REG - CVS Group plc - Response to DEFRA consultation

CVSAnnouncement

28/01/2026 07:10

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RNS Number : 7031Q  CVS Group plc  28 January 2026

 
 
 
                    28 January 2026

 

CVS GROUP plc

("CVS" or the "Company" and, together with its subsidiaries, the "Group")

 

Response to DEFRA consultation on the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966

 

CVS welcomes the announcement by the Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs (DEFRA) that they will be commencing a consultation on proposed
reforms to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 (VSA).

 

Reform of the VSA was a remedy recommended by the Competition and Markets
Authority (CMA), along with price transparency, in its October 2025
provisional decision of its market investigation into veterinary services for
household pets in the UK and the Government had previously announced its
intention to consult on this.

 

CVS has been calling for reform to the VSA for some time and has engaged with
both DEFRA and the CMA during the market investigation to share its views on
these expected reforms. CVS believes reform will help strengthen consumer
confidence in the profession, ensure enhanced regulation including practice
level accountability for maintaining appropriate standards such as mandatory
compliance with the voluntary Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) which CVS
practices embrace. CVS also believes that expanding the scope and role of
Registered Veterinary Nurses to undertake a wider range of procedures is long
overdue.

 

CVS understands the consultation will last for eight weeks and looks forward
to continuing its dialogue with DEFRA, and to sharing its thoughts during the
consultation.

 

The Group continues to expect to deliver FY2026 results in line with the
Board's expectations.

 

Paul Higgs, Chief Veterinary Officer commented: "The Veterinary Profession has
been calling for reform of the outdated Veterinary Surgeons Act for over a
decade, something CVS continues to be supportive of. We are pleased to see the
Government take the opportunity of the CMA investigation to accelerate this
process."

 

 

Contacts

CVS Group
plc
via Camarco

Richard Fairman, CEO

Robin Alfonso, CFO

Paul Higgs, Chief Veterinary Officer

Charlotte Page, Head of Investor Relations

 

Berenberg (Joint Broker)
 
                              +44 (0)20 3207 7800

Toby Flaux / Michael Burke / Milo Bonser / Brooke Harris-Lowing

 

Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser & Joint Broker)
 
      +44 (0)20 7418 8900

Christopher Golden / James Steel / Andrew Clark

 

Camarco (Financial
PR)
 
                    cvsg@camarco.co.uk

Ginny Pulbrook
 
                                           +44 (0)7961
315 138

Letaba Rimell

Tilly Butcher

 

About CVS Group plc (www.cvsukltd.co.uk)

 

CVS Group is a leading provider of veterinary services with operations in the
UK and Australia.  CVSG is focused on providing high-quality clinical
services to its clients and their animals, with outstanding and dedicated
clinical and support teams at the core of its strategy.

 

The Group now operates c.470 veterinary practices across its two territories,
including specialist referral hospitals and dedicated out-of-hours sites.
Alongside the core Veterinary Practices division, CVSG operates Laboratories
(providing diagnostic services to CVSG and third-parties) and an Online Retail
Business.

 

The Group employs c.8,900 personnel, including c.2,500 veterinary surgeons and
c.3,300 nurses and patient care assistants.

 

 

 

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