Hi just got this email from PETMEDs.

Thought i would share for the folk who have regular scripts from vets :D

Prescription Charges

You may already be aware but from the 30th October your vet will be able to charge your for prescriptions again. The Office of Fair Trading ruled in 2005 that veterinary practices had a monopoly on the market and put in a ruling which allowed the consumers more choice. This ruling will be expiring in October unfortunately.

Therefore, although there are a few months to go, your vet can write out a 6 month prescription, so it would be wise to exercise this right before October 30th to avoid the charges.

Although your vet can charge any fee they wish, it is expected that they will charge approx £15 per prescription. Of course, it's unlikely to be economical to gain a one month supply but again, the vet can write the prescription for 6 months, in which case savings can usually be made.

The Office of Fair Trading plans to monitor the situation to ensure veterinary practices do not start operating unfairly again and Petmeds.co.uk will setup a complaints form for you to use, should you need it, which will route your comments to the correct department at the OFT.

Presumably the petitions didn't work then?

If they start doing that I'm totally buggered but I hope that, judging how great my vets have been in the past they won't choose to charge that much for a prescription.

£15 is a bit steep, isn't it? I thought it wouldnt last- and suspect it will knock a few of the online pharmacies out of business too. Sod's law, just when you find some way round all the costs (and with fuel costs expected to hike up this winter, we could do with all the savings we could get). B*gger!

It is at the vet's discretion thought Katkin,

My vets are pretty reasonable with things so I'm hoping that they choose not to charge too much.

I suspect it will cause quite a bit of competition between vets as well when some will choose to charge less than others. I would've thought it'd be more cost effective to not charge, or at least charge less, therefore attracting more clients...

All these threads where people have been talking about the cost of going to the vets - I thought showed the problems when we loose choice. Once these charges come back into force - once again vets will have even more ability to put their prices up than they do now.

I am not just moaning about the cost of the drugs and treatment. I know that people through their dogs out on the street when they can't afford the care. These could be people who work - albeit on a low wage - and therefore do not qualify for PDSA assistance. I think holding people to randsome by making them pay these costs when we are faced with paying or neglecting those that we love should be better monitored.

Read this
http://www.ukpets.co.uk/ukp/index.php?rtn=temp81_149_178_198_at_1426&sf=2135904819&section=Home&sub=News&rws=&st=vets&wt=&method=search&item=1503&tb=news_items1&rfw=&rf=[/url]