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New group to help vets own their own practices
Burfurd Lane Vets, the first of the Group's practices, opened in Lymm, Cheshire, last month.

North Star Vets aims to give ‘leg up to vets who want to be masters of their own destinies’. 

A new veterinary practice group that aims to empower professionals to own their own practice has launched in Cheshire.

‘North Star Vets’ is the brainchild of Dr Sean Cleary, Dr Richard Thomas and chartered accountant, Jane Platt, who were all partners in The Willows Veterinary Group before selling its 28 small animal, large animal and equine clinics to VetPartners in 2018. 

The trio opened their first practice - Burford Lane Vets - last month in Lymm, and they plan to open 10 more practices over the next five years. The Group’s innovative model means that the head vets at each practice will have the opportunity to own an equity stake in their practice without any capital investment. 

Dr Sean Cleary, from North Star Vets, said: “We have benefited from the shift in the industry that saw veterinary groups acquired by large corporate businesses. However, this has inadvertently made it difficult for the next generation of vets to follow the traditional route of buying into a practice as they progress from a junior role to partner, as corporate interest has pushed the values of practices to unaffordable levels for most vets. 

“We want to bridge that gap and give a leg up to vets who want to be masters of their own destinies, without the difficulty of starting from scratch or having to find a huge initial investment.” 

He added: “Our innovative model helps great vets set up in business as leaders of their own practice and our unique offering is already attracting interest from high-calibre individuals. We would encourage any colleagues out there who feel they would like to join us in our new venture to get in touch via our website.” 

Image (C) North Star Vets.

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
BBC Radio 4 documentary addresses corporate fees

BBC Radio 4's File on 4 Investigates has released a documentary exploring how corporate-owned veterinary practices may be inflating bills to increase profit.

Released on 15 April, 'What's Happening To Your Vet Bills?' revealed the policies which many corporate groups have in place to increase their profits. This included targets and upgrades which veterinary teams are tasked with meeting on a regular basis.

It also features Anrich Vets, an independently-owned practice based in Wigan. Following the case of Staffordshire terrier Benjy, who is diagnosed with a tumour, the documentary shares how the team were able to offer contextualised care and advice to make the procedure as affordable as possible for his owners.

The documentary can be heard on demand on BBC iPlayer.