A debate held at BEVA Congress last month ended with more than 70% of voters disagreeing with the motion: this house believes that new vet schools will benefit equine veterinary practice in the UK.
The result reflects a recent industry survey indicating that up to five times as many veterinary graduates may be seeking work in equine practice as there are jobs available.
Chris Proudman, founding head of Surrey University's new School of Veterinary Medicine and Mark Bowen, Associate Professor of Veterinary Internal Medicine at the University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, advocated that new UK vet schools are important for the advancement of the profession.
Mark Bowen said: "New UK vet schools will benefit the profession by improving the standards of veterinary education and creating what the consumer wants." He argued that new schools would help improve teaching methods and clinical training, while the resultant smaller class sizes would provide greater opportunities for hands on training. Competition would also help to drive up standards and inspire other universities to instigate much-needed changes such as focusing on quality of teaching rather than research.
Chris Proudman emphasised the flexibility of a new vet school to be progressive and innovative in both curriculum design and teaching delivery. He said: "Designing a curriculum from scratch allows novel approaches to partnership working and to the One Health agenda. New schools can deliver veterinary graduates better equipped with the skills and knowledge to be the veterinary leaders of the future."
The proposers also reasoned that if school leavers cannot find a place in a UK vet school they can now attend English language veterinary schools in universities across the EU, many of which do not have European accreditation to ensure standards of education. Therefore the increase in numbers of veterinary graduates is irresistible and the authorities can only influence the numbers trained in the UK and govern the high quality of teaching that is provided in the UK.
Alastair Welch, a partner at Donnington Grove Veterinary Group in Berkshire and Lucy Grieve, vet at Darley Pre-Training in Newmarket, staunchly countered the motion. They maintained that new vet schools would have a detrimental impact on the industry over the longer term and that their introduction demonstrated a slackening of the RCVS's management of the profession.
Alastair said: "Both anecdotal and empirical data suggest that becoming a horse vet has never been harder. The seemingly endless supply of hard-working, well-qualified school leavers determined to become equine vets provides universities with a reliable income stream for years to come but at what cost? I remain to be convinced that we will not end up educating veterinary graduates who cannot find a position in their intended career."
Lucy contended that it was irresponsible and immoral to allow individuals to commit five or six years, and tens of thousands of pounds, towards a veterinary career without them first being made aware of the limited opportunities available in very popular sectors of the profession such as equine practice.
Paul Jepson, President of BEVA, said: "With more than 70% of voters opposing the motion there is clearly a discernable level of disquiet amongst BEVA members about the current job market in equine practice and the further dilution of opportunities that increased numbers of graduates will create."
To help address the growing challenges faced by new graduates BEVA has recently introduced an Internship Awareness Programme (IAP). The scheme aims to help students and vets navigate the opportunities available as an intern and helps equine veterinary practices to find the most suitable employees for their practice.
You should be able to view the debate here: http://www.fsmevents.com/beva/congress13-session34. If not, the debate can be viewed on the BEVA website by following these instructions. Click the Webinar tab. Then click register. Then complete the £0 transaction and you will be able to access the free webinars. Select 'Free sessions' (Click the + symbol). Select 'Current Affairs: New vet schools - supply and demand?'
The RCVS and the BVA have published the Vet Futures report: their vision for how the veterinary profession should look in 2030, coupled with 34 recommendations for change.
The report, which represents the culmination of a year of engagement, consultation and research with the veterinary profession, veterinary nurses, members of the wider veterinary team, key stakeholders, animal owners and the general public, says that in 2030 vets should be a leading force for animal health and welfare and valued for their wider roles in society. They should be confident, resilient, healthy and well supported, and benefit from exceptional leadership. And there should be a broad range of diverse and rewarding veterinary careers, as well as thriving, innovative and user-focused businesses.
While the focus of Vet Futures has been on veterinary surgeons, Vet Futures engaged with the RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council and British Veterinary Nursing Association, as well as individual veterinary nurses, and the College says that many of the ambitions should resonate with members of both professions. It goes on to recommend that the veterinary nursing profession should build on the work of Vet Futures to develop its own clear vision and ambitions.
The recommendations within the report include:
Other recommendations include developing an animal welfare strategy for the profession, increasing collaboration with medical professionals and environmental organisations, adopting a more strategic long-term outlook for research funding, and exploring how to encourage a more diverse profession.
RCVS President Bradley Viner said: "The Vet Futures report is the culmination of a year of research and engagement with thousands of members of the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions, which has given us a very firm foundation on which to build our ambitions and recommendations. We are extremely grateful to every individual who has contributed in some way to the project, and helped us to seize the initiative.
"Over the years the veterinary profession has proved itself to be adaptable and able to face challenges head on, and we have no doubt that by working together we will realise our joint vision of a profession in charge of its future. Ultimately, we all want a profession that is confident in itself and one in which members are proud to call themselves veterinary surgeons."
Sean Wensley, BVA President, added: "Vet Futures has proved to be an exciting, engaging and truly ambitious project for the veterinary profession and it has created a fantastic level of debate and engagement.
"The report we are launching today is not the end of the story; it is the beginning of the next chapter. It is crucial that we maintain the momentum of the project so we will be inviting members of the veterinary professions to step forward and join a new Vet Futures Action Group to help us turn the recommendations into actions and drive forward activity."
The full report can be downloaded here.
The College says it will, however, continue to operate as close to normality as possible, with the main support services for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses such as advice, lifelong learning (including qualifications and the new 1CPD platform), finance and Practice Standards available as usual over the phone, on email or via the website.
The College’s main statutory activities around accreditation, registration and regulation of the professions will also be largely unaffected, with most Committee, Sub-Committee and working group meetings held by telephone or video conference.
Apparently, however, the April meeting of RCVS Council was going to be too big to be held remotely, so it has been cancelled.
The things that were up for discussion, such as the standard of proof and the report of the Legislation Working Party, will be moved to a subsequent meeting. Should there be any urgent business to consider, Council members have been asked to remain available via email on the date originally scheduled.
The College says it will be deciding whether to proceed with forthcoming DC hearings on a case-by-case basis, to balance maintaining the health and welfare of all involved with the College’s responsibility to protect animal health and welfare and public health.
The College is having to postpone or cancel an increasing number of its events; latest updates and advice for the profession is at: www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
RCVS Chief Executive Lizzie Lockett, pictured right, said: "We have been planning for this eventuality for some time, so whilst Monday’s announcement from UK Government came a little sooner than expected, we are in a strong position to be able to operate as close to normal as possible.
"We have an excellent and highly committed team of staff and Council members at the College, who I know will continue to work hard from kitchen tables, studies and living rooms over the coming days and weeks to serve the veterinary professions and the animal-owning public.
"Whilst we are fortunate that much of our work can be carried out remotely, we fully appreciate that this is not the case for most veterinary professionals who themselves are currently facing many significant challenges in their daily work to care for the nation’s animals whilst also prioritising the health and welfare of their own teams."
The College is urging all veterinary surgeons, nurses and practices to check they have supplied it with their most up-to-date email address via www.rcvs.org.uk/myaccount so it can relay its latest advice as the situation evolves.
The training material includes a range of new downloadable marketing resources for vets and SQPs to help maintain communications with their farmer customer base while face-to-face contact opportunities are restricted. They include a newsletter and social media and farmer engagement tools for various dairy, beef and sheep disease management issues.
Vets can also access new BRD management content highlighting the benefit of immunity-led disease prevention and ultrasound scanning of calf lungs. You can also view a range of practical ‘how to’ videos, as well as five different webinar recordings explaining ways to collaborate more effectively with farmers over youngstock rearing issues. The content is based on implementing MSD Animal Health’s versatile calf health checklist engagement tool, which facilitates an audit-based approach to assessing and improving current on-farm management practices.
MSD says it has another two webinars in the pipeline, which will be released in the weeks ahead: ‘Immunology’ with Professor James Roth and ‘Salmonella’ with Katrina Henderson from SAC.
To access all the training content, visit: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk
Ceva Animal Health has announced that it will be bolstering its spring Feliway TV advertising campaign with a campaign across the London Underground to help extend its reach to light TV viewers.
The campaign will once again feature the brand's 'That Purple Cat' character. Highlighting stress-related feline behaviour problems and encouraging cat owners to talk to their vet about Feliway, the advertisement will appear on channels such as ITV2, E4, More4 and Channel 4 (London only) from 14 February until 27 March.
The campaign will also be running on 50 high impact TV screens on the London Underground from 28 February until 13 March and 18 April until 1 May. So, according to the company, the ad will not only reach over 1.2 million people who commute and use the Underground every day, but will also be seen by millions on one of the busiest days of the year on the Underground, the Royal wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton.
Julia Wood, product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "By extending our advertising campaign across the London Underground we are complimenting our TV campaign and targeting commuters with busy lifestyles - who spend little time watching TV - during a unique point in their day."
To support the campaign, Ceva is offering veterinary practices free merchandising material including client leaflets, double sided A3 posters and A5 window stickers. A range of offers are also available for free mini merchandisers and digital photo frames in return for purchasing product. In addition, Ceva is running a prize draw for £250 worth of Champneys Spa vouchers for that 'purrfect' pampering session.
For more information, please contact your Ceva account manager or call 01494 781510.
The Animal Health Trust has cut the first sod of a new cancer centre for animals in Suffolk.
The AHT's Cancer Centre will provide all three treatment options: surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, on one site. The cancer facility is being purpose-built to treat horses, dogs and cats.
Sue Murphy, Head of Clinical Cancer Treatment at the AHT, said: "Having all three treatment options on one site means that whatever the diagnosis, we will be able to offer each and every patient the very best options for their specific case. With one in four dogs and one in six cats developing cancer at some time in their life this new centre will help many more animals - from Suffolk, East Anglia and all across the UK."
The new centre will also further research into cancer. Treating animals with all types of the disease will enable the AHT's vets and scientists to expand current knowledge about cancer. This will help with the development of new ways to diagnose and treat the disease.
Vets and scientists at the AHT already work collaboratively with cancer researchers looking at the disease in humans. There are a number of links between human and animal cancers which have already been identified. It is hoped that knowledge gained from the AHT Cancer Centre may also help in the understanding of cancer in people.
The AHT hopes the building will open in summer 2012 . It is launching an appeal to raise much needed funds to equip the centre with a linear accelerator. This piece of specialist equipment works by delivering high-energy radiation beams to break cancerous tumours down while sparing the surrounding normal tissue.
The AHT Cancer Centre will be one of only six veterinary facilities in the UK to house a linear accelerator.
Sue Murphy added: "Currently, there is no way to tell which animals will, and which animals won't, develop cancer. It could happen to any animal at any time. This new centre will give more animals a fighting chance of beating the disease, enabling them to lead long and healthy lives. The fact that treatments developed to benefit our pets may also lead to improvements in the prevention and treatment of cancer in humans makes this centre all the more important.
"I would urge you to donate whatever you can to help equip the centre. Your donation, however large or small, will help many more animals beat cancer and it may also help in the fight against cancer in people."
If you would like to make a donation to the AHT Cancer Centre please visit www.aht.org.uk or telephone 01638 555648.
Alternatively you can make a £5 donation by textingVETS24 £5 to 70070
Feline charity International Cat Care (the charity formerly known as FAB) has teamed up with Digital Photographer and Your Cat magazine to launch a photography competition, 'Picture Purrfect Cats', which they are asking veterinary surgeons and nurses to help spread the word about.
The charity, which undertakes feline welfare projects across the globe, is looking for exceptional images of cats, celebrating their unique appeal under the following categories:
The winner will be chosen by a panel of judges including International Cat Care CEO Claire Bessant, Digital Photographer editor, April Madden, and Your Cat magazine editor Sue Parslow.
The first prize is a weekend safari break for two at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, Kent, which includes tented accommodation overlooking a watering hole where a variety of African animals, such as zebras, giraffes and rhinos drink - offering plenty of magical photo opportunities. The winner also will be invited to attend International Cat Care's annual event at Altitude 360 in London, where their photograph will be exhibited and they will be presented with their prize.
International Cat Care CEO, Claire Bessant, said: "They say a picture conveys a 1,000 words, so we are hoping for some high quality images which shout to the world about the beauty of cats, and therefore why it's important to ensure they are looked after properly. Our welfare projects are international, working with both owned and unowned cats, pedigrees and moggies. We've reflected this in our categories and are hoping for some very varied entries. Please visit our Facebook page and enter or have a look at our growing gallery of feline photographs and vote for your favourite."
Runners up from each category will receive a framed A3 print of their winning photograph, along with official merchandise from the charity. Young photographers, ages 12 - 17 years, can win a Samsung Galaxy Smart WiFi Compact Digital Camera.
You can help support the competition by tweeting or e-mailing this link to your clients: www.facebook.com/internationalcatcare. Alternatively, add it to your practice website or your newsletter. It'll be fun if one of your clients wins.
The deadline for the competition is 16th August 2013.
The company says the new award, which invites nominations from both pet owners and practices, is also to help raise awareness of Pet Diabetes Month, which this year takes place in November.
Pet Diabetes Month will have an emphasis on detecting the condition through initially screening urine samples, with pet owners being encouraged to visit their local vet practice.
Caroline Darouj, Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "There will be two categories for the award – one for the Pet Diabetes Professional Carer of the Year and one for owners – the Pet Diabetes Carer of the Year.
"A diagnosis of diabetes and decision to treat a feline or canine patient requires a lifelong commitment from the owner. We want to recognise the many loving pet owners who commit to giving their pet regular insulin injections and the practice staff who support them. We also want to create awareness of the importance of early diagnosis so pet owners can more easily spot the signs and realise that treatment is an option, which can be made easier with the use of the VetPen."
She added: "In veterinary practices there are outstanding individuals who make an extra effort to provide reassurance for pet owners when they may feel overwhelmed or fearful of their ability to cope with their pet’s diabetes. The Professional Carer of the Year could be a vet, vet nurse, animal nursing assistant or receptionist."
Pet owners and practice staff can nominate in either category. All the details can be found at www.mypetonline.co.uk/petdiabetesmonth.
The website will also be a central source of information about what’s going on during the campaign, tips on diabetes detection and prevention, plus a number of activities to get the attention of pet owners of all ages.
The deadline for nominations is 30th November 2017.
For further information please contact your MSD account manager.
Dan, who is a novice runner, will be running the 13.1 miles between Newcastle and South Shields on Sunday 12 September. He said: “You’d think that lockdown would be the perfect opportunity to train hard and then breeze through the ‘world’s biggest and best half marathon’ but, perhaps like many others, I ate cheese and drank wine for 18 months, so the challenge is now really on.
“I’m raising funds to help save the rhino because the conservation of these magnificent animals is so important and I hope the added pressure of supporting the charity will propel me across the finish line. I’m also excited to be running in Newcastle at a time when Medivet is growing its presence in the North-East of England.
“Running in the rhino suit will be tough but it has an internal fan which I hope will keep me cool on the day. Let’s hope the weather will be kind!”
Donations to support Dan's fundraising can be made at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/DanSutcliffe1
The RCVS awards for which nominations can be made this year are:
RCVS President Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS, said: “It is important that veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses uplift each other, and recognise those everyday heroes who impact the animal health and welfare in their local community day in, day out.
"So, if you know anyone who fits the bill for one of our award categories, please make sure to take a bit of time to fill in the nomination form and put them forward.”
The deadline date for the 2023 awards is 5pm on Friday, 27 January 2023.
To read the guidance on making a nomination and to download the PDF nomination forms for each of the awards, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/awards
Following two postponed hearings and a stayed Judicial Review, the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons last week accepted a wide-ranging 18-month programme of undertakings from a veterinary surgeon found guilty of serious professional misconduct, to address his "serious deficiencies" and "practice failings".
In October 2006, Mr Joseph Holmes MRCVS, of the Waltham Veterinary Clinic near Grimsby, was found guilty of serious professional misconduct for performing inappropriate and out-of-date veterinary treatment. Judgment was postponed for a period of two years subject to conditions that were put in writing and agreed by Mr Holmes.
The hearing resumed early, in February 2008, as Mr Holmes had deliberately ceased to comply with these conditions in the hope of forcing an appeal against the Committee's original finding of serious professional misconduct.
At the resumed hearing, Mr Holmes was told there was no legal framework for such an appeal (only against a sanction of suspension or removal from the Register) and that he would be subject to an 18-month period of compliance with the conditions set out at the original hearing; he was also invited to propose a programme of continuing professional development (CPD) and other undertakings for that period.
As Mr Holmes then applied for a Judicial Review of the Committee's decisions, this programme was never proposed. However, at the Royal Courts of Justice in October 2008, Mr Holmes' application for Judicial Review was stayed, by mutual consent, allowing for the DC hearing to be resumed and for him to offer undertakings for the Committee's consideration.
At last week's hearing, the Committee reminded itself of the original four findings of serious professional misconduct against Mr Holmes, which, in each case, it had stated would "be viewed by reasonable and competent members of the veterinary profession to be deplorable...and far below the standards that members of the public were entitled to expect."
In relation to these findings, the Committee was particularly concerned about his deficiencies in the fields of orthopaedics, oncology, radiology and therapeutics and considered that his future CPD should specifically address these areas.
Consequently, Mr Holmes agreed to an extensive range of undertakings over an 18-month period, including: participation in the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (including two inspections); keeping abreast of changes to the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct; 105 hours of standard and additional CPD; proofs of purchase of up-to-date text books and journal subscriptions; and six-monthly progress reports to the Chairman of the Committee.
Brian Jennings, Chairman of the Committee, said: "The Committee considers that the undertakings in the form that you have offered to it, if fulfilled by you, will serve to ensure that there will be no repetition of the conduct which resulted in our original findings and serve to ensure that animals and the public will not be put at risk.
"We trust that you will enter into these courses with the right mind-set and find that at their conclusion, these tasks have been of advantage to your practice."
Novartis Animal Health's year long campaign to drive pet-owner awareness of the importance of worming pets regularly got off to a rather damp start in London today, with 63 people in doggy suits - mostly company employees I gather - running around the capital accompanied by two 'pooch vans'.
The 'Worm Patrol' team will be visiting veterinary practices over the summer to help promote, set up and run Pet Worming Awareness Days and attend practice open days. Veterinary practitioners will have access to the Worm Patrol support kit including the branded pooch van, Chewy the dog mascot and a worm patrol ambassador. Additional support will include educational leaflets for owners, giveaways and waiting room materials.
Maggie Fisher, Chairperson of the European Scientific Counsel for Companion Animal Parasites is backing the campaign. She said: "Raising awareness of worm control throughout the life of cats and dogs is important, particularly when it is reported that 80 percent of children kiss their pet and 21 percent let them lick their fingers after sharing food. While the risk may be relatively low, the consequences can be serious, especially in children.
"It's important that pet owners take responsibility for their animals and we are pleased that initiatives such as the Worm Patrol and 'Pet Worming Awareness Days' will help practices highlight the risk that endoparasites pose to humans and companion animals in a novel and light-hearted way."
To arrange for the Worm Patrol to visit to your practice, or for further information about setting up a Pet Awareness Worming Day, please contact your Novartis Animal Health Territory Manager or Novartis Animal Health UK Ltd on +44 (0)1276 694402.
All SPVS members who complete the survey online will be sent their own personalised survey results allowing them to benchmark their practice against the industry averages.
SPVS is also offering 3 months free membership to anyone who takes part who is not already a member.
VPMA and BVNA members can also complete the survey and the results will be published on their websites.
Peter Brown, SPVS President Elect who leads on development of the surveys said: "Whether you are recruiting, doing an internal pay review, looking for a new job yourself or trying to negotiate a pay rise, it helps to understand what the typical salaries are and the trends. Our new software allows you to easily compare your salaries to others in personalised results making it a valuable business tool."
SPVS is urging as many people as possible to take part in the survey as the more participants, the more reliable the results.
For more information, visit www.spvs.org.uk or call 01926 840318.
Elle says she created the course she wished she had when she first qualified, one which offers provides practical tools and tailored support to build confidence, overcome self-doubt, and thrive in veterinary practice.
She said: “I remember what it felt like to step into practice as a newly qualified vet nurse—feeling unsure, overwhelmed, and constantly questioning whether I was good enough.
"That’s why I created this course - to give vet professionals the support and confidence they deserve.”
The Confidence Coaching CPD Course includes:
Elle says the course is ideal for both vets and vet nurses, in particular those struggling with confidence in their clinical skills, and professionals looking to progress in their careers.
The course costs £350, but as part of the launch, Elle is offering a 25% limited-time discount for those who sign up early using the code: PVN25.
https://thepositivevetnurse.com/cpd-course
Each year, the company invites veterinary surgeons, practice managers and practice principals to enter the competition by telling them what makes their nurse or nursing team outstanding, and deserving of special thanks, at: http://www.glvets.com/thank-a-nurse.asp
In 2016, the winning nomination for an outstanding nurse was Louise Cornford (pictured right) from Withy Grove Veterinary clinic. Her manager said: "Louise works tirelessly in the practice promoting better standards for all our patients and is always around helping the students and advising them on inpatient care. She gives up her own time to come back and nurse overnight patients when clients have difficulty finding out-of-hours care for their pets. She is also a full-time mum to three children. She became a vet nurse as a career change studying whilst caring for the family and then went on to get an additional qualification in critical care."
The winning nurse team last year was from Ribble Vets. Their nomination read: "I would like to nominate my team of hard-working nurses for all the support they give to their colleagues, clients and especially the patients in their care. We have a wide age and experience range within the team and there is interest and expertise in surgical, medical, behavioural, rehabilitation and emergency nursing. Every patient counts and every nurse goes the extra mile on a daily basis. I am so proud of the team and they deserve a little thank you for all those bleary- eyed moments in the early hours dealing with an RTA, GDV, whelping or other emergency. They take it all in their stride - even the farm animal emergencies!"
Is your team, or a member of your team, deserving of a special thanks? If so, nominate them here: http://www.glvets.com/thank-a-nurse.asp
The redesign includes an overhaul of the layout, structure and navigation of all the College’s websites: Professionals, Animal Owners, Find a Vet and RCVS Knowledge.
Some of the main changes are:
Ian Holloway, Head of Communications, said: "We’re delighted to be launching our new-look site today and hope all the improvements we’ve incorporated will make using the site a much better experience for veterinary professionals and animal owners alike.
"Working closely with our website provider, NetXtra, over the past nine months, we’ve been able to develop a new-look site with vastly improved design, structure and navigation, whilst avoiding the major expense of building a completely new website from scratch.
"We’re very grateful to them, and to all those vets, vet nurses and members of the public who have helped us with user-testing and content mapping to improve the site as much as possible for everyone who uses it."
Anyone with any comments or feedback about the new-look site is invited to send it to communications@rcvs.org.uk.
CEVA Animal Health has produced Understanding sacroiliac disease, a leaflet to help horse owners understand the cause, diagnosis and management of sacroiliac disease.
CEVA says sacroiliac disease can be a particular challenge because although it can occur in isolation it often occurs in addition to other sources of hindlimb lameness. Acute sacroiliac injury is usually a result of trauma, such as a fall, which may cause pelvic rotation or fracture, resulting in hindlimb lameness and sensitivity to palpation of the tubera sacrale soon after injury. With chronic sacroiliac disease there is usually no history of trauma, rather a prolonged history of poor performance.
Understanding sacroiliac disease explains the anatomy of the sacroiliac joint, the clinical signs of the disease, how it is diagnosed, the treatment options and the general prognosis. The leaflet is available to equine vet practices as a useful information source for clients. You can order free copies from your CEVA sales representative.
The RCVS Charitable Trust, has announced a complete rebranding that includes a change of name - RCVS Knowledge - and the refocus of its mission on supporting the flourishing evidence based veterinary medicine (EBVM) movement across the globe.
For the past 50 years, the charity has been known as a small funder of veterinary research and the home of the only freely-accessible library for the practising veterinary community in the UK.
Nick Royle, Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge said: "RCVS Knowledge is a name that encompasses our three core offerings: historical knowledge represented by our valuable Historical Collection, present knowledge, represented by our library, and future knowledge, represented by the new evidence based veterinary medicine project, which is underpinned by our grants programme."
The RCVS Knowledge re-launch goes further than a mere name change, and comes as the charity refocuses its efforts to become a global intermediary for EBVM, a direction reached following a period of consultation, and on the back of a successful symposium on the subject held at the end of 2012.
Nick, a former CEO of the human evidence based medicine resource, The Cochrane Collaboration, said: "Today, veterinary surgeons and nurses are required to take account of an ever-increasing pool of scientific data, the owners' values and preferences, and their own clinical expertise when making clinical decisions. RCVS Knowledge is ideally placed to generate, collate and distribute this information to support evidence based practices. We aim to develop tools to assist practitioners to quickly make well-informed treatment decisions."
As part of the new direction, the Historical Collection will be made accessible and available online, following a start-up grant from the Wellcome Trust. Clare Boulton, Head of Library and Information Services, said: "The Collection contains priceless and fascinating material, covering topics such as early horse-care and management, veterinary expeditions of discovery through Africa, and research that made the British Cavalry horses of 1914 the finest in the world. But this is just the beginning. If you have relevant experience or some funds that could help us, please get in touch."
Meanwhile, RCVS Knowledge's Library and Information Service will be re-designed to make it much more than shelves of journals, but rather a resource with the capacity to steer first-rate care and innovation, and an information engine capable of driving evidence based veterinary medicine at a global level.
The Grants and Awards program, for which the former RCVS Charitable Trust has been known, will be redesigned to celebrate professional excellence, and to address gaps in veterinary knowledge. Nick said: "We are aware of the responsibilities that veterinary surgeons and nurses face every day and feel we are in a position to support their decision making. We would like to urge every veterinary professional with an interest in EBVM, a curiosity about the history of their profession or a need to access up-to-date research to get in touch, so that we can keep you up to date with developments."
The RCVS has launched an online petition calling on Parliament to protect the title ‘veterinary nurse’ in law.
The petition follows on from the work done by the College earlier in the year, drawing up the ‘Veterinary Nurse (Protection of Title) Bill’ which was submitted to a ballot of the House of Lords in May by former RCVS President and Council member Professor the Lord Trees and received its first reading on 10 June.
Unfortunately, Lord Trees' Bill was drawn low in the ballot, so it is now thought unlikely - though not impossible - that it will be given time for a second reading in this parliament.
Nevertheless, the College is continuing to try and raise awareness of the issue, both amongst the public and parliamentarians. If the petition gains enough signatures, it should maximise the chances of the Bill being given a proper airing in parliament, this year or in the future.
Liz Cox, the Chair of VN Council, said: “We believe that the fact that anybody can call themselves a veterinary nurse is unacceptable. It means that there is potential for the public to be misled and for animal health and welfare to be compromised. Therefore we would urge veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons and animal owners to sign this petition. With 10,000 signatures the Government is obliged to respond formally and take a stance on the issue; with 100,000 signatures the issue would be considered for a formal parliamentary debate.
“If we are successful with this campaign, the public will be assured that they are receiving the highest standard of nursing care for their animals from a genuine professional and by protecting the title we can remove any doubt about who is a veterinary nurse.”
In conjunction with the petition, the RCVS has also produced a template letter which the profession and public can use to write to their local Member of Parliament asking them to support the campaign. For example, the letter asks the MP to adopt the Veterinary Nurse (Protection of Title) Bill and enter it into a Private Members’ Bill ballot or introduce it as a 10-Minute Rule Bill.
The petition, and the campaign in general, has received support from the BVNA and the British Veterinary Association BVA.
Fiona Andrew, President of the BVNA, said: “BVNA has campaigned for the protection of the title of 'Veterinary Nurse' for many years. We are delighted that the RCVS is continuing the campaign with the addition of the online petition and letter template.
“We would ask all out members to sign the petition and write to their MP. We believe that this is an important step towards giving clarity and reassurance to the public, strengthening the profession and raising awareness of what veterinary nurses can do and enhancing animal welfare.”
John Blackwell, President of the BVA, added: “BVA is delighted to support the campaign to protect the title, as veterinary nurses are an essential part of the veterinary team and deserve full recognition for their roles. By protecting the title it not only recognises the skills of qualified veterinary nurses, but also gives clients confidence that their animals are receiving the highest standard of care possible.” Those who wish to sign the petition can do so on the UK Government and Parliament petition website https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/106153 To find out more about the campaign, download a template letter to an MP and view the College's animated video about protecting the title, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/vntitle
Enrolment is now open for the programme, which matches participants with an experienced supervisor and provides BSAVA support and guidance.
The Association says the qualification is intended to give veterinary surgeons the opportunity to investigate in more depth any aspect of clinical research relating to their work – in particular vets working in practice, including those who may be unsure how to take the first step.
It could be a special interest, such as evaluating risk factors for a particular disease or common case they see in practice, with experienced peers available in diverse areas – from exotics to ophthalmology and nutrition to internal medicine.
The Masters is a significant addition to the most successful CPD programme in the 60-year history of the BSAVA, spearheaded by Academic Director Frances Barr (pictured above right).
Frances said: "This qualification offers exciting possibilities for vets to unlock their inner researcher, finding answers to clinical questions faced in practice and guided every step of the way by highly experienced supervisors and the BSAVA team.
"It furthers the BSAVA’s mission to help vets realise their ambitions and develop through lifelong learning at every stage of their careers, which we hope will have a very positive impact on the profession."
The Masters programme, validated by Nottingham Trent University, is aimed at people who already have any accredited postgraduate certificate (60 credits at Level 7) relevant to some aspect of veterinary medicine or surgery.
It is based on a further 1,200 study hours and could be flexibly achieved in two years of part-time study or up to five years, depending on the project type and an individual’s availability. It starts with online study into the principles of clinical research, which students will then apply to their own research project.
The programme starts in January 2017 and applications are now open.
Students can enroll online and find out more information at www.bsava.com or by emailing masters@bsava.com.
This annual survey is designed to provide an overview of remuneration levels within the veterinary sector.
It covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime, to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances and pensions making it a benchmark for all professionals working in both clinical and non-clinical roles within the veterinary profession.
The main findings of the survey will be published in a report and freely available to all participants who give their email address at the end of the survey.
SPVS members will be able to access the full results with additional commentary and analysis.
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/FRBTUW/
Details of the new charges are found on the in-flight safety card ...
Kruuse has announced that it has entered into an agreement with Henry Schein Inc., under which the American supplier of veterinary, dental and medical healthcare products and services will acquire a majority shareholding in the company.
Under the agreement - the financial details of which are not being disclosed - the Kruuse family will retain the remaining shareholding and work with Henry Schein to accelerate global expansion of the company.
Kruuse and Henry Schein have already been business partners in the marketing and distribution of animal healthcare products. Kruuse says it expects the deal to create significant growth prospects, particularly for its own products and brands which will in the future be included in Henry Schein's offering to its animal health customers.
Chairman of the Board of Kruuse, Peter Eriksen Jensen said: "We are very pleased with the agreement with Henry Schein, which fulfills our wish to find a strong investor to support our efforts of creating an attractive future for our company. We complement each other extremely well - and the partnership provides us with a much broader platform to market our products. In Henry Schein, we will get an ideal partner to realize our ambitious growth strategy."
Kruuse's CEO, Jesper Smith said: "It is very important to us, that we and our new owner have a mutual understanding of the values and customer-centric focus on quality and services which have guided us throughout Kruuse's 119 years' history. We will continue this approach under our new ownership, making sure that our employees, customers, and suppliers continue to experience all the benefits of Kruuse - now in an even stronger set-up and with new, exciting prospects for the future."
The statement, which can be downloaded here, is supported by a number of people and organisations in both the human and animal sector, including the BVA, Lyme Disease Action, the Blue Cross, Bristol, Nottingham and Surrey Universities.
The guidelines cover:
The statement was coordinated by MSD Animal Health and ESCCAP UK and Ireland in the run up to Tick Awareness Month, MSD's annual campaign coming up in September.
Amanda Melvin, Senior Product Manager, MSD Animal Health said: "The approval of this statement is very timely as we approach Tick Awareness Month. It is a major step forward for the industry by giving all the organisations involved a clear position on the subject. This will allow us to move forward together and tackle some of the issues related to ticks and tick borne diseases, including providing vets with clear practical guidelines for tick control.”
For further information about Tick Awareness Month, contact your MSD Animal Health representative.