The RCVS Inspiration Award is for a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who has demonstrated the ability to inspire and enthuse others consistently throughout his or her career.
The award is open to those who have inspired and motivated individuals or groups or who have worked at a profession-wide level. It will recognise those who have gone 'above and beyond' what may normally be expected from a professional colleague or tutor.
The RCVS Impact Award is for a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse who has made a considerable impact that has affected the profession, animal health or welfare, or public health. Such impact could have been made through any field of veterinary endeavour, including clinical practice, research, education or veterinary politics.
Chris Tufnell, Senior Vice-President of the RCVS, said: "I am very excited to be introducing these two new awards for those veterinary surgeons and nurses who go above-and-beyond the call of duty for the benefit of their profession, animals and society as a whole.
"I am keen to emphasise that these two new awards are relevant for veterinary professionals from all walks of life and any stage of their career – these are not life-time achievement awards but are for those making a tangible difference whether that’s in their practice, their region or across the country as a whole.
"If you know someone like this then I would strongly encourage you to find out more on our website and fill out a nomination form."
These two awards join four others made by the College:
Nominations for all six honours are now open. Nomination forms and guidance notes can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/honours and any questions can be directed to Peris Dean, Executive Secretary, on p.dean@rcvs.org.uk.
The deadline for making nominations is Friday 22 September 2017.
The RCVS Charitable Trust has made two 'Blue Sky' grants of £20,000 each for research into feline rotavirus and equine gut bacteria.
One award has been made to Allison German and Kenton Morgan at the University of Liverpool as a Richard Daubney Research Fellowship. This will enable research to be undertaken into the molecular epidemiology and zoonotic potential of feline rotavirus in UK cats.
Allison said: "Feline rotaviruses have been identified in diarrhoeic children in Japan, Italy, Israel and America, but because of limited funding options, there has been no systematic study of rotaviruses in cats, so the prevalence, risk factors and zoonotic potential are unknown. I am pleased that the Trust has recognised the importance of emerging infectious diseases in companion animals and their potential role in animal and human health."
By assessing faecal samples from cats within Cats Protection Adoption Centres in the UK, the study aims to discover the prevalence of rotavirus in this cat population and broadly identify the strains of feline rotavirus that are circulating, including looking for any with identity to human strains. The study will also determine whether the molecular epidemiology of rotavirus in the cat population enables understanding of the diversification and evolution of rotaviruses in people.
A second Blue Sky award of £20,000 has been made to Chris Proudman and Alistair Darby, also at the University of Liverpool, to research the role of gut bacteria in horse health and disease. Called Metagenomic Analytical Utilities for Equines (MANURE), the project will sequence DNA from microbes taken from horse intestines, and analyse the diversity, composition and abundance of the microbial populations. This is expected to improve veterinary understanding of the role of equine gut bacteria, and benefit horses and their owners. Tools being developed to characterise and investigate equine gut microbiota, and findings expected, such as the discovery of novel bacteria, should also be useful to other research.
RCVS Trust Director Cherry Bushell said: "As usual, the standard of applications was very good, although we do continue to receive a relatively high number of applications for projects that the assessors judge to be more 'surveys' than genuine blue sky research.
"In deciding which research to fund, a number of factors are taken into account, such as the quality and strength of the research team, the likelihood of success, and whether a genuine gap in knowledge has been identified. For example, the feline rotavirus research could have important findings in the longer term if it is found that there is genuine risk to human health, and also shows clear potential for further study. Similarly, the equine gut bacteria study is likely to increase considerably knowledge over the longer term and to attract funding from elsewhere for further research."
The awards, which were first launched last year, are open to UK practices, branch surgeries or other organisations who employ veterinary surgeons or nurses. They were created to highlight wellbeing in the veterinary profession and celebrate workplaces where:
• health and happiness are valued;• there are systems and initiatives that motivate;• staff are engaged;• communication is positive;• there is commitment to being a better place to work.
The prize for each category includes two registrations and banquet tickets for SPVS/VPMA Congress 2018 where the winners will be announced to the media and will be available for interview.
Practices that are thinking about applying can now access a free five-minute Wellbeing Checklist that can help provide examples of some simple activities that can improve the health and wellbeing of the veterinary team.
Nick Stuart from SPVS said: "Taking five minutes to fill out the Wellbeing Checklist is a great way to get a sense of how your practice is doing, and to identify ways in which you could improve. Practices are often doing a lot more than they realise and the Checklist shows how even such small steps as a having a fruit bowl in the staff room, or having a five-minute huddle at the start of the day, can make a huge difference."
Lizzie Lockett, MMI Director, said: "Having a supportive and constructive culture is key not just for the welfare of the staff, but for the animals they take care of. It allows all members of the team to feel comfortable coming forward with questions, clarifications, or even mistakes, and can ultimately lead to safer and more consistent care for patients."
Entries can be made now via the website www.vetwellbeingawards.org.uk, where the Wellbeing Checklist is also available.
The closing date for entries is Friday 15 December 2017. You can follow the awards on twitter @vetwellbeing and Facebook /vetwellbeingawards/.
The survey was held between the 1st and 5th May and was sent to the 3,139 UK veterinary practices for which the RCVS holds a unique email address. In total it gathered 251 responses (a response rate of 8%) compared to the 532 responses to the initial survey conducted between 3rd and 7th April (a response rate of 17%).
The main changes compared to last month's survey were:
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: "This latest survey has identified some positive trends in terms of a slight uptick in business, including turnover, and fewer incidences of staff having to take time off with COVID or COVID-like symptoms.
“I am glad to see that the framework we published in April has, so far as we can see, provided veterinary professionals with greater guidance and reassurance regarding the fact that if it is feasible to do something safely under social distancing guidelines, then they can go ahead, if they choose to.
"We left plenty of scope for veterinary professionals to use their clinical judgement as to what services actually offer, depending on their facilities, level of staffing, availability of protective equipment, local disease pressures and so on.
"However, it is also clear that we are, by no means, out of the woods and that veterinary businesses are still struggling financially, with some of them reporting a very acute impact of the coronavirus and the associated restrictions on their businesses.
“We will continue to monitor the situation via these regular surveys, with the next one planned for early June. I would urge as many practices as possible to continue to complete them, so that we can build up a stronger evidence-base on how veterinary businesses have been affected. This information is not only vital for our own policy decisions but also allows us to present a stronger case to the Government and other public bodies where we wish to influence the decisions they make that will impact the veterinary professions and businesses.”
The survey results can be read in full at www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus-resources.
Mrs Jill Nute has been invested as president of the RCVS at the AGM and Awards Day, held on 4th July in London.
Mrs Nute graduated from Liverpool University in 1970 and initially assisted in mixed practice in the Lake District, Droitwich and Leominster. In 1976, she established a mixed practice with her husband Geoff, a fellow Liverpool graduate, in Wadebridge, Cornwall.
The practice is now an eight-veterinary surgeon concern, a veterinary nurse Training Practice, an RCVS Accredited Tier 2 Small Animal General Practice and Farm Animal General Practice, and an equine practice accredited to Tier 1; it is also a Meat Hygiene Service approved contractor.
Mrs Nute has been an RCVS Council member since 1993, serving on all of its committees. She has chaired many of these committees and additional working parties, including the Advisory and Public Affairs Committees. She served on the Officer team as Treasurer for three years, from 1996-1999, and is currently Chairman of the Practice Standards Group. Spending several years on the Councils of the British Veterinary Association and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS), she was elected President of SPVS in 1991.
RCVS Day also brought other changes to the RCVS Officer team: Dr Bob Moore, outgoing President, became Senior Vice-President, and Professor Sandy Trees took up the role of Junior Vice-President.
Professor Sheila Crispin stood down as Senior Vice-President, with Dr Moore commenting that: “The veterinary profession is privileged to have such a knowledgeable and committed advocate.”
Retiring Council members included David McDowell, Debby Reynolds, Neil Smith and Wendy Harrison. New lay observer to the Preliminary Investigation Committee, Catherine Harvey, will replace retiring observer Diane Mark. The President paid particular tribute to long-standing Council member and past-President Stephen Ware, who retires from Council but will remain active in veterinary politics as Vice-President and Treasurer of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, he also remains Chairman of the RCVS Trust.
As part of the AGM, newly-elected Council members Richard Stephenson, Charles Gruchy and Bertie Ellis were welcomed. A fourth new member, Catherine Goldie, was not present. It was also announced that Professor Michael Herrtage and Professor Duncan Maskell have been reappointed for further four-year periods by the University of Cambridge, and Professor Sandy Tress has been reappointed for the same term by the University of Liverpool.
Dot Creighton was re-elected to the Veterinary Nurses Council and Katherine Kissick was elected for the first time. New lay member Penelope Swindlehurst and appointed veterinary surgeon Helen Torrington were also welcomed to the VN Council and the President thanked retiring VN Council members Diane Guinan, Donna Hunter and Neil Smith.
President Dr Bob Moore conferred a range of awards, including an Honorary Associateship upon Petplan and Petplan Trust founders Mrs Patsy Bloom and Mr David Simpson who, he said, have had a “remarkable effect on the veterinary profession, animals and their owners.”
Honorary Associateship was also awarded to Mr Geoff Davies, who has dedicated his 30-year career at the University of Bristol Veterinary School to the training, support and development of future veterinary surgeons. He has also served as a valued member of the RCVS Extra-Mural Studies Committee for many years. “It is his enormous contribution in supporting and encouraging the students that is being recognised today,”said Dr Moore.
Honorary Fellowships were awarded to Mr Gary Clayton Jones, Professor Paul Flecknell and Dr Christine Gibbs, and the Dame Olga Uvarov Award, a cash prize for a researcher under the age of 40, was awarded on behalf of the RCVS Trust to Dr Harriet Smythe (in her absence)
The lower age limit for student veterinary nurses - previously set at 17 - has been removed by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, in order to comply with age discrimination legislation.
The entry requirements remain unchanged: five GSCEs at grade C or higher, or five Scottish Standards at grades one to three (including English Language, Maths and a Science subject).
Candidates must also have a place with an RCVS-approved Training Practice or on a recognised veterinary nursing degree course.
Libby Earle, Head of Veterinary Nursing said: "We hope that the removal of this age barrier will be seen as a positive step that will serve to improve access to training. Practices remain free to recruit as they see fit to meet the particular demands of their business."
New veterinary nursing careers leaflets have been produced to reflect the change and are available from vetnursing@rcvs.org.uk / 020 7202 0711, or to download from RCVSonline: www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
The RCVS has published new guidance for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses on the use of social media and online forums, such as those on VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk.
The guidance sets out the professional standards expected of veterinary professionals, as well as providing advice on good practice, how to protect privacy, maintaining client confidentiality and dealing with adverse comments from clients.
The guidance has been developed by the Standards Committee, partly in response to demands from the profession and partly in light of recent decisions by the courts and other regulatory bodies which demonstrate that professionals can be at risk of legal or disciplinary action where their online conduct is unprofessional or inappropriate.
Laura McClintock, RCVS Advisory Solicitor said: "Whilst social media is likely to form part of everyday life for veterinary professionals, who are just as free as anyone else to take advantage of the personal and professional benefits that it can offer, its use is not without risk, so vets and vet nurses should be mindful of the consequences that can arise from its misuse."
The new guidance explains that vets and vet nurses are expected to behave professionally online, whether publishing material as themselves or anonymously. The College highlights the fact that demonstrably inappropriate behaviour on social media may place registration at risk, as the professional standards expected online are no different to those in the 'real world'.
Laura added: "Understanding and applying our new guidance should help vets and nurses to meet their professional responsibilities and reduce the risks of receiving complaints from clients or others, as well as potential civil actions for defamation."
The new guidance can be found on the RCVS website at: www.rcvs.org.uk/socialmedia
Ed's comment: The new guidance seems like common sense to me. A couple of things stand out as useful reminders, though. The first is to anonymise details of the cases you discuss on vetsurgeon.org, or get your clients' prior permission to discuss their animal in a professional forum. The other is the fact that being disparaging about a colleague online is as much of a breach of the Code of Professional Conduct as if you do it offline. So don't!
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “It’s clear that there are a number of workforce issues affecting the professions, such as high vacancy rates that employers are struggling to fill and a resultant increase in pressure on the professions in terms of caseload and hours worked, together with an increase in the number of people choosing to leave the professions.
“While many of these issues are long-standing, and due to complex and multifactorial reasons, the scale of the problem has been exacerbated by three things: the UK’s exit from the EU and the impact this has had on overseas registrants; the ongoing impact of the pandemic in areas such as staff absence and burnout; and an increase in demand for veterinary services.
The reports were published in advance of the College's Workforce Summit, held at the end of November to discuss potential solutions to the problems.
They can be downloaded here: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/events/workforce-summit-2021/
A further report of the Workforce Summit is expected in due course, which the College says will include an action plan with commitments from a range of stakeholders.
The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons last week decided that a Lincolnshire-based veterinary surgeon should not be restored to the RCVS Register, having previously struck him off for disgraceful professional conduct, as it was not convinced that he accepted the seriousness of its finding.
In October 2007, Robert Morris, of Brant Broughton, near Lincoln, was removed from the Register having been found guilty of falsely certifying a horse to be fit for sale, despite knowing that it had a respiratory problem that could prejudice its use in the future by its new owners.
At the hearing, which concluded on 7 January, the Disciplinary Committee focused on several areas. On the day following the Committee's decision in October 2007, Mr Morris had falsely certified that two horses had been fully vaccinated every six months by his practice, when he did not know that this was the case. On two occasions during September and October of 2009, he had held himself out to be a veterinary surgeon, including examining, diagnosing and treating animals (horses and dogs). These issues, together with the fact that Mr Morris told the Committee that he was not fully familiar with the Twelve Principles of Certification, as set out in the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct, led the Committee to believe that Mr Morris did not understand the seriousness of his conviction for disgraceful professional conduct.
The Committee also felt that there was a risk to future welfare of animals and protection of the public arising from Mr Morris' failure to understand the importance of certification. That he remained unfamiliar with the veterinary medicines regulations (and had been convicted at Grantham Magistrates Court on 1 November 2007 for possession of unauthorised veterinary medicinal products on 7 March 2006), was also taken as relevant in this regard.
The Committee also took into account the fact that Mr Morris had undertaken only limited continuing professional development since his removal, and it was concerned that it had not been presented with sufficient evidence to confirm Mr Morris' assertion that he no longer suffers from an alcohol problem.
Chairing the Disciplinary Committee, Mrs Alison Bruce, said: "In the light of its finding that Mr Morris does not fully understand the importance of accurate certification, nor of practising as a veterinary surgeon when he was not entitled to do so, the Committee considers that there is a risk to the future welfare of animals in the event of his name being restored to the Register."
She went on to add that in the case of veterinary surgeons continuing to work in a practice when struck off: "It is fully appreciated that veterinary practices may be owned and managed by lay people, however there must be a clear distinction between managing or working within a veterinary practice and practising veterinary medicine. It is of particular importance that any member who has been removed should recognise the difference between these activities. A member who has been removed must refrain from examining animals, making diagnoses or performing treatments, even under the direction of another veterinary surgeon, this includes giving veterinary advice."
The RCVS has announced a number of senior staff changes.
Gordon Hockey has been ratified by Council as Head of Legal Services and Registrar. This is a new role created when the post of Registrar and Secretary was split into two: Chief Executive and Secretary; and Head of Legal Services and Registrar.
Gordon, who was previously Assistant Registrar/Head of Professional Conduct, and then Acting Registrar, will have oversight responsibility for registration and professional conduct.
At the same time, Eleanor Ferguson, formerly Acting Head of Professional Conduct, has been confirmed in the position.
The post of Head of Registration has been made redundant, with a new role of Customer Experience Manager created to ensure that the customer (public and profession) journey improves across the organisation. This position will also report into Gordon Hockey.
There have been other changes on the Senior Team at the College. The post of Head of Corporate Services that had been vacant since the departure of Richard Holford last December will not be filled, and Head of Finance Corrie McCann has been promoted to the new role of Head of Operations, which will incorporate finance, corporate services (IT, mailing, reception) and facilities.
Two other posts have been made redundant: Special Projects Manager and RCVS Charitable Trust Director. A new post of Executive Director for the Trust will be developed, with a view to taking the Trust through a full strategic review.
Chief Executive Nick Stace said: "I believe that an engaged and well-purposed team of staff, with a focus on customer service and driving improvements, lies at the heart of any successful organisation. These changes will enable the College to move into the next stage of its development towards becoming a first-rate regulator."
The changes will mean that the Senior Team is reduced from 11 people to seven, being the Chief Executive plus Heads of Legal Services, Operations, Human Resources, Education, Veterinary Nursing and Communications.
The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has suspended a veterinary surgeon from the Register for nine months for convictions regarding docking puppies' tails and driving offences, and for failing to obtain a client's consent to treatment or explore other treatment options.
At the conclusion of the four-day hearing, Dr Adetunji Ayinla Jolaosho, formerly principal veterinary surgeon at City Vet Clinic in Syston, near Leicester, was found unfit to practise following two convictions for tail docking plus 17 driving and related offences, which also brought the profession into disrepute.
They further found that he failed to obtain consent to remove tissue from Jemma, a Staffordshire Bull Terrier owned by Mrs Hill, and to discuss a reasonable range of treatment options with her, and that this also amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In December 2008, Mrs Hill brought Jemma to Dr Jolaosho to have a lump on her flank drained. Mrs Hill said she made it clear that she had limited finances and nothing other than this treatment should be done without her consent. Dr Jolaosho undertook a biopsy and removed tissue. He told the Committee that he asked his practice manager to contact Mrs Hill and obtain her consent, however, this was not consistent either with the clinical records or a letter sent to Mrs Hill in December 2008.
Caroline Freedman, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee said: "The Committee is satisfied that Dr Jolaosho did not seek to obtain consent from Mrs Hill before he decided to carry out exploratory surgery. It does not consider that there was any attempt to explore treatment options with Mrs Hill before the surgery other than draining the mass."
On 16 June 2009, Dr Jolaosho pleaded guilty at Market Harborough Magistrates Court to two offences of docking the tails of Rottweiler and Doberman puppies. He was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay court costs of over £3,000. During 2003 to 2008, he was also convicted of 15 driving and related offences and twice of obstructing a police officer.
At the outset of the hearing, Dr Jolaosho admitted his criminal convictions, telling the Committee of his difficulties following the death of his wife in October 2002 and subsequent sole responsibility for his three teenage children. He also said that the tail docking resulted as an oversight on his part and that as the puppies were docked within five days of birth, there were no welfare issues. He emphasised that he had not carried out tail docking since being visited by the RSPCA in July 2008. He also drew to the Committee's attention the fact that, until 2003, he had been of good character.
The Committee accepted that for at least part of the period in question he was suffering from emotional problems following his wife's death, and his continuing financial responsibility for two of his children.
It was however, concerned, that having received a custodial sentence for driving whilst disqualified, he committed further driving offences on release. Nor did they accept that the tail docking was an oversight: in 2006 the RCVS advised Dr Jolaosho to comply with the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct and not dock dog's tails unless for "truly therapeutic or prophylactic reasons." In view of the seriousness of the charges admitted and proved, the Committee concluded that a period of nine months suspension from the Register would be a proportionate penalty.
Mrs Freedman said: "The primary purpose of the sanctions is not to punish but to protect the welfare of animals, maintain public confidence in the profession, and declare and uphold proper standards of conduct."
She added: "Bearing in mind the financial consequences of the suspension of Mr Jolaosho, the Committee does not consider that any useful purpose would be served by imposing a longer period of suspension. However, Mr Jolaosho should be aware that any further convictions or failure to observe the College's Guidelines are likely to lead to the removal of his name from the Register."
The campaign was officially launched at an event at the Palace of Westminster sponsored by Kevan Jones MP (Labour, North Durham) who has spoken about his own experiences with depression, and featured first-hand testimonials from senior veterinary surgeons and doctors who have experienced mental ill-health.
‘&me’ is a collaboration between the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative, which seeks to address mental health and wellbeing issues within the veterinary profession, and the Doctors’ Support Network, which provides peer support for doctors and medical students with mental health concerns.
Introducing the campaign, Mr Jones said: "The key message I have today in regards to mental health is talking about it and trying to get it out of the dark corners rather than it being something you are ashamed to talk about. That is how we get people to help themselves with their own condition and to seek help. The other key thing is not to write people off if they have a mental illness."
The floor was then opened to personal stories from those who have lived experience of mental ill-health. Dr Louise Freeman is Vice-Chair of the Doctors’ Support Network and was diagnosed with depression in 2009 as a result of the way in which her return to work was handled after having time off work as an emergency medicine consultant following a bereavement.
She said: "This experience made me think that doctors with mental health problems were in a small minority and that it was probably our own fault anyway. Both impressions are completely wrong. The incidence of mental health problems is one in four people in any one year and is actually higher for doctors, who are often slower to seek help than non-medics. The good news is that well supported doctors have excellent treatment outcomes.
"During my own return to work, I was told by my clinical lead that they had 'always thought that I was a mental health problem waiting to happen.' I think this says more about them than it did about me! On reflection, yes that was true, but only inasmuch as this applies to all of us during our lives.
"I hope that the ‘&me’ campaign can start to address this by encouraging senior healthcare professionals, who are currently well, but have experienced mental health problems, to disclose that they have 'been there themselves'. I think that this will help to normalise mental ill health for healthcare professionals and therefore remove some of the barriers to unwell professionals seeking help at an earlier stage. Overall this would be better for healthcare professionals, their colleagues and their patients."
David Bartram, Director of Outcomes Research for the international operations of the largest global animal health company and a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' governing Council, spoke next. He gave his perspective on coming to terms with a mental health condition in a profession that has some stigma attached to it.
A number of years ago David attempted suicide following the breakup of his marriage and explains what happened from there: "I just thought I was stressed – after all, who wouldn’t be in those circumstances? But in fact I was becoming progressively more unwell. What started as worry, early waking and palpitations – which I recognised – led to patterns of thinking which I did not recognise as being disordered. I felt trapped and worthless – suicide was the only escape. From a medical perspective, my biological, social and psychological risk factors had converged and tipped me into major depression.
"That was the first of multiple suicide attempts and several prolonged stays in hospital. Over a three-year period I spent 12 months as a psychiatric inpatient. I was treated with antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, talking therapies and electroconvulsive therapy.
"But now thankfully I am well – and I have been for 14 years…. To what do I attribute my recovery? A mixture of medical treatment, psychological therapies, supportive friends and family, rest and time – they all contributed, probably in similar measure."
He added that while his episode of mental ill-health does not define him it has changed him in a positive way and that no one is immune from it.
Dr Jonathan Richardson is Group Medical Director for Community Services at the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust who had a mental health condition when he was a medical student and spoke about how it is possible to flourish in your career with a mental health diagnosis.
"I was unwell as a teenager with a physical illness and later as a medical student with a mental illness… these two experiences crystallised my drive to become a doctor and my own approach to healthcare. I wanted to be able to deliver the care that I was fortunate to receive. I wanted to be as patient-centred and compassionate with the patients I would serve, in the same way as the teams who delivered my care. I was lucky to have support when I was unwell from very good friends, some from school and some from university; and a very close family. I have been able to recover.
"It is 24 years since my mental illness. I now work in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest mental and learning disability health trusts in England – and one of only two to be rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission…. I do not feel that my illnesses have stopped me."
Dr Angelika Luehrs is the chair of the Doctors’ Support Network and a consultant psychiatrist who was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder while she was a trainee psychiatrist. She said: “When I asked for advice about how to access help one of the answer I got was one of ‘whatever you do, make sure that you don't have any mental illness in your medical records otherwise you will never go anywhere in your medical career. However, getting the diagnosis and help from a Consultant Psychiatrist was the best thing that ever happened.”
She added: "The reality is that my diagnosis has not stopped me – I have been a consultant psychiatrist since 2010 with the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, last year I was appointed as medical lead for West Wiltshire including early intervention, intensive services and primary care liaison services. I have a special interest in supporting doctors with mental illness and I am delighted to be appointed by the newly launched GP Health Service as a special advisor for complex mental health cases."
The last speaker was veterinary surgeon Neil Smith who chairs the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative and outlined how to participate in the campaign. He said: "This event is just the start… the real challenge is to start to get this message out to the wider professions. Stigma is a difficult thing to tackle, but the good news is that changing our minds is within the power of every individual to do."
Following the launch the ‘&me’ campaign is now encouraging other senior health professionals to step forward and talk about their own experiences with mental ill-health, especially as both medical doctors and veterinary surgeons have higher suicide rates than the general population but often have more reluctance to seek help because of the impact it may have on their career.
The campaign is interested in hearing from not only doctors and veterinary surgeons but also nurses, veterinary nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals who want to open up about their experiences of mental ill-health. To participate in the campaign email Dr Louise Freeman on vicechair@dsn.org.uk.
Further information about the ‘&me’ campaign can be found at www.vetmindmatters.org/&me
The elections will again be held completely online this year.
Veterinary surgeons have until 5pm on Monday 31st January 2022 to put themselves forward as candidates for the elections which will take place in March and April 2022.
The full eligibility criteria can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/rcvscouncil22, where prospective candidates will also find further information about the role of the RCVS, RCVS Council and RCVS Council members, guidance notes, and frequently asked questions about standing as a candidate.
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for the elections, said: “We look forward to hearing from prospective candidates and are happy to give further information about what being an RCVS Council member means and what the role entails to those who may be considering standing for office.”
Prospective candidates for RCVS Council can also contact RCVS President Dr Kate Richards for an informal conversation on what it means to be an RCVS Council member on president@rcvs.org.uk
Kate said: “I’m on Council for my second term and can reassure any prospective candidates that it is a wonderful experience, both personally and professionally.
"You will learn new things not only about the College, but also the professions, policy and government; you will have fascinating discussions and debates with colleagues on issues of great importance and consequence; and you will make those important professional 'connections that count' with colleagues across the veterinary world and beyond. It is a career highlight.”
Prospective candidates for RCVS Council are welcome to attend the next Council meeting online, on Thursday 20th January 2022.
Contact Dawn Wiggins, RCVS Council Secretary, if you would like to attend: d.wiggins@rcvs.org.uk.
There are 14 candidates standing in this year’s election, including one current RCVS Council member eligible for re-election and 13 candidates not currently on Council. They are:
In 2018 changes were made to the governance arrangements of the RCVS after a Legislative Reform Order changing the size and composition of Council was passed by Parliament. The changes mean that, in most years, there will be three elected places available for the candidates. However, this year the four candidates with the most votes will be starting their four-year terms on Council. This is to ensure that elected RCVS Council members remain in the majority.
Emails containing links to the secure election voting websites which are unique to each member of the electorate, were sent on 17 March 2021 by Civica Election Services (CES) (formerly Electoral Reform Services) which runs the election on behalf of the College.
All votes must be cast online by 5pm on Friday 23 April 2021. The small numbers of veterinary surgeons for whom the RCVS does not hold email addresses have been sent letters in the post containing instructions on how they can vote online, including contact details for CES to provide further advice.
The biographies and statements for each candidate can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote21.
This year the College invited RCVS Council candidates to produce a video in which they answered up to two questions submitted directly to the RCVS from members of the electorate. The videos have been published on the RCVS website as well as on the RCVS YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos).
8,834 of the 33,857 eligible voters cast their votes, a turnout rate of 26.2%. This compares to a 25.5% turnout in the 2019 election and 22.7% in 2018.
The results of the election were as follows:
Dr Kate Richards (pictured right) – 4,399 votes (elected)Dr Richard Stephenson – 3,943 votes (elected)Dr Melissa Donald – 3,807 votes (elected)Professor Stephen May – 3,121 votesDr Kit Sturgess – 2,816 votesPeter Robinson – 2,642 votesJohn Davies – 808 votesDr Tom Lonsdale – 535 votes
Eleanor Ferguson, RCVS Registrar and Returning Officer for both elections, said: “Many congratulations to all those who were elected this year and we look forward to welcoming them to their places on Council at our Annual General Meeting later this year.
“I would like to thank both Professor Stephen May and Dr Kit Sturgess for their many years of combined service, both as members of RCVS Council and for serving on numerous committees, subcommittees and working groups. In Stephen’s case this includes his service as President of the RCVS in 2017-18 and for Kit as Treasurer of the RCVS from 2017 until the present.
As Dr Sturgess had been elected to the position of Junior Vice-President of the RCVS for 2020-21 earlier this year, a new election for the position will need to take place amongst RCVS Council members during their June meeting. An election for a new Chair and Vice-Chair of VN Council will take place take place amongst VN Council members at a meeting in June.
Three members (one vet, one new grad and one nurse) are being sought to join a new engagement group tasked with raising awareness of the importance of CPD for veterinary surgeons and nurses, supporting members in how to reflect on their CPD as a way of consolidating learning, and considering plans for how the benefits of CPD and the VetGDP can be communicated to the professions.
The group will also oversee and update CPD and VetGDP guidance documents, as well as overseeing updates to the VetGDP Adviser and VetGDP Peer Reviewer training and guidance.
RCVS Council member Dr Olivia Cook MRCVS will be chairing the group.
She said: “The Engagement Group has been set up in recognition that, although the majority of the professions are engaged with meeting their CPD requirements and completing the VetGDP, there are still those who feel confused about the requirements or remain uncompliant for other reasons, and we would like very much to help them.
“Therefore, this is an exciting opportunity for anyone who wants to play an active part in advancing veterinary standards by ensuring that as many members of the professions as possible have the benefits of lifelong learning in their own practice and their ongoing work for animal health and welfare. In doing so they will help grow public confidence in the professions.
“From the VetGDP perspective, we’re particularly keen that there’s a strong peer-to-peer element, so that those who are doing the VetGDP, or have just recently completed it, are using their recent experience and understanding to evolve the policy and drive engagement.”
Applicants who are interested will have until Friday 30 August to apply to become members of the CPD and VetGDP Engagement Group and are invited to send a concise email to CPD@rcvs.org.uk explaining their experience and how they feel that can contribute to work of the committee.
The RCVS is looking for two Advanced Practitioners working in practice who have completed a designated CertAVP qualification to join the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice (CertAVP) Subcommittee to help actively advance the standards and policies of the RCVS CertAVP.
Applicants who are interested also have until Friday 30 August to apply to become members.
Applicants are invited to send an email to certavp@rcvs.org.uk with a summary of their experience and what skills and knowledge you feel that you can bring to this committee.
Finally, the College is also looking to recruit examiners for the Statutory Membership Examination, from 2025 onwards.
Examiners need to have been Members of the RCVS for a minimum of three years and be familiar with the day one competences for new registrants and the standards expected of final year students and new graduates. Experience as an assessor or examiner is preferred, although not essential as training will be provided. The College is looking for examiners with knowledge across a range of species domains including equine, veterinary public health, farm and small animal.
Contact Jenny Soreskog-Turp, RCVS Postgraduate Lead, on j.soreskog-turp@rcvs.org.uk
The College says the increase is needed to fund a number of ambitious projects and make sure the it is fit for the future.
The approved fee rise will apply to the 2020-21 annual renewal fee, which is due to be paid by 31 March 2020.
Increases will also be applied for those registering on or after 1 April 2020, including the restoration fee for those applying to re-join the Register.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: "While we appreciate that asking people for more money is never going to be popular, I would like to reassure the profession that the fee rise is both a necessary piece of financial future-proofing and will also help fund current projects and future initiatives stemming from our new Strategic Plan.
"Many of our existing projects such as the RCVS Leadership programme, the ViVet innovation project, the Fellowship and the Mind Matters mental health initiative, have an increasing workload, often due to popular demand, which requires additional resources – including staffing – to meet those needs. There is also increasing demand on some of our core regulatory functions such as our concerns investigation and disciplinary processes, including the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS), and our Education Department which is responsible for ensuring standards in an increasing number of educational institutions both domestically and internationally.
"Furthermore, there is lots of additional work on the horizon, much of which relates to improving and enhancing aspects of the profession and stems from our newly approved Strategic Plan, which will be published soon. For example, RCVS Council has just agreed an ambitious overhaul of the Professional Development Phase to help graduates better transition to life in practice; we are carrying out an increasing amount of work on understanding the barriers to diversity and inclusion in the veterinary profession: and, we are looking to relocate the College in order to be better able to accommodate the increasing number of staff and functions the work we do requires.
"In terms of future-proofing, we also need to make sure we have sufficient financial security for a potential decrease in the number of veterinary surgeons currently registered with us, as well as the number of veterinary surgeons joining the Register on an annual basis, that may arise when the UK fully leaves the EU at the end of the transition period in December 2020."
The current levels of RCVS fees are able to view at: www.rcvs.org.uk/how-we-work/fees/, which will be updated with the new fees shortly.
The new guidance, which can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus, will gradually replace the current emergency guidance and aims to help veterinary practices begin a phased return to near-normal operations:
Alongside the College’s guidance, the BVA is also publishing guidance for practices on working safely as lockdown restrictions are eased. [www.bva.co.uk/coronavirus/]
RCVS President Mandisa Greene said: “None of us could have predicted quite what an extraordinary and extraordinarily challenging 12 months this has been for everyone.
"On behalf of the whole of RCVS Council, I would like to thank sincerely once again all our veterinary and veterinary nursing colleagues, and all those in practice teams around the UK, for their awe-inspiring commitment, adaptability, resilience and sheer hard work in continuing to provide essential veterinary services and look after the health and welfare of the nation’s animals, in what have been the most difficult of times.
“Whilst I sincerely hope that we are at last beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel, if there is one thing we have learnt, it is that things can deteriorate rapidly if we don’t all continue to play our part and follow all relevant guidelines.
“I therefore urge my colleagues to continue to use their professional judgement and think very carefully about their gradual return to more normal working patterns over the coming weeks and months, according to their individual circumstances and the best interests of their teams, clients, and the animals they care for.”
RCVS Council has also agreed that the policy and guidance changes made in response to the pandemic over the past 12 months will now be reviewed, and decisions made as to whether to retain, amend or reverse them.
The RCVS Trust is offering vets, veterinary nurses and their friends chance to win a stylish small car - and support this small charity - for a mere £2.00.
On offer in this better-than-the-average raffle is a Fiat 500, the 2008 European Car of the Year winner - and described by Jeremy Clarkson as "practical without being boring".
You can buy tickets online at http://www.everyclick.com/rcvstrust until 21 August, or ask Sarah Briggs at the Trust (020 7202 0743 or s.briggs@rcvstrust.org.uk) for a book to sell to colleagues, friends and family.
Tickets will then be entered into the Small Charity Car Draw, organised by the Foundation for Social Improvement, with the Trust receiving over 95% of the ticket price. The draw will take place on 1 October 2009.
At the outset of the hearing, Ms Giles admitted that between 1 August 2012 and 21 June 2016 she had failed to respond to reasonable requests from the RCVS to share her CPD records – these requests amounted to 11 letters, two emails and three telephone calls. Of these attempts to contact Ms Giles, she responded to just one email. This was in May 2016 in which she issued an apology (and an explanation that she had moved address) and offered to provide certificates proving that she had undertaken CPD – despite the fact that no such evidence could in fact be produced.
During the proceedings the RCVS asserted that Ms Giles had failed to comply with several crucial aspects of the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Nurses – namely that all members of the profession are expected to undertake at least 45 hours of CPD over a rolling three-year period in order to keep their professional skills and competences up-to-date, that these CPD records should be provided upon request and that members of the profession must comply with reasonable requests from the RCVS.
In her evidence Ms Giles said that she knew she should have responded to these requests but admitted that she did not originally regard the requests as important and thought that the matter would 'go away' if she did not respond. When it became clear that this was not the case she said she found it difficult to face up to her obligations. She also admitted that her failures to respond were unprofessional and that she now has an appreciation of the importance of undertaking CPD in terms of keeping up with changing practices and advances in veterinary and nursing practice.
Having found the charges against her proved and finding her guilty of disgraceful conduct, the Committee then considered its sanction against Ms Giles. The Committee took into account the seriousness of Ms Giles' failings in that she made repeated decisions not to comply with requests from the RCVS over a protracted period of four years.
Professor Alistair Barr, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "Your failures show, inevitably, a disregard for the regulatory responsibilities of the RCVS to police veterinary nurses' obligations to fulfil their CPD requirements."
He added: "The RCVS can only seek to ensure compliance with those obligations at one step removed, namely by requesting information from its registrants that they have complied with their CPD obligations. They are in this respect, therefore, heavily dependent on the cooperation of registrants to provide full, honest and prompt responses to their reasonable requests for confirmation of their compliance. It is that which has been sorely absent in this case."
The Committee heard mitigating evidence on behalf of Ms Giles including witness statements and letters from current and former colleagues which complimented her communication skills with work colleagues and animal owners and in which it was accepted that she is a "valued member of the veterinary nursing profession."
The Committee also recognised that she had shown insight into her failings, that she had not attempted to excuse the failures to respond to the RCVS and had been making efforts to keep records of her CPD.
However, the Committee decided that a suspension from the Register would be the most appropriate sanction. Professor Barr said: "The mitigation that has been advanced on your behalf has been considered by the Committee and that has served to reduce the period of suspension that a bare account of the facts pertaining to the charge laid against you might suggest is appropriate.
"In the result that mitigation has persuaded us that we would be acting consistently with our public duty by imposing a period of suspension of two months. In imposing that sanction we have noted the evidence as to your professional competence and your other professional qualities. The Committee trusts, therefore, that once you have served your period of suspension you will return to the practice which you say you love."
Veterinary surgeons who want to pay in full must do so before before 1st June 2021. For those UK-practising vets who want to pay the fee in three instalments, the first payment should be received before 1st June, the second payment before 1st October and the final payment before the end of the year.
Any vets who do not pay either the fee in full or the first instalment before 1st June will be removed from the Register. If they want to be restored, they'll need to pay an additional restoration fee as well as the registration fee.
Professor Susan Dawson, RCVS Treasurer, said: “Due to the ongoing disruption to the profession because of the lockdown, we are glad to say that RCVS Council has again approved the ability for members of the profession to pay their fee in instalments and therefore spread the cost during this already difficult year.
"We would like to remind members of the profession that the option to pay in instalments is only available to UK-practising veterinary surgeons. For any UK-practising veterinary surgeons who have a Direct Debit set up but who wish to pay by instalments, please make sure to cancel your Direct Debit as soon as possible."
Payments can be made via the My Account area of the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/myaccount) where you will also need to confirm that you meet the annual continuing professional development (CPD) requirement and declare any convictions, cautions and/or adverse findings.
Any questions, contact the Registration Department: registration@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0707.
For advice about making payments or submitting a remittance form, contact the Finance Department on finance@rcvs.org.uk or 020 7202 0723.
Further details about paying in instalments can also be found in a series of FAQs at: www.rcvs.org.uk/setting-standards/advice-and-guidance/coronavirus-covid-19/retention-fee-faqs/
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has reprimanded a veterinary surgeon for submitting a certificate of Clinical Inspection for Veterinary Inspectors ("TB52") for tuberculin tests he had undertaken on cattle, despite knowing that he had not fully complied with the standard operating procedures (SOP) for these tests.
At the outset of the three-day hearing, John Wilson admitted that, when acting as an Official Veterinarian (OV) he had not carried out tuberculin tests on cattle at a Wiltshire farm on 19 May 2011 strictly in accordance with the SOP required by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA), an executive agency of Defra.
The admitted shortcomings were that on 19 May, the second day of testing, Mr Wilson had failed to confirm the identity of all the animals, failed to inspect the animals digitally (ie using his hands) and had not measured the fold of skin at the injection site of all the animals. The College argued that this was contrary to the directions of the AHVLA and, in subsequently signing the TB52 certificate, he was either dishonest or should have known that the certification was incorrect. Mr Wilson admitted that he ought to have known the certification was incorrect but denied dishonesty, because he believed that he had conducted the test in a satisfactory manner and had correctly identified all the reactors in the herd.
Mr Wilson was a veterinary surgeon of over 40 years experience and unblemished record, and the Committee found his account of events to be accurate and honest. He said the farm involved was unprepared and test arrangements were chaotic, with poor handling facilities, and he would have been concerned for the safety of the animals and their handlers if he had complied fully with the SOP. He had advised the farmer to delay the test but his advice was rejected.
The Committee accepted that the testing had been carried out under exceptional and difficult circumstances. It noted that Mr Wilson had identified a reactor and taken appropriate actions, knowing that the outcome would be the quarantining of the whole herd. He had made no financial or other gain, other than the nominal fee charged for the work. Although failing to comply with the SOP fell short of what was expected of a veterinary surgeon, because of these circumstances, and as he had acted in what he considered to be the best interests of the animals and personnel, these actions did not amount to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee found that, even allowing for these difficulties and concerns, in signing the TB52 certificate a few days later, without any qualification, Mr Wilson ought to have known that it was incorrect, and his actions fell far short of the standards expected of the veterinary profession. They did not however find that he had been dishonest.
The Committee stressed the importance attached to accurate and reliable certification, in maintaining the confidence of the public and the profession, and in ensuring animal welfare.
Professor Lees, chairing and speaking on behalf of the committee said: "The Committee is aware, as confirmed by AHVLA, that this is a single, isolated event and the first offence in some 40 years of the Respondent working as a LVI [local veterinary inspector] or OV. After considering all the mitigating factors.and, given the exceptional circumstances of this specific case, the decision of the Committee is to reprimand Mr Wilson."
Nominations are now open for candidates wishing to stand in the 2012 RCVS Council and RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council elections.
Jane Hern, RCVS Registrar said: "The veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses that sit on the RCVS and VN Councils are vital to the governance of their professions, and in steering the activities the College undertakes under its Royal Charter. If you're interested in making sure that your profession is well-governed, its standards are upheld, and the interests of animals and the public are protected, why not consider standing in these elections?"
Six seats on RCVS Council and two on VN Council are due to be filled in the 2012 elections. Those elected will take their seats on RCVS Day next July, to serve four-year terms, and will be expected to spend at least six to eight days a year attending Council meetings, working parties and subcommittees (a loss-of-earnings allowance is available).
All prospective candidates need to provide the signatures and registered/listed addresses of two proposers, and should also submit a short biography, manifesto and photograph for inclusion in the RCVS News Extra election specials. Nobody may nominate more than one candidate, and no current member of the RCVS Council or VN Council may make a nomination.
Nominations must be made in writing on the prescribed form and received by the Registrar on or before the closing date of 31 January 2012. Full details and guidance notes for both elections will be available on the RCVS website shortly on the RCVS Council Election page and VN Council Election page.
Nomination forms and candidate information forms for RCVS Council may be requested from Mrs Gabi Braun (020 7222 0761 or executiveoffice@rcvs.org.uk) and those for VN Council from Mrs Annette Amato (020 7202 0713 or a.amato@rcvs.org.uk).
Mr Bowles faced four charges, but did not respond to the College's notification about the hearing, so the Committee decided to proceed in his absence.
The first charge was that in 2020, while attending a farm in Lincolnshire in his capacity as an Official Veterinarian (OV), Mr Bowles carried out Intradermal Comparative Tuberculin (ICT) tests on a herd of cattle but failed to measure the skin thickness of all the cattle using callipers and failed to take and record measurements for the cattle.
The Committee was provided with evidence that Mr Bowles had, in earlier correspondence with the College, admitted that he had failed to follow Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) standard operating procedures for ICT testing at the farm and so the charge was found proven.
The second charge was that he then certified the results of the inaccurate ICT test he'd performed earlier.
The Committee found this charge proven on the basis that, without using callipers to measure skin thickness, he was not entitled to certify the test.
The third charge was that his conduct in relation to the first two charges was dishonest, misleading and risked undermining government testing procedures designed to promote public health and animal welfare.
The Committee found all elements of the charges proven.
The final charge was that Mr Bowles's conduct took place despite warnings, advice and re-training being given by the APHA.
These included: a letter sent to Mr Bowles’s by APHA in 2014 about the suspension of his OV status after he failed to comply with APHA rules; a letter sent by the APHA to Mr Bowles’s employer in October 2016 regarding issues of non-compliance it had found during a September 2016 audit; and the suspension of Mr Bowles’s OV duties by his employer, pending further training, following issues of non-compliance.
Given Mr Bowles’s history of non-compliance with APHA standard operating procedures and standards, the Committee found the charge proven.
The Committee found that charges 1 to 3 amounted to serious professional misconduct but that charge 4, while making the conduct in the other charges more serious, did not in and of itself constitute serious professional misconduct.
In determining the most appropriate sanction for Mr Bowles, the Committee found that he had paid ‘scant regard’ to the testing procedures set out by APHA and breached the RCVS certification requirements set out in the Code of Professional Conduct for Veterinary Surgeons in ‘numerous and serious’ ways.
Hilary Lloyd, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee’s view is that the respondent’s conduct in refusing to follow the OV Instructions when testing cattle in May 2020 constituted conduct of an egregious kind.
"In addition, there are several aggravating elements which can be applied to his misconduct, including a risk to animal or human health; his lack of probity and integrity in certifying test results which he knew were non-compliant and unreliable; recklessness in reaching a conscious decision to ignore the OV Instructions; his failure to comply with the requirements of the position of trust and responsibility which attached to his APHA authorisation; and against a backdrop of sustained pattern of behaviour that displayed blatant disregard of the system that regulated TB testing by OVs.
"It follows that the respondent manifested no insight into the seriousness of his misconduct when acting as an OV.”
The Committee considered whether there were any mitigating factors regarding Mr Bowles’ conduct.
It took into account that Mr Bowles had not secured any financial advantage, that there was no actual harm to animals, and that he had a long career as a veterinary surgeon, although with a history of non-compliance.
It noted that there had been some late admissions of misconduct by Mr Bowles when he tendered an apology, but found this mitigation was undermined by the fact his explanations lacked consistency and that he had also initially asserted that he had used callipers during the testing.
Due to the seriousness of the non-compliance, the dishonesty and the potential risk to public health, the Committee considered that removing Mr Bowles from the Register was the only proportionate and appropriate response to the scale of misconduct.
Hilary added: “Given the amount of advice received and re-training which the respondent was required to undertake, he has already had ample opportunity to remediate his practice but has not done so.
"The Committee is therefore concerned that there is a very real risk of further repetition of this conduct in the future were he to be permitted to remain on the Register.
“The Committee’s concern in this regard stems from the fact that the dishonesty of which the respondent has been found guilty, was not dishonesty committed on the spur of the moment.
"The respondent had ample opportunities for reflection before resolving to act as he did.
"This places his acts of dishonesty in the most serious category.
“The public is entitled to expect that it can have confidence in the certifications of a veterinary surgeon who is carrying out a public duty on behalf of that public body.
"Indeed, that is the whole purpose behind the requirement that OVs undertake additional and specialised training before being permitted to undertake OV duties.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The RCVS has launched a research project into the extent to which veterinary surgeons are able to meet its requirement that steps are taken to provide 24-hour emergency cover.
The College's 24-hour Emergency Cover Working Party (24-7 WP) has been considering the ongoing practicality of the current requirement in the Guide to Professional Conduct, and whether it should remain, be removed, or be amended in some way. The research aims to build a sound evidence base on which a decision can be made.
"Changes in practice profiles and owner demands, health and safety issues, the desire for an improved work-life balance, veterinary and animal density... all these factors affect the ability of veterinary practitioners to meet our 24-7 requirement. The Working Time Regulations - which prescribe maximum working hours and minimum rest periods - have also affected practices' ability to run out-of-hours services," according to RCVS President Jill Nute.
"However, we are frequently reminded by members that the profession is proud to offer a 24-hour emergency service to animals and their owners. There seems to be no single majority view in the profession, so we need to understand exactly how people are meeting the requirement before any changes are made," she says.
To ensure that the research is independent and representative, the RCVS has contracted a specialist market research agency, Cognition Market Intelligence.
The first step is to build a robust and unbiased questionnaire that takes account of all of the issues. To this end, in-depth interviews will be carried out over summer with a small number of veterinary surgeons from a range of different practice types, and across different gender/age/role categories.
The 24-7 WP will then meet in September to hear the findings and agree the questionnaire, which Cognition Marketing Intelligence will then use during autumn as part of a quantitative phone interview exercise with 440 veterinary surgeons, again covering a spread of individuals, practice types and geographies. The phone interview approach will ensure that the views of a range of different practitioners are heard, which is not always the case with a paper survey.
Should changes to the Guide to Professional Conduct be recommended by the Working Party on the basis of the findings, a consultation exercise may be undertaken.
The RCVS President has sent a letter to all home-practising members to explain the activities. She has urged veterinary surgeons to assist the research team, saying "your contribution will make a difference".