**Veterinary Medicine: General Aspects**

**1** 

 *UK* 

**The Veterinary Business Landscape:** 

Colette Henry and Lorna Treanor

*Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Hatfield (Herts),* 

**Contemporary Issues and Emerging Trends** 

The veterinary sector has witnessed considerable change in recent years, and this has had a significant impact on the wider veterinary business landscape. Most noteworthy, perhaps, has been the change at the global level in the focus of animal welfare, with a growth in small/companion animal care and a reduction in large animal work (Lowe, 2009). This has resulted in increased competition amongst veterinary practices and the recognition that veterinary services need to be appropriately marketed. Furthermore, it has been noted that the increase in and improved access to on-line veterinary pharmacies is beginning to 'squeeze' practices' profit margins on the sale of veterinary medicines, prompting the realisation that pricing structures for core veterinary services may need to be significantly

With specific regard to large animal work, equine services now tend to be handled by specialists, and farm animal work is considered to be in decline, with the latter prompting particular concern. Indeed, significant changes to the farming sector (i.e. declining livestock populations, a reduction in the number/size of farm holdings, new legislation and a radical change in the relationship between government and veterinarians) mean that farm animal

There have also been significant changes to existing veterinary business models, with a marked decrease in the number of small private, independent practices and a drive toward partnerships, groups and large corporate structures with shared resources and strengthened buying powers. As a result of the latter, new management career opportunities have opened up within the corporate sector for appropriately trained and entrepreneurially motivated

Collectively, the above changes have created an extremely dynamic and highly competitive veterinary business landscape. Indeed, it is now widely recognised that managers within the broader veterinary industry need to be much more commercially aware than in the past, prompting the recognition of a significant skills gap in business and management (Lowe, 2009). This skills gap is recognised beyond the traditional practice management role, with some acknowledgement that managers in the veterinary science, diagnostics and genetics

veterinary practices now face significant competitive and sustainability issues.

veterinarians to run individual clinics or sites as semi-independent business units.

**1. Introduction** 

revised in order to compensate.
