As your independent, locally owned vets, we welcome the publication of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) final report into veterinary care for household pets. We were pleased to see the CMA recognise that independent practices are, on average, 18.3% less expensive than large corporate groups. More importantly, we welcome the clarity this brings for pet owners, helping everyone better understand how pricing varies across the profession.
Many of the CMA’s recommendations reflect the way we already work at Priory. We have always believed that veterinary care should be transparent, fairly-priced, and delivered by people who genuinely care about you and your pet.
Here are some of the ways we already provide that clarity:
- We are proud to be and are fully committed to remaining an independent and locally owned practice, and we welcome the CMA’s focus on clearer ownership information.
- Our website includes a detailed price list, helping you understand costs in advance.
- We provide our own out-of-hours service, so emergencies are handled by members of our own team who know your pet and understand our standards of care.
- We offer written estimates before treatment whenever practical. We will always ensure your pet has access to the most appropriate, tailored treatment for your individual circumstances. If any part of a plan or projected cost feels unclear, please ask- we are always happy to explain and discuss options.
- If you prefer to buy medication online, you can request a written prescription. We continue to work hard to keep our inhouse medication prices reasonable.
- Our Priory Pet Club plans clearly set out what is included, helping you make an informed choice. Our Complete Priory Pet Club plan includes consultations, offering reassurance and predictable budgeting.
Although much of our current approach already aligns with the CMA’s expectations, the recommendations will still bring some industrywide changes. We will be preparing accordingly so that we can implement the required updates as the new rules come into effect later this year.
We remain fully committed to providing the great independent veterinary care you have come to expect from Priory.
Dan, Emma and Jess