Who Owns Roundwood Vets? Why Being an Independent Veterinary Practice Matters
If you've been following the news recently, you may have noticed growing conversations about veterinary practice ownership, corporate veterinary groups and the rising costs of veterinary care.
It's an important discussion, and one we completely understand. After all, our pets are part of our families, and when we entrust someone with their care, we want to know who's looking after them, who's making the decisions and what matters most to the people running the practice.
So, we thought it was time to share a little more about Roundwood Vets, who owns our practice, what being independent really means and why we're so passionate about remaining a small, locally owned veterinary practice in North West London.
And the lovely thing is, if you've visited us over the past six years, you probably already know the owners!
Contents
Who Owns Roundwood Vets?
Let's start with the question that's becoming increasingly important to pet owners.
Roundwood Vets is a genuinely independent veterinary practice, personally owned by Nicola Roberts (Nikki), a Registered Veterinary Nurse, and Dr Joanne Nuttall (Dr Jo), a Veterinary Surgeon.
We are not owned by a large veterinary corporation or corporate veterinary group.
We don't own a chain of surgeries or have multiple branches across London.
We own just one practice, Roundwood Vets, and you'll find us both working here most days.
We've each spent 29 years working in the veterinary profession, giving us almost 60 years of combined experience caring for animals and supporting their families.
And for more than six of those years, we've worked together right here at Roundwood Vets.
When we purchased the practice in 2026, we weren't stepping into an unfamiliar business. We were taking on the responsibility of a practice, a team and a community we already knew and cared deeply about.
Although becoming owners has brought new responsibilities, we're still the same familiar faces, working alongside our wonderful team and caring for the dogs and cats who come through our doors.
For us, Roundwood Vets isn't simply a business. It's somewhere we've built relationships, shared experiences and become part of the local community.
What Does Being Truly Independent Mean?
You may have heard the terms independent vets and corporate vets mentioned more frequently in recent years.
But what do they actually mean?
A corporate veterinary practice is owned by a larger company or veterinary group, which may operate numerous practices across the country.
Importantly, a veterinary practice can describe itself as local, and genuinely be part of its local community, without being independently owned.
Many corporate-owned practices continue to operate under their original names, with familiar veterinary teams and longstanding relationships with local clients. From the outside, it may not always be obvious that the practice belongs to a larger organisation.
Being local and being independent are not necessarily the same thing.
At Roundwood Vets, we're both.
Our practice is personally owned by the two of us, Nikki and Dr Jo. We're not part of a corporate veterinary group, we don't own a chain of surgeries, and we have just one site here in North West London.
There's no corporate head office making our day-to-day decisions. We're personally involved in running the practice, working alongside our team and caring for our patients every day.
Of course, excellent veterinary professionals work in both independent and corporate practices, and we recognise the dedication and compassion of colleagues throughout the profession.
But we believe pet owners should be able to understand who owns their veterinary practice and make an informed choice about where they take their pets.
For us, being truly independent means local ownership, local decision-making and personal responsibility for the practice and community we care so deeply about.
Why Independent Veterinary Practices Matter to Local Communities
We believe independent veterinary practices have an important place in our communities, and that preserving them matters for the future of veterinary care.
Familiar Faces and Relationships That Last
One of the loveliest things about working in a local veterinary practice is getting to know our patients and their families over time.
We might first meet a tiny puppy for their vaccinations, see them grow into an enthusiastic adult who knows exactly where the treats are kept, and years later help their family navigate the challenges of caring for an older dog.
Or perhaps we meet a rather unimpressed kitten who would much prefer to stay inside their carrier, only to discover that a little patience and a tasty treat can work wonders!
Over time, we learn about our patients' personalities, their little quirks and the things that make them special.
And we get to know their owners, too.
These relationships are particularly valuable when a pet develops a long-term medical condition or when difficult decisions need to be made.
Having a familiar veterinary team who understands your pet's history can make those conversations feel a little less daunting.
At Roundwood Vets, we want our clients to feel comfortable asking questions, sharing concerns and knowing that their pets are being treated as individuals.
Keeping Decisions Close to Home
As independent owners, we're directly involved in the decisions that shape our practice.
We see first-hand what our patients need, hear feedback from our clients and work closely with the people providing their care.
This allows us to make decisions based on the needs of our particular practice and community.
It also means we're personally accountable for the choices we make.
We believe that connection between ownership, the veterinary team and the local community is something worth valuing.
Preserving Choice for Pet Owners
As the veterinary profession has changed, many practices across the UK have become part of larger veterinary groups.
There are benefits and challenges associated with different ownership models, and dedicated veterinary professionals work across the whole profession.
However, we believe it's important that independent practices continue to exist alongside larger organisations.
Why?
Because pet owners deserve choice, including the option of visiting a locally owned practice where decisions are made by people who work there.
Supporting independent veterinary practices helps maintain that diversity and gives local communities different options for their pets' care.
For us, being independent isn't about being bigger, better or more important than anyone else.
It's about offering something personal, locally rooted and genuinely connected to the community we serve.
Let's Talk Honestly About Veterinary Costs
We couldn't discuss independent veterinary care without talking about something that's understandably on many pet owners' minds: the cost of veterinary treatment.
We know that caring for a pet can be expensive, particularly when illness or injury occurs unexpectedly.
We also understand that families have financial commitments, and that worrying about veterinary bills can add to an already stressful situation.
As veterinary professionals, we see those concerns regularly, and we take them seriously.
But we also think it's important to explain what goes into providing veterinary care and why responsible pricing matters, particularly for a small independent practice like ours.
What Does It Cost to Run a Veterinary Practice?
When you bring your pet to see us, there's a great deal happening behind the scenes.
Providing safe, professional veterinary care involves much more than the time spent in the consulting room.
It includes:
Employing qualified veterinary surgeons, registered veterinary nurses and dedicated support staff.
Purchasing medicines, vaccines and essential medical supplies.
Maintaining diagnostic, surgical and anaesthetic equipment.
Providing ongoing professional training and development.
Keeping our premises safe, clean, comfortable and properly equipped.
Covering the everyday running costs of a veterinary business.
Investing in the future of the practice and the care we provide.
These costs are necessary to maintain the standards of care our patients deserve.
And as a small, single-site independent practice, we face some particular challenges.
We don't have multiple branches over which to spread our running costs, and we may not benefit from the same purchasing power as larger veterinary groups.
That means we have to manage our resources carefully and price our services responsibly.
Fair Pricing Doesn't Always Mean the Lowest Pricing
We know that everyone wants veterinary care to be affordable, and we genuinely understand why.
But being independently owned doesn't necessarily mean we can offer the cheapest veterinary services.
Our aim isn't to be the cheapest veterinary practice. It's to provide good, compassionate veterinary care at fair, transparent prices that allow us to support our team, maintain our facilities and continue caring for your pets for years to come.
We need to charge appropriately for the professional expertise, time, medicines and resources involved in providing veterinary care.
We also need to be able to pay our team fairly, maintain essential equipment and invest in the future.
We believe in being open about costs and explaining treatment recommendations clearly.
Where clinically appropriate, we can discuss different options, their benefits and limitations, and the costs involved, helping owners make informed decisions that consider both their pet's welfare and their individual circumstances.
We never want clients to feel uncomfortable asking questions about costs.
Those conversations are an important part of responsible, compassionate veterinary care.
Keeping Independent Veterinary Care Sustainable
There's another side to the conversation about veterinary costs that we feel is particularly important.
For independent veterinary practices to remain part of our communities, they must be financially sustainable.
Running a veterinary practice requires careful planning, ongoing investment and the ability to meet both expected and unexpected costs.
For us, sustainability isn't about building a chain of surgeries or becoming a large veterinary business.
It's about making sure Roundwood Vets can continue operating as a small, independent practice for many years to come.
It means being able to retain and support our team, maintain our equipment, invest in professional development and provide consistent care for our patients.
It also means protecting something that we believe is valuable: the continued presence of an independently owned veterinary practice in our local community.
If small independent practices cannot cover the costs of providing care, they may struggle to remain open or independent.
And when that happens, communities can lose some of the choice and personal connection that locally owned practices provide.
That's why we believe fair, responsible pricing and financial sustainability are not separate from good veterinary care.
They're part of making sure that care remains available in the future.
We don't just want to be here for your pets today. We want to be here for them tomorrow, next year and for many years to come.
Our Commitment to You and Your Pets ❤️
When we became the owners of Roundwood Vets, we took on much more than the responsibility of running a business.
We took on the responsibility of looking after a practice that already meant a great deal to us.
A practice where we'd spent more than six years working together, building relationships with our clients and caring for their much-loved animals.
We want Roundwood Vets to remain somewhere you feel welcome, where your concerns are listened to and where your pets receive thoughtful, compassionate veterinary care.
We want our team to feel valued and supported, and we want to continue developing our skills and investing in the care we provide.
We also want to be open and honest about the realities of running a small independent practice, including the need to price our services responsibly so that we can remain sustainable.
We're not trying to become the biggest veterinary practice in London.
We're not building a chain of surgeries.
We're simply two experienced veterinary professionals who own one local practice, work here every day and care deeply about its future.
And we're incredibly proud of that.
A Heartfelt Thank You
Finally, we'd like to say a very genuine thank you.
To our wonderful team, who bring so much care and dedication to their work every day.
And to our clients, whether you've been visiting Roundwood Vets for years or have only recently joined our practice family.
Thank you for trusting us with your pets, for supporting our small independent business and for allowing us to be part of your lives.
Your continued support helps us preserve something we believe is important: a genuinely independent veterinary practice, rooted in its community and committed to caring for local pets.
Roundwood Vets isn't owned by a large corporation. It's owned by two people who work here, care about the animals they treat and want to keep independent veterinary care alive in North West London.
We look forward to continuing to care for your wonderful dogs and cats for many years to come.
Nikki and Dr Jo ❤️🐾
Nicola Roberts RVN and Dr Joanne Nuttall BVSc, MRCVS
Proud owners of Roundwood Vets, North West London.
If you'd like to learn more about our practice or are looking for an independent veterinary team to care for your dog or cat, please don't hesitate to get in touch. We're always happy to welcome new faces, both human and furry!
.png)
