Introducing

Hello and welcome!

I’m Chris, vet and founder of Veterinary Procurement Partners. I’m really excited to be launching my new business and to be sharing a bit about my journey with you and why I’ve set it up.

This venture brings together my 20+ years of experience across clinical practice and procurement, with a simple aim: to drive commercial excellence in independent veterinary practices, to enable them to compete in these increasingly challenging times.

So how did I get here? After graduating from Bristol Vet School in 2004, I started out at an independent mixed practice in South Wales. My ambition was always to become an equine vet, but after a couple of years I found myself drawn more towards small animal work and the relationships you build with clients over time.

I was fortunate to join PDSA Swansea, where I eventually became Senior Vet, running the hospital and leading a fantastic team. Alongside developing my clinical skills across a wide range of cases, I became increasingly interested in the commercial side of running a veterinary practice and how decisions behind the scenes directly impact what we can deliver on the clinical front line.

That interest led me to complete a MBA, which really cemented my understanding of how important those operational decisions are. It also prompted my move into procurement, taking up a role at PDSA Head Office in Telford, where I oversaw the clinical procurement team.

In 2016, I joined Medivet, initially working in regional clinical operations in the north of the UK, before moving into procurement in 2019. I went on to spend six years as Head of Procurement, and during that time I saw first-hand just how valuable strong procurement support can be to a veterinary practice. When it’s done well, it doesn’t just reduce costs, it takes a significant administrative burden off the practice teams to enable them to concentrate on clinical work. It also improves service delivery consistency and strengthens supplier relationships.

In corporate practice, that level of support comes as standard. But many independent practices are still managing procurement on their own; something that’s becoming increasingly difficult in the current, post-CMA environment, with rising costs and greater scrutiny.

That’s ultimately why I founded Veterinary Procurement Partners. The goal is to bring the benefits of corporate-level procurement to veterinary practices, helping you access better pricing, more efficient systems, and trusted supplier partnerships, while maintaining your independence and clinical autonomy.

During my time in the industry, I have built up a large network of contacts. This opens up the opportunity to access a wide range of products and services at market leading prices, which can benefit the practices I work with, through a preferred supplier list. I also plan to work with some of the key suppliers, to develop their products and services to fit the demands of the modern practice, so that you can start to see innovations on the frontline. This will be in an independent, non biased way, so that there is no influence on the recommendations of my practice work.

Whilst I do very little clinical work nowadays, I still manage to stay close to the realities of veterinary life. At home, I run a smallholding with horses, sheep, chickens and three very energetic border collies (plus many other animals), which keeps me firmly grounded in the day-to-day challenges our clients face. I like to do the routine surgeries on my own animals when needed; I did so many surgeries at PDSA that it doesn’t feel too daunting and I get to keep my hand in.

My career has grown in ways I couldn’t have predicted, but it’s always been shaped by the same purpose: supporting practices, teams, and the animals we all care about. I’m now bringing that experience together to help strengthen and support the future of our profession.

If you’re interested in exploring how I might be able to help your practice, please get in touch. I can’t wait to hear from you.