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BVA Congress to discuss CMA investigation
Martin Coleman, chair of the CMA inquiry group, will provide an update on the investigation.
The investigation chair will engage with delegates.

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) Congress is set to explore the impact of the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA’s) investigation into the veterinary profession.

Martin Coleman, chair of the inquiry group, will be attending the congress to provide delegates with an update on the investigation as well as engaging with those in the veterinary profession.

Mr Coleman’s update will be followed by a Q&A session and debate, with a panel including veterinary surgeon Danny Chambers MP. The session will aim to discover what proactive changes can be made within the profession before the end of the CMA’s investigation.

Alongside the CMA’s update and Q&A, additional sessions at the congress will seek to explore other ways in which the profession can adapt. This will include presentations and panel discussions on issues such as contextualised care, workplace culture and risk-based preventative care.

The two-day congress will also see BVA provide more details on its new workplace accreditation scheme, ‘Great Workplaces by BVA’.

‘Great Workplaces: is culture the key to a thriving profession?’ will feature discussion from BVA accreditors, as well as some teams they have assessed, explaining how the scheme can contribute to a practice’s workforce.

Among the other sessions hosted at the congress will be a focus on alternative pet diets, the ethics of gene-editing and a debate on the needs of pets and their owners.

BVA Congress will be taking place as part of London Vet Show from 14-15 November. It accompanies a variety of other streams from BVA and the Royal Veterinary College, including the farm stream, equine stream and BVA Career Development stream.

Elizabeth Mullineaux, BVA junior vice-president, said: “After a year that has left many of us feeling concerned about how our profession is being portrayed, this is the perfect opportunity to consider how we want to shape the future of our profession.

“This is an outstanding programme and I encourage all veterinary colleagues to make room in their London Vet Show schedule to join these thought-provoking discussions.

“BVA Congress sessions are open to all London Vet Show attendees, not just BVA members, and count towards your CPD.”

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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.

 

Click here for more...
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.