Some of you may be aware of the increasing trend for veterinary practices in the UK to be purchased by venture capitalist firms. City money is invested in veterinary businesses, with the aim of maximising profit for investors. There have been lots of recent acquisitions across the UK, including in the south west, as was witnessed last month in our Somerset area when an adjacent farm animal vet practice was acquired.
This is in marked contrast to the traditional and well tested model of vet practice ownership, where the business is owned and managed by the senior vets in the team, as is the case at Synergy Farm Health. The directors of SFH strongly believe that this structure brings benefits to all parties, most of all our farmer clients and our employees. The identity of the business owners is clear to all. The long standing relationships that we enjoy with our clients, which have in many cases been built up over several generations, are a greatly valued and essential component of a successful farmer-vet relationship. Knowing the bosses, and having access to them, is a vital part of this. We greatly value the opportunity to meet with our clients on a regular basis, and we wish to take this opportunity to reassure you that, in these changing times, this will remain our ethos.
