Sorry tale - CVS Vet Group PLC

[ben0850]

Morning All,

I wanted to share my recent experience with the above.

The practice in question (one of hundreds owned by CVS Group) used to be an independent vet until the original partner retired and CVS Group bought up the business. Historically the practice was first class and our farm account was there for donkeys years (as was my dads farm account).
Once CVS took over they stopped doing agricultural work and we moved the farm account however for reasons of convenience I left my Labradors registered there. My eldest lab showed signs of arthritis and as such along we went for a consultation. Options and treatment plans discussed and opted for Meloxaid.

After some time on the treatment I was informed that they need to see the dog every six months for a check and bloods.. this was never mentioned up front and to my knowledge is a slight tinkering around the guidance. I have no issue with paying for my dogs health and wellbeing BUT I don't like poor communication and financial surprises.

At the same time my friend has her working cockers also registered at the same practice, during their health check she asked the vet to check the dogs ears as the groomer had suggested there may be an infection. Vet checked ears, said there was some wax and took a swab, told my friend that it would cost £25 to check the swab in the lab. 24 hours later vet rings my friend to say they need to send the swab away, grow cultures etc etc and the cost would be £3200!!

Friend asks to use her insurance only to be told the practice don't deal with her particular insurance company and only deal with two providers! Nowhere is that knowledge given to patients / clients. My friend works for the NHS at our local hospital and has no means to pay that kind of money out, after much debate and tears the practice refused to speak to her insurers. She has subsequently changed vet to be told the dogs ears are fine, perfectly healthy and charged £25 quid for a check up!

The above are only a couple of instances but I'm aware of a few more. Am i being cynical to think that CVS Group are essentially creating their own workload? They own their own lab / pharma / insurance businesses and have recently been challenged by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Needless to say I have changed vet and moved to a truly independent vet who has informed me he only needs to see my lab once a year.

It just stinks in my humble opinion, insurance companies and individuals must be paying out thousands for treatments and checks that are not required.

 

[RM100]

If they are affiliated to the US CVS pharmacy group, they will be trouble.

 

[finnbear270]

Sounds like a carbon copy of the early days business model of stop and steer "garages", Phone call when round town while waiting for a simple oil change " You need discs & pads", or "You need all your brake pipes replacing"

 

[Bo Diddley]

Thanks for posting this info for everyone.
You need eyes in the back of you're head to dodge the rip-off merchants operating in this country now.

 

[Ratel]

Why oh why didn't I instead of working for HM stay in education and become a Vet or Dentist. The perfect licence to print money. I have a pet plan for basics, Twice yearly check up, jabs, wormers and Tick pills. That also do ear check and anal hands, but it costs £18 a month, bearable.
Dentists!!! Well my assistant pays £15 a minute and my wife's latest quote is £28 per minute.
I really have had a mis spent life.

 

[Stalker62]

That also do ear check and anal hands...

They charge big money for that in some Soho Clubs...

 

[Ratel]

They charge big money for that in some Soho Clubs...

Bloody predictive text.
I bow to your knowledge and obvious experience of Soho clubs.

 

[Stalker62]

I bow to your knowledge and obvious experience of Soho clubs.

I stopped frequenting those clubs weeks ago.

It wasn't just the exorbitant membership fees that was a pain in the...

..."Oh hello dear, your home early"...

 

[Buchan]

Why oh why didn't I instead of working for HM stay in education and become a Vet or Dentist. The perfect licence to print money. I have a pet plan for basics, Twice yearly check up, jabs, wormers and Tick pills. That also do ear check and anal hands, but it costs £18 a month, bearable.
Dentists!!! Well my assistant pays £15 a minute and my wife's latest quote is £28 per minute.
I really have had a mis spent life.

Some universities take older students. AAB at A level, and 5 years of education 9-5, plus working most of your holidays. You can then open your own business and see how well you do with generating an income at the same tie as providing 24 hour service

 

[Buchan]

Morning All,

I wanted to share my recent experience with the above.

The practice in question (one of hundreds owned by CVS Group) used to be an independent vet until the original partner retired and CVS Group bought up the business. Historically the practice was first class and our farm account was there for donkeys years (as was my dads farm account).
Once CVS took over they stopped doing agricultural work and we moved the farm account however for reasons of convenience I left my Labradors registered there. My eldest lab showed signs of arthritis and as such along we went for a consultation. Options and treatment plans discussed and opted for Meloxaid.

After some time on the treatment I was informed that they need to see the dog every six months for a check and bloods.. this was never mentioned up front and to my knowledge is a slight tinkering around the guidance. I have no issue with paying for my dogs health and wellbeing BUT I don't like poor communication and financial surprises.

At the same time my friend has her working cockers also registered at the same practice, during their health check she asked the vet to check the dogs ears as the groomer had suggested there may be an infection. Vet checked ears, said there was some wax and took a swab, told my friend that it would cost £25 to check the swab in the lab. 24 hours later vet rings my friend to say they need to send the swab away, grow cultures etc etc and the cost would be £3200!!

Friend asks to use her insurance only to be told the practice don't deal with her particular insurance company and only deal with two providers! Nowhere is that knowledge given to patients / clients. My friend works for the NHS at our local hospital and has no means to pay that kind of money out, after much debate and tears the practice refused to speak to her insurers. She has subsequently changed vet to be told the dogs ears are fine, perfectly healthy and charged £25 quid for a check up!

The above are only a couple of instances but I'm aware of a few more. Am i being cynical to think that CVS Group are essentially creating their own workload? They own their own lab / pharma / insurance businesses and have recently been challenged by the Competition and Markets Authority.

Needless to say I have changed vet and moved to a truly independent vet who has informed me he only needs to see my lab once a year.

It just stinks in my humble opinion, insurance companies and individuals must be paying out thousands for treatments and checks that are not required.

I doubt the swab culture would be £3200, that has to be an error.
6 month intervals are normal, as are annual, bloods open to interpretation on how useful they are

I'm no fan of the corporatisation of the profession, but it is hard making a living when running a vet business. We vets on here keep saying it, with an NHS so that the cost of medicines is not appreciated and VAT on your vet fees (not private medicine) owing an animal is not cheap.
As a profession th epublic has had a lot of value from vets over the years, most of us still give professional advice for free unlike any other business.

 

[old keeper]

Some small animal vets have always been a bit of a rip-off! Over the years my vet would vasectomise my dog ferrets and charge about £35. A friend who uses another vet was quoted £230 for the same op: It pays to shop around.

 

[Ratel]

Some universities take older students. AAB at A level, and 5 years of education 9-5, plus working most of your holidays. You can then open your own business and see how well you do with generating an income at the same tie as providing 24 hour service

Almost as bad as being a surveyor/ engineer. Didn't it used to be six years training for a vet? Holiday work was practical wasn't it?
Funnily enough I have yet to see a poor vet, even in the hills of Wales. I had a single handed excellent chap in Scotland, 24 HR service but knew well how to charge. Perhaps a dentist might be better, getting bit by a human not quite so bad as a horse.

 

[long_range_rob]

My local practice got taken over by a ‘Group’ and went to s**t. Tried to charge me £160 for half a litre of saline when my Lab was in and I ended up with a £700 bill and no diagnosis! I took all the inconclusive X-rays, blood tests etc to a local independent vet and had a diagnosis in 10 minutes.

 

[hcm1]

I doubt the swab culture would be £3200, that has to be an error.
6 month intervals are normal, as are annual, bloods open to interpretation on how useful they are

I'm no fan of the corporatisation of the profession, but it is hard making a living when running a vet business. We vets on here keep saying it, with an NHS so that the cost of medicines is not appreciated and VAT on your vet fees (not private medicine) owing an animal is not cheap.
As a profession th epublic has had a lot of value from vets over the years, most of us still give professional advice for free unlike any other business.

I totalled up the time I spent on the phone to clients today discussing cases, treatment plans and problems, it was over an hour and a half. None of that was charged for, now I don't resent it, its part of the job but a lot of people take for granted the free advice that is often given out. Agreed though no earthly way would ear swabs cost £3200!

 

[Dalua]

, most of us still give professional advice for free unlike any other business.

Pharmacy?

 

[AGR]

Almost as bad as being a surveyor/ engineer. Didn't it used to be six years training for a vet? Holiday work was practical wasn't it?
Funnily enough I have yet to see a poor vet, even in the hills of Wales. I had a single handed excellent chap in Scotland, 24 HR service but knew well how to charge. Perhaps a dentist might be better, getting bit by a human not quite so bad as a horse.

I have a vet friend, nearly 40 years experience, top salary she could earn is around £50k.
My youngest daughter, a 26 y old degree qualified, 5 years experience, on nearly £40k.
Dentist would be the way to go!

 

[Bo Diddley]

On a positive note;
Our independent veterinary practice, one year ago talked us through on the phone and helped immensely when our Border bitch was having pups, the 1st pup was stuck and coming out backward, all this was on a Saturday night at about 10.30 pm, by 2 am the next morning we had 7 healthy pups, with me giving the 1st pup a good swing to clear the mucus from its airway. This was the bitches 1st litter. All free advice . Here are Mother & daughter...

 

[tonyshooter]

I am grateful that we have a small independently owned vets practice near me.
The are very fair with their prices, however, I am paying for expertise and I accept their fees without hesitation or question.

 

[Pedro]

Our local vets has also been taken over by a "multi". They used to do large animals but no longer (less profit). They have also stopped doing anything out of hours. They simply do pets, because that's where the money is. They have two surgeries, around 12 miles apart. One is a simple surgery, the other has the operating facility and is able to house patients. If you go into the surgery only and need the other place's facilities, they would transport your animal through, do the necessary and bring it back for you. After all, they are going to and fro themselves. But no, that's down to you now. Not a great problem for many, but for the little old ladies and so on of this world, not an option. They also tended to look kindly on the poor folk, pointing them towards less expensive treatments (and occasionally the odd freebie) and being generous with the time taken to paying the bill. No longer. They still did pretty fine with that business without being so mercenary.

But such is the world, or at least our corner of it. I wonder how all those vets that go into the profession with a genuine vocation to help animals and people think of these changes.

At present I'm still with them for my dogs, but that is under review. Might depend on what other vets are like.

 

[Bo Diddley]

Our local vets has also been taken over by a "multi". They used to do large animals but no longer (less profit). They have also stopped doing anything out of hours. They simply do pets, because that's where the money is. They have two surgeries, around 12 miles apart. One is a simple surgery, the other has the operating facility and is able to house patients. If you go into the surgery only and need the other place's facilities, they would transport your animal through, do the necessary and bring it back for you. After all, they are going to and fro themselves. But no, that's down to you now. Not a great problem for many, but for the little old ladies and so on of this world, not an option. They also tended to look kindly on the poor folk, pointing them towards less expensive treatments (and occasionally the odd freebie) and being generous with the time taken to paying the bill. No longer. They still did pretty fine with that business without being so mercenary.

But such is the world, or at least our corner of it. I wonder how all those vets that go into the profession with a genuine vocation to help animals and people think of these changes.

At present I'm still with them for my dogs, but that is under review. Might depend on what other vets are like.

It's the way of the world Pedro.. 'devil take the hindmost...' sucks doesn't it..