet nurses to participate in CMA review
“While this time may be challenging for the veterinary profession, we would encourage veterinary nurses to engage positively with the review by completing the relevant survey."- Charlotte Pace.
The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) has asked veterinary nurses to provide their own opinions to the Competition and Market Authority (CMA) review of veterinary services.
The CMA’s review made headlines on 7 September, as the authority announced its intentions to seek further transparency of the UK’s veterinary services. This would include the pricing, provision of medication, practice ownership and provision of emergency and out of hours care.
This announcement has proved challenging for those in client-facing roles, including veterinary nurses, who have seen the effects of the extensive media coverage of the investigation first hand. The cost-of-living crisis especially has caused a rise in the abuse received by veterinary nurses.
As part of the investigation, the BVNA has been invited to represent UK veterinary nurses in the review. The group has met with the CMA, and is working to play an active role in enquiries whilst keeping its members informed.
The BVNA is now asking that veterinary nurses contribute their own views to the investigation, to ensure that the results show a balanced discussion of veterinary and public perspectives.
Veterinary nurses are able to submit their views using designated surveys. This will either be a veterinary practices questionnaire (for current veterinary professionals, or those who have worked in practice in the past three years) or a third party questionnaire (for those working for companies/charities that deliver veterinary services or retired from the profession more than three years ago).
The surveys are available on the Government’s website. On 7 September, the CMA said that the questionnaires would be open for up to six weeks.
Charlotte Pace, BVNA president, said: “While this time may be challenging for the veterinary profession, we would encourage veterinary nurses to engage positively with the review by completing the relevant survey. The CMA are actively seeking contributions from both pet owners and those working in the veterinary profession.
“Therefore, in order for the CMA to be as informed as possible, and for their investigation to be beneficial for the future of our industry, we would urge that veterinary professionals use their voice.”
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Miles Russell, president of the Veterinary Management Group (VMG), has been elected to the House of Lords as a crossbench hereditary peer.
