Response to the recent BBC Panorama focusing on Medivet Veterinary Group

We were saddened and shocked to see the recent BBC documentary of “behind the scenes” practices at Medivet: not only because of the clear breach of apparent Royal College guidelines but also the lack of respect and empathy for the patients in their care.

At Midforest Veterinary Practice we realise that the care we provide for your pets is frequently based upon your trust in our skills. We will always look after the animals in our care with the utmost respect and compassion as though they were our own.

All the nurses at Midforest Veterinary Practice are fully qualified. You can be sure that when you leave your pet in our care, there will not be a trainee nurse performing medical procedures on him/her. All anaesthetics are undertaken under the direct supervision of a veterinary surgeon. All surgical procedures are only performed by the veterinary surgeon responsible for your pet.

Midforest Veterinary Practice is a small independent business with no connections to Medivet or any other large corporate practice. We hope that by being so we can continue to offer a personal and animal-focused approach to our work. All our veterinary surgeons are members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and are duty-bound to adhere to the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct. All our staff are only salaried and earnings are not based upon commission as at Medivet. Therefore you can be assured that financial gain is not a motivating factor in our recommendations and decisions regarding the clinical care of your pet.

As human medicine is centrally funded in the UK, we rarely see a breakdown of actual costs when we ourselves visit our local GP or hospital. There is obviously no equivalent NHS for animal care and providing excellent private medicine clearly costs money. Running a practice is expensive; highly trained staff and the latest equipment and treatments come at a price. We consider that what we offer is actually very good value for money and we aim to offer a wide range of treatment options and discuss costs upfront to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

It is often assumed that veterinary fees contribute to a disproportionately high income for vets themselves. This isn’t true. On average, studies show that vets earn significantly less than other professionals, such as lawyers, GPs and dentists. Becoming a vet is not a career decision based on income! Because of developments in veterinary care and treatment options over the last two decades then it is inevitable that prices have increased (but our fees at Midforest certainly haven’t tripled in the last 10 years as stated on Panorama).

We also do advise our clients to take up Pet Insurance policies as it is heart-breaking when vital treatment cannot be given due to financial constraints. Such insurance often enables care to be given to prolong a pets life when it would not otherwise be affordable.

If you have any comments on this information or indeed would like to discuss any of the issues raised in the television programme, please do not hesitate to talk to either James or Andy. If you are concerned about any treatment or the approach of any member of staff at our practice then please let us know. All feedback, both good and bad, is greatly appreciated and will be used where possible to improve the care and service we offer.

Mr. J.R. Elliott BVetMed CertVR MRCVS (Totton)
Mr. A.J. Elliott BVM&S MRCVS (Lyndhurst)