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The Veterinary Client Mediation Service has published the annual report of activity and insight from 2024. Funded by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and free at the point of service for consumers, the VCMS is an independent and voluntary alternative dispute resolution service. In 2023-24, it received 3,548 enquiries, with 98% within its remit to provide advice and support. The number of enquiries was down -2.6% on the previous 12-month period.
Standards of care are still the main cause of pet owner complaints, according to the latest annual Insight Report for 2023-24, published by The Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS).
Enquiries relating to standard of care were the number one concern for pet owners, accounting for 60% of all complaints, up +4% on the previous year. Within the standards of care category, there was an increase in disputes around unexpected outcomes (+37%) and vets not adequately investigating an issue (+12%), however there was a sharp decrease in misdiagnosis complaints (-30%).
Customer service accounted for 19% of overall complaints, with service and communication around consent increasing the most (+31%). After increasing last year due to the cost-of-living crisis, complaints about clinical fees accounted for just 14% of enquiries in 2023-24, up just +3% year on year. Complaints regarding excessive fees fell -21%, while the most common fee-related issues were around clarity, being kept up to date on charges and cost-benefit analysis on different treatment options.
Overall, the VCMS was able to support more than half (56%) of the enquirers’ to raise and resolve their issues at a local level, with the practice. For those that couldn’t be resolved within the practice’s complaints procedures, the VCMS invited 1,050 veterinary practices to join the mediation process, of which 77% practices accepted. This signifies a +5% improvement on the previous year’s engagement rate. Of the 767 mediated cases in 2023-24 – the highest number of mediations handled in the past 3 years – VCMS was able to achieve an impressive 82% resolution rate.
Through the mediation process, animal owners and practices have been able to agree resolutions to complaints and disputes, and analysis shows that resolutions continued to be a mixture of financial and non-financial outcomes. Resolutions such as apologies, explanations, further treatment or support accounted for 47%, up +4% year on year. In appropriate circumstances, outcomes also included addressing disproportionate or unfair online comments and supporting the future relationship between animal owners and veterinary professionals. Financial resolutions include goodwill gestures (12%), which averaged £420.85, or discounts on fees (13%) as a resolution to the complaint. The VCMS process also helped resolve situations where animal owners had withheld payment of fees. 28% of resolutions involved the issues raised being addressed and the animal owner then settling the outstanding fees. This avoided an escalation to worrying and costly debt recovery processes in these disputes.
Set up in 2017 to support the relationship between vet practices and animal owners, the VCMS has the seal of approval of both sides, with aftercare surveys revealing that 98% of veterinary practices and 96% of clients would use the VCMS again, demonstrating the high levels of satisfaction achieved.
Jennie Jones, Head of the VCMS, commented: “The issue of complaints and how these are handled within the veterinary sector have been increasingly in the media in recent years, but what our latest report shows in black and white is that when complaints arise, we have the mechanisms in place to resolve them – and to do it quickly and fairly. I’m encouraged to see more practices engaging in mediation this year, especially as almost all would use the service again. That’s testament to the power of having a team of expert of resolution managers on hand to bring even the most emotional and contentious of matters to a satisfactory close for all. Analysis shows that veterinary complaints are complex and not solely linked to costs, with nearly half of resolutions involving communication, explanations and a shared understanding of the situation. We continue to feedback our insight to the veterinary sector to help continuous improvement around communication and supporting positive relationships between animal owners and veterinary practice teams”.
The VCMS continues to advocate for collaborative decision-making and transparent communication, ensuring both veterinary professionals and animal owners are informed and engaged in the care process. The detailed insights and data presented in the latest annual report aim to support ongoing quality improvement within the veterinary community and establish even higher levels of satisfaction among pet owners.
