This year’s BestUKVets Awards, hosted by VetHelpDirect, saw a number of independent practices collect accolades at a ceremony on 18 June 2026.
FIVP would like to congratulate all the independent practices that were celebrated at the event, especially those FIVP members in attendance. Whether you were an award winner or a runner up, every nomination recognises a practice which provides exceptional care to its clients.
The awards were based on a record total of more than 16,000 qualifying reviews written on the VetHelpDirect website. Each winner is based on verified four-star and five-star reviews from clients, rather than being decided by a judging panel.
Bright Side Vets
The team at Bright Side Vets has been in touch with us to share their excitement at winning two awards at the ceremony.
Bright Side Swadlincote won Best in County for Derbyshire for its fifth consecutive year. Meanwhile the team’s newest venture, Bright Side Tamworth, was awarded Best in County for Staffordshire.
After a decade of serving clients at its Swadlincote premises, Bright Side opened its second practice in Tamworth in 2024.
Their new premises is equipped with a range of modern facilities, enabling the practice to provide a range of first-opinion veterinary care services. It also provides advanced procedures, including dentistry, ophthalmology, and internal medicine.
Bright Side Tamworth has already proven popular with clients, which have praised their ‘friendly, caring and professional’ team and the practice’s ‘patience and compassion’.
One review said: ‘You can tell they truly love what they do, nothing ever feels rushed, and the level of care is outstanding. The practice is clean, welcoming, and well organised, and every visit has been a positive experience.
‘Thank you to the whole team for always going above and beyond. It’s such a relief knowing our pets are in such safe, kind hands!’
Jason Freezer, practice manager at Bright Side Vets, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled that Bright Side Vets has been named Best in County for Staffordshire in the BestUKVet Awards. It means so much because it reflects the kindness, dedication and care shown every day by our wonderful Bright Side Crew.
“We’re incredibly grateful to our clients for taking the time to leave such thoughtful reviews, and proud to be part of a local community that trusts us to care for their much-loved pets.”
Best in Region
We also congratulate the FIVP members which were recognised as the best in their region. This included:
- Abingdon Veterinary Clinic (Greater London)
- Catmose Vets (Rutland)
- Iffley Vets (Oxfordshire)
- Old Registry Vets (Lincolnshire)
- Streatham Hill Veterinary Surgery (London)
- The Vet Station – Great Gaddesden (Hertfordshire)
Also in the Top 25 veterinary practices in the UK were:
- Briar House Veterinary Surgery
- Mead Veterinary Centre
- Oathall Veterinary Group
- Weeley Veterinary Centre
Special Awards
A special mention goes to Old Registry Vets which, as well as winning Best in County for Lincolnshire, was also awarded ‘Silver’ status as the second-best practice in the country based on its client reviews.
Congratulations also to Weeley Veterinary Centre, which is part of BestUKVets’ ‘Elite’ category. This means that the practice is a previous ‘Gold’ status winner, and is continuing to receive a high number of four-star and five-star reviews.
Rita Dingwall, FIVP chairperson, said: “These awards are especially meaningful because they are based on the experiences of the people who matter most – the clients who trust these practices with the care of their pets.
“We are delighted to see so many FIVP members recognised for their outstanding care and commitment. Independent veterinary practices are rooted in their local communities, and these awards are a testament to the dedication, compassion and professionalism shown by their teams every day. Congratulations to everyone recognised at this year’s BestUKVets Awards.”
