Regulatory demands rise as recognition lags for veterinary practice managers

Almost half (49%) of UK veterinary practices also report burnout in their teams, according to new research from Agilio, in partnership with the Veterinary Management Group.

‘The Veterinary Practice Management Challenges and Evolution report 2026/27’, published today by Agilio in partnership with the Veterinary Management Group (VMG), is based on responses from 215 practice managers, owners and leaders. It looks in detail at the operational and people management side of running a practice, after years of regulatory scrutiny, rising costs and sustained pressure on staffing.

Almost eight in 10 (79% ) veterinary practice managers say regulatory and compliance demands on their role have grown over the past three years, and two-thirds (66% ) say more strategic input is now expected of them. Yet only 23% say recognition of the role within the practice has increased, and just over a fifth (21% ) say it has decreased.

Meanwhile, 68% say practice management is harder than it was two years ago, with just 9% saying it has got easier. Independent and corporate practices answered almost identically, at 71% and 70% respectively, suggesting the pressure is being felt across the profession as a whole.

Ninety-six per cent also reported at least one staffing pressure in the past 12 months, most commonly the need to recruit veterinary nurses (65% ). Almost half (49% ) identify burnout or emotional exhaustion within their team, and 43% report compassion fatigue. Only one in five (20% ) describe a settled team with none of these pressures.

Emma Barnes, Chief of Staff of Agilio, commented:

“The people running practices are managing more, and more complicated, work than ever before. This report is an important step towards recognising that properly. None of this will surprise anyone in a management or leadership role, but at long last we have the numbers to show it.”

With the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) binding orders taking effect this month, the research also looked at how ready practices feel. Most are: 81% describe themselves as very or fairly prepared. But 35% have no adequate software or digital solution for CMA compliance and pricing transparency, and independents feel the least ready, with 27% not very or not at all prepared, compared with 8% of corporates.

Rebecca Robinson, President of the Veterinary Management Group, said:

“It is encouraging that most practices feel ready. But a third have no system supporting this work, and it is independents who are telling us they feel least prepared. With the CMA order now taking effect, that is really worth paying attention to.”

Asked what would make the biggest practical difference to their role, respondents put better integrated software and systems first (46% ) ahead of more time for team development and one-to-ones (42% ). When asked what the profession and its bodies should prioritise, the most common answer was greater recognition of practice management as a distinct profession (46% ).

The full report is available to download below