RecordPETS CEOs are cashing in on good work of their frontline workers

Veterinary surgeons have taken a bit of a pounding this last week.

It all began with the Competition and Markets Authority, the government body that ‘helps people, businesses and the UK economy by promoting competitive markets and tackling unfair behaviour’, deciding to undertake a market investigation into veterinary services in the UK.

This, presumably, based on the increase in veterinary fees clients have experienced recently along with the corporatisation of more than half of veterinary practices.

Indeed, since 2013, 1500 of the UK’s 5000 veterinary practices have been acquired by only six firms; VetPartners, CVS, Linnaeus, Medivet, IVC and Pets at Home.

The situation continued with numerous news outlets interviewing pet owners who had tales of woe about how much money they had spent and watchdog experts informing listeners and viewers how best to save money on vets and medicines, much of which sounded pretty dodgy.

And then, inevitably, it got more personal with the focus turning on ‘fat cats’ who run these businesses.

Much was made of the £2.2million, nine-bed country estate inhabited by Jo Malone, the chief executive officer of VetPartners, who was a vet herself before she formed the company.

There were comments on the £580,000 annual salary of Lyssa McGowan, boss of Pets at Home.

Oh, and remember, she may also be entitled to a bonus of 170 per cent of her salary, taking her year’s remuneration to around a cool £1million. That’s a lot of cat spays.

I have said it before and it is worth repeating; please don’t take it out on frontline staff. None of it is of their doing. They are working as hard and with the same integrity as they always have.

It is not their fault business people are changing their vocation from a profession into an industry.

And a recent survey showed nearly a quarter of veterinary professionals in permanent employment have not received a pay rise in the last 12 months.

So, if it is not going to the vets that treat your pets, where is the money disappearing to?

In independent practices, the owners take a share and pass on the rest to staff.

With corporates, there are CEOs creaming off a large salary.

There are accountants, HR departments, business development directors, surveyors, media groups and on and on.

Many take home much more than the vets, nurses and receptionists that care for your pets, but none actually generate any fees, though they value themselves highly.