PDSA’s response to the Government White Paper on veterinary regulation 

13 July 2026

Steve Howard, Chief Veterinary Officer at PDSA, said: 

"We welcome the publication of the Government's White Paper and the commitment to modernising the Veterinary Surgeons Act. The veterinary profession and the way veterinary care is delivered have changed significantly since the current legislation was introduced in 1966, so reform is both necessary and long overdue. 

"Many of the proposals, such as the protection of the title of Veterinary Nurse, regulation of businesses and reforms to the disciplinary process, reflect changes that PDSA has long supported. As with any significant reform, we'll now take the time to consider the detail of the proposals and what they could mean for us.

"It's important that these reforms work for the whole veterinary sector. As the legislation develops, we want to ensure the needs of charitable providers, veterinary teams, pet owners and, above all, animal welfare are fully considered so the new framework delivers the intended benefits without unintended consequences, or imposing undue administrative and cost burdens on veterinary businesses, particularly charities.

"One area that will be particularly important during the development of the ‘Support for Consumers’ policy, which incorporates many of the findings and recommendations of the CMA investigation, is recognising the distinct role that veterinary charities like PDSA play. 

“The Competition and Markets Authority acknowledged during its review of the veterinary sector that charities operate differently from commercial practices because they provide veterinary care on a not-for-profit basis, rather than competing in the commercial marketplace. Charities are therefore exempt from significant elements of its proposed (Funding) Order, such as the new cost transparency measures.

"We believe the same principle should be reflected in the new Veterinary Surgeons Act. As primary and secondary legislation incorporating business regulation and the CMA recommendations is developed, it is important that it recognises the unique role charitable providers play and maintains an appropriate regulatory approach. This will allow organisations like PDSA to focus limited resources where they have the greatest impact - helping pets whose owners have nowhere else to turn for affordable veterinary care.”