21 CMA reforms. 6 months to comply. One agent that tracks the lot.
The CMA's veterinary market investigation produced 21 mandatory reforms covering pricing transparency, billing practices, ownership disclosure, clinical independence, complaint handling, and more. Compliance is legally binding — large chains must comply within 3-6 months of the September 2026 Orders, independents within 3-6 months after that. For a practice owner or manager already running a busy clinic, tracking compliance across 21 separate requirements — each with specific evidence thresholds — is a project in itself. Your agent maps your current status against every CMA mandate, tracks evidence of compliance, and tells you exactly what's done, what's outstanding, and what's at risk.
What Your Agent Actually Does
Your agent maps all 21 CMA mandates to your practice's current status — showing what's compliant, what's outstanding, and what needs action before the deadline.
Maps all 21 CMA mandates to your practice
Price lists, written estimates, itemised billing, prescription fee caps, ownership disclosure, clinical independence policies, complaint procedures, ADR mediation — your agent tracks each mandate with its specific requirements and compliance evidence. Not a generic checklist but a live status board tied to your actual practice data.
Generates evidence of compliance for each mandate
The CMA and RCVS will monitor compliance. Your agent assembles evidence: published price list (date and URL), estimate templates in use, prescription fee audit results, ownership disclosure on materials, complaint procedure documents — packaged and ready for inspection or enquiry.
Tracks compliance deadlines and milestones
Orders published September 2026. Large chains comply within months. Independents get a grace period. Your agent tracks the specific deadlines that apply to your practice size and type, with milestone warnings before each deadline passes.
Identifies gaps before they become problems
No written complaint procedure? Clinical independence policy not documented? Prescription fees not being tracked? Your agent identifies gaps in your compliance posture and prioritises them by deadline proximity and risk level.
Produces board-ready compliance summaries
For practices with governance boards, partners, or ownership groups — your agent produces quarterly compliance summaries showing CMA status, actions completed, and outstanding items. Clear accountability, documented progress.
The real numbers.
| Consultant CMA compliance review | £2,000–£4,000 |
| Practice manager time tracking 21 mandates | £1,500–£3,000/year |
| Non-compliance risk (regulatory investigation) | Variable (significant) |
| Realistic annual cost | £3,000–£5,000 |
| Agent build (one-off, configured to your practice structure) | £2,500–£4,000 |
| Monthly running costs (hosting + AI usage) | £80–£150/month |
| CMA regulatory updates as Orders are published | Included in first year |
| Realistic first-year total | £3,460–£5,800 |
The CMA investigation is the most significant regulatory intervention in veterinary practice in decades. Twenty-one mandates, covering everything from what you charge for prescriptions to how you handle complaints, all with hard compliance deadlines.
For independent practices competing against corporate groups with dedicated compliance teams, the challenge is not understanding the reforms — it's implementing them systematically while still running a clinic. Your agent is the compliance team you don't have.
Good fit / not a fit.
This works brilliantly for:
- Independent practices without dedicated compliance staff
- Practice managers who need a clear view of what's done and what's outstanding
- Multi-site independent groups that need consistent CMA compliance across locations
- Practices that want to demonstrate proactive compliance before the deadline
This probably isn't for you if:
- You're part of a corporate group with a centralised compliance function
- You already have a systematic CMA compliance tracking process in place
- You have a retained compliance consultant managing the CMA transition
Let's talk.
We'll start with which CMA reforms you've already addressed and which feel most daunting. Usually a 15-minute conversation — and we'll give you a preliminary gap analysis on the call.
hello@nimblecroft.com