The RCVS has published two preliminary reports which bring together the quantitative and qualitative research it has conducted into the current workforce crisis in the profession. 

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. 

BVA has announced that it is launching a pilot of VETS.TV, and invites you to come and preview the service at its stand at BSAVA. Anyone willing to surrender their name and email address will also be entered into a prize draw to win an HP 530 Celeron M 440 laptop computer.

VETS.TV is an internet television site run jointly by the BVA and Ten Alps Publishing which will be available via a microsite of http://www.bva.co.uk/. The pilot includes custom-made videos on MRSA, litigation and stress management, a series of interviews with key veterinary figures and a number of specially acquired programmes.

Pulborough-based Arun Veterinary Group has been awarded the title of Best UK Vets, having achieved the largest number of positive online reviews on www.vethelpdirect.com.

The awards are based on the number of positive reviews (4 stars and above) left by owners on the site over the course of the year, with owners asked to review the practice on five key areas: respect for my animal, professionalism, friendliness, cleanliness and value for money.

Comments attached to the 182 reviews for Arun included: "Nothing is too much trouble", "Fabulous vets" and "More like good friends."

Vet Help Direct said: "A good online reputation is so valuable to both local people looking for a service and to business owners. That's why online vet reviews are at the heart of our vet directories. Vet Help Direct is determined to provide a fair reflection of the vet practices in their online directories; all reviews are subject to rigorous tests of authenticity, all are checked for duplicate IP addresses, email addresses and some reviewers are asked to provide evidence that they are recent clients of the practice."

In second place was St Georges Veterinary Group, Wolverhampton, which is now up to 132 reviews and in third place was Goddard Veterinary Group, Gidea Park in London, with 122 reviews.

William McEwan BSc MRes PhD, now working at the MRC-Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, has been awarded the ABCD and Merial Young Scientist of the Year Award 2010 for his work on the replication and cross-species transmission of feline immunodeficiency virus infection in domestic cats and lions, and the restriction factors in these species in particular. 

Dr McEwan said: "Understanding the means by which host species are able to prevent viral replication gives us insight to the mechanisms of infection and may allow us to engineer therapy based on similar mechanisms or by enhancing immune responses."

The award was presented by Professor Marian C. Horzinek, Chair of the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases (ABCD) and of the award jury. He said: "William McEwan presented a very original, high quality paper. His research has indicated the ability of hosts to potently restrict retroviral replication - given sufficient evolutionary time. It has also highlighted felids as a taxon that is potentially highly prone to cross-species transmission of immunodeficiency viruses".

The ABCD and Merial Young Scientist Award, created in 2008 and worth 1000 €, is funded by Merial and is presented to a young scientist in veterinary or biomedical science, who has made an original contribution in the field of feline infectious diseases and/or immunology. Applicants should have published their findings in a journal listed in PubMed or Web of Science or have had them accepted by another recognised assessing body.

Candidates should be based in Europe, have completed a veterinary or biomedical curriculum, and be under 35 years of age at the time of application. Applications for the 2011 award are now being invited (deadline 15 January 2011). For more information, visit: www.abcd-vets.org

Researchers in the US have shown it is possible to detect skin conditions in dogs using canine activity trackers. 

The research was carried out by the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine Center for Outcomes Research and Epidemiology, Holland Management Services, Zoetis and the Pet Insight Project team at Kinship (part of Mars Petcare).

For the study, researchers recorded pet scratching activity use Whistle canine activity trackers. They then compared that information with the visual observations of 358 pet owners who graded the severity of their pet’s scratching activity on a scale from 0, which represents a normal dog (“itching is not a problem for my dog”) to 100, corresponding to extreme itching (“itching disrupts my dog’s sleep, eating, play and exercise”). 

The researchers found that measurements of scratching severity determined by the Whistle activity tracker corresponded to the owner’s overall impression of the pet’s pruritus, or itch, level. As scratching severity increased, as measured by the Whistle device, owner’s assessment scores significantly increased as well (P < 0.01).

Aletha Carson DVM, Data and Clinical Studies Senior Manager for Kinship said: “Pet owners can overlook the subtle changes in behaviour that may be a warning sign for an underlying issue and are often too late to recognise their beloved companion is suffering.

“This new method of analysing pet behaviours provides pet owners with an ‘always-on’ monitor that may be helpful in keeping their dogs healthy and happy.

“It may also prove to be quite useful for veterinarians who need an objective way to gauge a pet’s response to prescribed therapies used to reduce inflammation and scratching without requiring time-intensive monitoring from the owner.” 

Details of the research were shared at the European Veterinary Dermatology Congress on September 17, 2021.

MDC Exports has launched the Soft E Collar in a small size suitable for rabbits.

According to the company, the Soft E Collar provides an effective barrier to a treatment area while ensuring an animal can eat, drink and sleep in comfort. It allows free movement of the head, neck and body so an animal can carry on as normal, being less likely to get depressed during recovery.

MDC says that unlike a traditional 'Elizabethan' collar, the Soft E Collar is flexible, lightweight, can withstand chewing, folds flat for easy storage and springs back into shape when needed.

Sandra & Steve Ayers, RSPCA Rabbit Rehoming, Reading Branch said: "We fitted the collar for a few days on a newly spayed rabbit.  It didn't appear to get in the way when she was feeding and looked less cumbersome than the traditional plastic buster collars." 

Melvyn Driver, Managing Director of MDC Exports said: "The design of our Soft E Collars has proved to provide great relief for dogs and cats post op, giving them a better quality of life at a difficult time. We're delighted that vets and rabbit welfare officers are championing the Soft E Collar too, as rabbits deserve the best care too."

For more information about the Soft E Collar, visit www.mdcexports.co.uk.

The RCVS has launched two new awards for veterinary surgeons or veterinary nurses who are making a tangible positive impact on the profession and who are inspiring others by their example.

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:

• The Queen’s Medal, for veterinary surgeons who've made a significant impact on their profession over the course of a career.
• The Golden Jubilee Award, for veterinary nurses who've have made a significant impact on their profession over the course of a career
• Honorary Associateship for laypeople who have made a significant impact in the veterinary field.
• International Award for individuals who have worked internationally from either within or outside the UK, to safeguard and improve animal health and welfare. 

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. 

Linnaeus reports that despite a record level of interest in its two-year Graduate Development Programme (GDP), it still has vacancies to fill in Birmingham, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Northamptonshire, as well as Sheffield and South Yorkshire.

The GDP offers one-to-one mentoring, alongside professional and clinical skills development in primary care practices across the UK. 

Chloe Roberts, clinical and educational development manager at Linnaeus, said: “This fourth cohort of graduates is looking likely to be the biggest yet, which is testament to how successful the programme has become over recent years.

“We’ve received so many high-quality applications and look forward to welcoming many of them into our practices.

“There’s still time left for people to apply via our online portal, so we’d love to hear from any prospective candidates interested in roles in the Midlands and Yorkshire.”

Linnaeus delivers all clinical training in-house through its extensive network of specialists, referral clinicians, certificate holders and experienced primary care clinicians.

Graduates take part in 20 core educational days as part of their clinical and professional skills training, with access to an additional 10 CPD days to undertake training of their own choice over the course of the programme. 

For more information about the Graduate Development Programme, visit https://graduates.linnaeusgroup.co.uk. 

Photo: Bristol University graduate Abigail McCarthy, a vet at Blacks Vets in Dudley

IMV Technologies has launched BovIntel, billed by the company as a worldwide first in bovine ultrasound imaging which will boost dairy farm productivity and profitability through improved access to fertility information.

BovIntel is software which, alongside the company's Easi-Scan:Go bovine ultrasound scanner, automatically identifies and measures important features on ultrasound images in real time as a vet carries out a scan.

The software uses colour to highlight and label structures such as follicles and corpus luteums, displaying the measurements of these to the nearest millimetre.

The technology has been designed to make the fertility scanning process easier and more accurate, helping vets give more informed breeding advice.

The developers behind BovIntel say the information that it provides will improve pregnancy rates and therefore overall productivity of dairy herds.

Alan Picken, Imaging Innovation Director said: “Pregnancy rates are notoriously low in the US and across Europe with as few as one in three inseminations producing a pregnancy.

"This is costing the industry time and money.

“Diagnostics on ovarian health is only possible through ultrasound and veterinary assessment, but not all vets are offering this service to their clients.

"BovIntel makes this ultrasound information more accessible to vets, and vastly increases the value and efficacy of the advice they provide to clients.

“Essentially, it enables a vet to quickly and accurately assess the ovarian health of a cow, so they can advise on how to achieve conception at the earliest opportunity.

"Equally, it allows them to quickly establish if a cow is unlikely to get pregnant and prevent a wasted insemination.”

IMV Technologies says new technology also promises to reduce the fertility scanning training time of newly qualified vets, by helping them to quickly find the ovaries during a scan and giving them confidence in interpreting ultrasound images.

Aland added “New vets will be able to practice independently faster and need the support of senior vets for less time, both of which brings huge benefits to their confidence and professional development and to the productivity of the business.”

IMV says the technology will also be useful for universities and research organisations investigating dairy cow reproductive health.

BovIntel is a software addition to IMV’s Go:Scan app.

It can be used via the viewing app, but also with BUG headsets, augmenting in colour for VGA and colour OLED. For users with mono BUG:Go headsets it will appear as grayscale on the headset screen, but in colour on the viewing app.

There's a 30-day free trial of the software for vets using the Go:Scan app, after which there is a choice of a subscription or pay-as-you-scan.

The BSAVA is working with the European Society of Veterinary Endocrinology (ESVE) to inform veterinary surgeons about a change in the antibody used to test for cortisol.

The ESVE has become aware through its Endocrine Quality Assurance (EQA) Scheme that there will be a permanent change in the antibody used for the cortisol test for the Siemens Immulite 2000. 

The change affects the antibody pool from kit Lot 550 onwards, meaning that it has already affected some laboratories and others will be affected in the next few weeks to months. At present, the new antibody lots are not being released to the USA market. Other analysers are unaffected.

The ESVE has been working with the laboratories in its EQA scheme to quantify the impact on results and reference limits. The Society says an initial review by the ESVE-EQA based on >400 canine serum and >40 urine results suggests that canine serum cortisol results are lower (average bias -23% in canine serum) than diagnostic laboratories and clinicians have been used to in the past. The effect is more marked in canine urine cortisol (average bias -70%). 

Since being alerted by the ESVE-EQA, the manufacturer has derived mathematical adjustment factors that laboratories can incorporate into their systems to mitigate the impact on results. If the manufacturer adjustment is used, then the results will be around 8% lower on average in serum and around 60% lower in urine. Cut-offs to diagnose hyperadrenocorticism and rule out hypoadrenocorticism may need to be validated again with the new assay. There is not yet sufficient data in the ESVE-EQA collaboration to assess the impact on feline and equine samples.

Professor Ian Ramsey, President of the BSAVA and one of the founders of ESVE, said: “Individual laboratories may have different ways of dealing with this change and therefore it is important to keep in touch with your laboratory provider concerning their approach. Some may choose to make the mathematical adjustments to results so that common and historic cut-off values can continue to be used. Others may report their results directly but change their guidance on interpretative cut-off values."

Dr Peter Graham, ESVE-EQA Co-ordinator, concluded: “ESVE advises that all cortisol results from Siemens Immulite 2000 assays that are close to a threshold are interpreted cautiously. ESVE also advises that all endocrine results should be interpreted in the light of clinical findings and would like to remind clinicians that spurious results may occur in any assay, though this is rare.”

The BSAVA and ESVE  encourage laboratories to tell clinicians which analyser they are using. Suitable wording regarding the interpretation of any values of cortisol based on Siemens Immulite 2000 results should be provided by laboratories for the foreseeable future.

Photo: A dog with hyperadrenocortism, courtesy Professor Ian Ramsey

Bicester Vets in North Oxfordshire has become the first to install Improvet, a touch-screen unit through which the practice can gather client feedback.

Improvet is one of a range of services offered by Pfizer as part of Vet Support+. It's designed to help small animal practices gather information, interpret client feedback and ultimately provide targets to drive business improvements. Located in the practice's reception area, the pre-programmed survey takes a few minutes of a pet owner's time to complete and is apparently proving a hit with clients.

The survey covers all aspects of the service the client has received, from booking through to the consultation, payment and administration of their appointment. Client comments are collected into a report assessing the standards of customer service delivered across the practice team.

Jason Williams, veterinary surgeon at Bicester Vets, said: "We have felt for a long time that we needed to make some changes at the practice in order to move forward and be well placed for future challenges and opportunities. With this in mind we undertook a review of our practice with the help of a Pfizer Business Consultant and during this process our staff identified that client communication and gauging client experience was something we were struggling with.

"When our Pfizer Business Consultant explained Improvet it seemed a logical next step. The completely paperless, anonymous nature and automatic report generation means it's taken the hassle out of surveying our pet-owning clients so that now instead of simply talking about the need for a client survey, we actually have one underway.  We will use this information to get a clear picture of how we are performing and communicating as a practice before and after improvements are made."

Improvet gives practices a way of surveying clients completely independently of staff. Armed with this data about what clients truly think, a practice can: 

• Improve their knowledge of client perceptions of service
• Identify potential areas for improvement such as; practice accessibility, capacity problems and rotas, client communications, perceived value for money, opportunities for new services
• Enhance the word-of-mouth marketing of the surgery

Practices that think they would benefit from having an Improvet unit in their reception area should contact their Pfizer Account Manager or call 0845 519 4977.

Officers and senior staff of the leading veterinary and nursing bodies have published an open letter to colleagues decrying the use of "derogatory and offensive language" directed against them in online social media and forums.

The letter, which was coordinated by BVA President Daniella Dos Santos, reads as follows:

"We are a mixture of volunteers and paid professionals, who give our time to lead and support the veterinary professions, and we are extremely honoured to be able to do so.

But we are increasingly concerned about the tone of some of the debates that are taking place in the veterinary world, particularly by the disparaging and demeaning language used against us or our colleagues.

As leaders in the professions, representing various different organisations, we absolutely expect to receive criticism and challenge of the work we do. But the right to criticise and challenge does not extend to the right to personally attack us as individuals.

Some of the most useful and informative discussions we have are those where our views and actions are questioned with dignity and respect. But the use of derogatory and offensive language to describe or refer to us as individuals is simply not acceptable.

Personal attacks and vilification could also make tomorrow’s leaders think twice before putting their name forward for such roles and subjecting themselves to such treatment by their peers. We might never know what a loss this could be for the future direction and advancement of our professions.

This behaviour is particularly prevalent in online forums, where closed groups and computer screens seem to embolden members of our professions to use language that is wholly inappropriate and which falls far short of the expectations of professionals. As we have seen in the national political arena, we also note with concern that it is often our female colleagues, and those from minorities, who face the worst of it.

We welcome challenge and debate. But please remember that it is possible to disagree with a person or organisation without resorting to personal attacks. Before posting online, please consider how this may be interpreted by the recipient.

Our professions are rightly focused on mental health and wellbeing, and the work of the Mind Matters Initiative and Vetlife are excellent examples of what is being done in this area.

#BeKind extends to those in leadership positions too."

List of signatories by organisation: Katie Roberts: AVS President, David Charles: AVS Senior Vice President, Izzie Arthur: AVS Junior Vice President, Susan Paterson: BSAVA President, Phil Lhermette: BSAVA Senior Vice President, Ian Ramsey: BSAVA Vice President, Sheldon Middleton: BSAVA Junior Vice President, David Godfrey: BSAVA Hon Treasurer, Carl Gorman: BSAVA Hon Secretary, Amanda Stranack: BSAVA CEO, Daniella Dos Santos: BVA President, Simon Doherty: BVA Senior Vice President, James Russell: BVA Junior Vice President, Kathleen Robertson: BVA Scottish Branch President, Ifan Lloyd: BVA Welsh Branch President, Susan Cunningham: BVA Northern Ireland Branch President, David Calpin: BVA CEO, Jo Hinde: BVNA President, Wendy Nevis: BVNA Senior Vice President, Jo Oakden: BVNA Junior Vice President, Peter Kettlewell: BVZS President, Liz Mullineaux: BVZS Junior Vice President, Niall Connell: RCVS President, Amanda Boag: RCVS Senior Vice President, Mandisa Greene: RCVS Junior Vice President, Kit Sturgess: RCVS Treasurer, Lizzie Lockett: RCVS CEO, Anna Judson: SPVS President, Cat Curtis: SPVS Senior Vice President, Nick Lloyd: SPVS Junior Vice President, Nichola Watson: SPVS CEO, Richard Casey: VMG President, Gillian A Page: VMG Senior Vice President, Georgina Hills: VMG Junior Vice President, Miles Russell: VMG Finance Director

The BVA was not prepared to name and shame specific instances of derogatory language being used, or the specific social media websites that are implicated. However, Daniella said: "Online veterinary forums can be a fantastic place for us to share ideas or concerns and support one another but they can also have a darker side. I’ve become increasingly aware of people using forums and other social media to attack and criticise individuals who I know are working hard for our profession.

"I’ve personally been on the receiving end of it, being described as foul, lacking in integrity, incompetent, unsuitable to lead, rotten, idiot, shameful, corrupt or a token. But I know colleagues who have faced far worse and enough is enough.

"It’s high time we collectively speak up and I’m incredibly grateful to those who have co-signed this open letter to our colleagues. Every single vet or vet nurse who volunteers or works as an officer or committee member within the veterinary sphere and all of our lay colleagues work hard on behalf of our professions.

"Our key message is that the mantra to #BeKind, that is so prevalent in our veterinary community, extends to those in leadership positions too.”

COMMENT
What a can of worms. VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk have certainly had their fair share of robust discussions over the years, but I don't believe Daniella has ever been on the receiving end, or that women or minorities have ever been discriminated against, or that the language used has stooped as low or personal as 'foul'.

Indeed, I have always encouraged members to treat each other with respect and to be mindful of the fact that the written word, devoid of the nuances of facial expression, can appear far starker than intended.

However, as a moderator, I can tell you it is very, very hard to draw the line between something that is personal and something which is fair criticism but which will be taken personally.

Therein lies the problem, because almost any criticism written online is likely to be taken personally. If you write that I am doing my job poorly, or making bad decisions, believe me, I will take it very personally. 

But is it not entirely right and proper that those in who sit in positions of authority, making decisions which affect the lives or wallets of those who elect them, should expect criticism?

In fact, is there not something a bit worrying about Daniella saying she is aware of people using social media to criticise individuals? Is she arguing that social media should NOT be used to criticise those in authority?

To my mind, there's also something slightly pleading about those in authority asking everyone to "be kind". Why on earth should people be kind when they disagree, sometimes profoundly, with decisions that affect their lives? Wouldn't it be better to entreat everyone to #bepolite?

Either way, it is hard not to feel enormous sympathy for those who enter into public life these days, subject as they are to some pretty vile stuff online.

I think Sir Tim Berners-Lee hit the nail on the head in the Dimbleby lecture last year when he said that greater accountability is needed online. VetSurgeon.org has already started moving in that direction in order to improve the provenance of clinical information and opinions shared online, requiring now that experts share full details of their experience and qualifications alongside their posts. 

Maybe the time has come to demand the same standards of accountability when it comes to criticising those in positions of authority. In other words, if you're going to do it, you must show your real name and display a photograph of yourself alongside your post.

What do you think? Have your say here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/28912/be-kind-to-veterinary-leaders