Movement Referrals officially opened its second centre, in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire on Saturday 21st June. Adrian Chiles, renowned TV presenter and newspaper columnist, officially opened the clinic along with his four-year old dog, Tito.
Along with over a hundred guests, Adrian and his wife, Kath Viner, editor-in-chief of the Guardian, toured the clinic to see the diagnostic and surgical equipment, including on-site high-field MRI and 32-slice CT scanner, as well as watch demonstrations on techniques such as advanced imaging, fracture repair, and hip replacement. Chiles commented on the “positive vibe” at Movement Referrals and the clear expertise and experience of the clinical team.
In November 2023, Chiles received criticism from many in the veterinary profession when, in his Guardian newspaper column, he raised concerns regarding increasing veterinary fees and upselling tactics. Following a backlash from the profession, he admitted that he had been unaware of all the structural changes that had occurred in the sector over the last 25 years. He then issued a full apology to the veterinary professions in a follow-up column in the Guardian.
Speaking, in his unmistakable Birmingham accent, as he officially opened Movement Referrals Midlands, Chiles said, “I have never received such a volume of correspondence to one of my newspaper columns. One of the people that wrote to me was Movement Director, Professor John Innes, and we had very useful subsequent discussions that made me realise I had unfairly blamed vets for the issues I had felt as a pet owner.” He joked, “I had nightmares of hordes of white-coated vets marching towards me bearing flaming torches and whatever tools they use to castrate dogs”.
Talking in turn to the assembled crowd, the directors of Movement Referrals, Mark Lowrie, Ben Walton, Mark Morton, and John Innes, explained the ethos and culture of the practice, and thanked the many people that had helped them to realise their vision of a second referral centre. In particular, they thanked property agent Jeremy Hobson of Ollerton Estates, Colin Carthy of Dane Architecture, and Patrick Hough of Hough Construction. They also thanked all their team members: vets, nurses and support colleagues.
Like the practice’s other centre in Cheshire, Movement Referrals Midlands offers neurology and orthopaedics referrals. The centre is led by Mark Lowrie, renowned Specialist veterinary neurologist, and he is joined by experienced orthopaedic surgeons, Kinley Smith and David Thomson, and neurology residents, Callum Golding and Rebecca Clark.
