Vetigel is a plant based gel which was first introduced to the UK for orthodontic surgeries last year.
It is supplied in a pre-filled syringe and applied directly to the site of bleeding where it creates an initial mechanical seal and then supports the formation of the platelet plug below.
VetPlus says it can be used in many situations where bleeding is an issue and the gel can be applied directly to the site of bleeding, including liver biopsies, mass removals, amputations and enucleations.
Jackie Marshall, VetPlus Technical Advisor, said: “This innovative product is already transforming the way vets perform both dental and surgical procedures, and we have had really positive feedback from those practices where it is being used already.
"Vetigel isn’t intended to replace a surgeon’s technique, but it is designed to stop bleeding where pressure or other methods are ineffective or impractical.
"Because it is a gel, it can conform to a wide range of wound shapes, making it a rapid, effective way of controlling bleeding.
“We believe this product will make a lasting impact on veterinary care, transforming the way surgeries are carried out and assisting haemostasis in animal patients.”
Zak Leavold, a vet based at Calster Vets in Great Yarmouth used Vetigel in an emergency situation, out of hours, on a dog with a bleed due to a kidney laceration.
He said: ‘I genuinely believe the product saved the dog’s life that night.
"I will certainly be keeping Vetigel on hand for any future soft surgeries – just in case!’
Links
The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has restored Joseph Lennox Holmes to the Register of Veterinary Surgeons, two years after he was originally struck off.
Mr Holmes was removed from the Register in February 2012 after the Disciplinary Committee found him guilty of multiple charges of serious professional conduct. Mr Holmes lodged an appeal against the decision, which was heard and dismissed by the Privy Council.
The original charges related to two separate complaints; the first involved numerous charges in respect of Mr Holmes' treatment of a King Charles Spaniel between October 2007 and March 2008; the second, several charges in relation to his treatment of three cats in 2008.
The Committee found that the majority of the charges amounted to serious professional misconduct. In removing Mr Holmes from the Register, the Committee found that "aggravating factors in both... cases included actual injuries to the animals... and a serious breach of the trust which Mr Holmes' clients had placed in him to make the welfare of the animals his primary consideration according to the standards to be expected of the profession". In addition, the Committee cited 10 further aggravating factors including lack of reference to continuing professional development (CPD) in clinical policies and practices; lack of reference to accepted practice; lack of appreciation of the importance of adequate pain relief when performing painful surgical procedures; reluctance to consider referral as an option; and lack of understanding about what information is required by a client to enable fully informed consent to be given.
Following the dismissal of Mr Holmes' appeal by the Privy Council, his first application for restoration was heard by the Disciplinary Committee in February 2013. The Committee was not satisfied that he was fit to be restored to the Register, citing the fact that his application was "premature" and that he had failed to truly appreciate the seriousness of the findings against him. The Committee was also unimpressed with the efforts he had made to keep up-to-date with skills and developments in practice and with his CPD, noting in particular that he had made very limited attempts to observe the function and experience the culture of a modern first opinion practice.
However, in this week's two-day hearing, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Holmes was now fit to be restored to the Register. It heard that Mr Holmes had made a concerted effort to engage in CPD and bring his skills and knowledge up-to-date. During a period of observation at a veterinary practice, he had gained insight into modern practice and the need for veterinary general practitioners to be aware of the advantages in referring patients to specialists.
Professor Noreen Burrows, who chaired and spoke on behalf of the Disciplinary Committee, said: "The Committee has concluded that, in the course of genuine efforts to do what was necessary to address the deficiencies identified during the original Inquiry and at the last restoration hearing, the Applicant has at last understood the seriousness of his previous misconduct and has learned new skills and, most importantly, to recognise his limitations from the extensive course of study, reflection, and other training that he has undertaken."
Furthermore, the Committee was satisfied that Mr Holmes had gained a proper understanding of the importance of securing the informed consent of his clients and building a relationship of trust with them and, in addition, recognising the importance of maintaining close relations with fellow professionals and engaging with CPD opportunities.
Additional factors considered when making the decision included: that he had been off the Register for two years; that, through self-improvement, he had equipped himself to treat animals appropriately; the impact that being removed from the Register had in both personal and financial terms; his conduct since being removed from the Register; and, a number of positive testimonials from previous clients and professional colleagues.
The Committee's full findings and decision are available on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary).
In response to the question ‘How important is sustainability to you personally?’, 57% of respondents said it was very important making it the most popular choice.
However, in answer to the question: ‘Is your practice team actively working to improve sustainability?’, 20% of respondents said ‘Always/wherever possible’ and 42% said ‘Most of the time’, leaving 38% not actively working to improve sustainability.
IVC says the conclusion to be drawn is that sustainability is a personal priority, but this isn’t always translating to practice and more can be done.
To help with this, the company will shortly Positive Hoofprint, an Equine and Farm specific toolkit to help practices become more sustainable, with resources, checklists and practical advice for prioritising environmentally friendly initiatives.
Mark Tabachnik, UK Head of Equine for IVC Evidensia, said: “It’s clear from our survey that sustainability is still being treated as a secondary concern in practice, and this is something that IVC Evidensia is actively seeking to change.
“With our Positive Hoofprint about to be launched, there has never been a better time to prioritise our sustainability goals and to embed them in our own practices.
“This will give colleagues the tools they need to care for the planet, so we can fundamentally change equine veterinary to be more environmentally conscious for the future.”
Surrey-based Sarah Taylor and Zoe Daley launched the website earlier this year with a range which includes the Medicat wrap to make it easier to medicate and examine cats, and the Slumberpet Recovery Coat for dogs and for cats, for maintaining temperature during anaesthetics.
In addition, they've got a range of funky scrub caps, plus ID tags for your scissors and stethoscopes, fob watches, scrub hats and pens.
Ceva Animal Health has launched Feliway Friends, a new pheromone to help reduce tensions and conflicts in households with more than one cat.
The company highlights a 2014 survey which found that 44% of cat owning households have more than one cat, with nearly a third of those questioned stating that they had experienced fighting and aggression between pets in the household1.
Feliway Friends is a synthetic copy of the cat appeasing pheromone (CAP) naturally produced by nursing queens to support their kittens after birth. The company says this pheromone helps cats feel safe and secure, and maintains a harmonious bond between them.
Ceva says Feliway Friends is clinically proven to significantly decrease the intensity and frequency of signs of tension in households with more than one cat. According to another study, 84% of cat owners believed there was a significant improvement in how their cats got on after using the product2.
Feliway Friends and Feliway Classic can be used at the same time if the owner is experiencing conflicts alongside other stress-related behaviour problems such as urine marking, scratch marking and general anxiety.
Available as a 30-day diffuser and refill, Feliway Friends lasts for up to 30 days and covers an area of up to 70m2.
Claire Russell, Feliway product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Inter-cat aggression is a major problem in multi-cat households, with many cats experiencing stress in the home due to sharing resources. Feliway Friends is a great support to encourage harmony in multi-cat homes. By introducing the cat appeasing pheromone and educating owners on resource management and how to create a cat friendly home, we can significantly improve feline relationships in our UK multi-cat homes.’’
Ceva Animal Health has launched a range of marketing materials to support the launch of the new product, including an eight-page pet owner leaflet and poster. Practices can also request an online toolkit which includes: images, website content, social media assets and articles to help educate clients facing aggression between household cats.
For information on FELIWAY visit www.feliway.com/uk.
References
The clinic will be headed up by Dr Ursula Dietrich, an RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology, who will be stepping down as senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at The Royal Veterinary College to take up her new post.
Ursula has held a number of prestigious positions including Chair of the Scientific Committee of European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists from 2007-2012, member of the Examination Committee of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists from 2002-2006 and Associate Editor (Ophthalmology) of the Journal of Small Animal Practice since 2012-18. She also holds Diplomas from the American and European Colleges of Veterinary Opthalmologists.
Ursula said: “I am thrilled to take on this new role, heading up The London Cat Clinic’s new opthalmology centre. The clinic is doing wonderful things in feline veterinary care as the largest specialist practice devoted solely to cats in the UK. The ophthalmology service is the next exciting development in achieving our goal of being a centre of excellence in feline veterinary medicine."
London Cat Clinic Founder, Dr Jeremy Campbell, said: “We are delighted to welcome Dr Dietrich to the team, as she brings with her a wealth of experience in the field of feline ophthalmology. She will be a wonderful asset to The London Cat Clinic, as we embark on an exciting new chapter.”
For more information about referring a case to The London Cat Clinic, visit: https://www.thelondoncatclinic.co.uk/
Defra has confirmed that equine infectious anaemia (EIA) has been detected in two horses in Wiltshire following importation from Romania via Belgium.
The premises is currently under restriction and the two infected horses will be humanely destroyed in line with existing regulations. The other horses on the premises will be subject to epidemiological investigation in the coming weeks. A further two horses have also been under investigation and test results have proved negative.
The animals arrived in a group of 10 horses, nine of which originated from Romania and one from Belgium. The nine Romanian horses were tested for EIA as part of routine post-import testing. Seven horses all tested negative. The horse that originated in Belgium is due to be tested shortly.
Chief Veterinary Officer, Nigel Gibbens said: "This is the first case of equine infectious anaemia infected animals being imported into Great Britain since 1976 and shows the success of our post import testing regime. These were apparently healthy horses carrying a notifiable disease that we are keen to keep out of Great Britain. After considering the risk I have decided to take appropriate action and humanely destroy these two horses that tested positive."
Petplan has announced that it has won a formal tender to become the chosen pet insurance provider for Vets4Pets and Companion Care, as part of a five year deal to provide cover for over 250 practices.
Simon Masding, Petplan's Head of Sales and Partnerships said: "As the leader in the pet insurance market for over 36 years, we have a rich history of working with veterinary practices across the UK and it is fantastic to see our unrivalled support recognised as part of a formal tender process. This partnership demonstrates our passion for working with and supporting the veterinary profession.
"We are delighted to be Vets4Pets and Companion Care's chosen pet insurance provider and look forward to working together to help give even more pets access to quality insurance cover and an excellent claims experience."
Companion Care Commercial Director Andrei Balta said: "Like Petplan, we put pet welfare and owner's peace of mind first. Through the development of the tender process, it was clear that Petplan offers not only a world class service for pet owners, but our businesses share similar values and a deep respect for the industry."
The finance was raised via a private placement with Sun Life Investment Management.
The College says it chose to finance via the private placement market due to the supportive buy and hold nature of the investor base, the strong demand within it for high quality higher education credits and the negotiated nature of the market.
In the top three of the QS world university rankings and with a strong financial performance history, the RVC’s £45 million senior unsecured note offering generated significant investor interest both within the UK and North America; with the offer four times over-subscribed, the RVC was able to take advantage of highly competitive long-term interest rates.
The secured funding will allow capital developments on both of the College's campuses.
Professor Stuart Reid, the RVC Principal, said: "I am absolutely delighted that we have secured this innovative blue chip financial backing in a deal which reflects our international reputation and leadership in the veterinary and biomedical sciences. We now look forward to investing in the next phase of capital development at the RVC, securing our position for years to come."
Candace Shaw, Head of Private Fixed Income, Sun Life Investment Management, said: "We are pleased to support the continued growth of the RVC, a specialised higher education institution with a renowned reputation both in the UK and internationally. The financing of the RVC represents a sound investment and aligns to Sun Life’s long-term investment objectives in this sector."
The BSAVA reports that its Certificates in Medicine and Surgery have sold out in less than 5 minutes, beating the previous record of 20 minutes in their first year.
The Association says that whilst this is testament to the success and demand for its CPD, it is determined to find a way to avoid disappointing so many aspiring students - and after emergency talks over the weekend has decided to run a second intake of 30 students for each of the two programmes from January.
Dr Frances Barr, BSAVA's Academic Director, said: "Whilst we had only envisioned taking 30 new students onto each course this year, it quickly became clear that there is such a great appetite for this kind of accredited CPD in the profession right now. What a shame it would have been not to find a way to allow those ambitions to be fulfilled. So we are effectively going to run each programme twice in one year."
Quality control and sufficient student support is being met thanks to an overwhelming response from our teaching faculty and mentors. Dr Barr added: "BSAVA owes thanks to all those who lecture and work alongside our Certificate students. Without them we would not have been able to respond so quickly to this unprecedented demand".
The second programme will take place at two sites; BSAVA HQ in Gloucester, and the College of Animal Welfare in Huntingdon. Anyone who has not been able to take a place in the 2013 cohort will be offered priority registration for the 2014 in-take. For more information about BSAVA Certificates visit www.bsava.com or email administration@bsava.com.
The company has published data from its 2021 Assure Ewe subsidised testing scheme, which found that 48% of farms that submitted samples after last year’s lambing season tested positive for EAE1 caused by Chlamydia abortus.
This, Ceva says, mirrors the results from the 2020 testing initiative, demonstrating that EAE remains a significant issue on UK farms.
Katherine Timms BVetMed (Hons) MRCVS, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health said: “EAE is a significant problem on UK farms, and it can be exceptionally expensive and frustrating to deal with, as infected sheep aborting and shedding have the potential to cause an abortion storm the following year.
“Any abortion outbreak should therefore be identified and managed as quickly and effectively as possible to help prevent the rest of the ewes in the flock from becoming infected.
"Vaccination and strict biosecurity provide the best protection against EAE and farmers can vaccinate their ewes from five months of age until four weeks prior to tupping, as long as the ewe is not in lamb.”
For further information, contact your local Ceva Animal Health account manager or visit www.enzooticabortion.co.uk.
Reference
The campaign uses Pennies, the digital charitable giving system which invites you to make a small donation when you pay for something by debit or credit card.
For the last four years, Medivet clients have been invited to make a donation of 50p when paying their veterinary bill, and the millionth donation was made at Medivet 24 Hour Shrewsbury this week.
Medivet says the funds raised have played a crucial role in helping to protect the rhino - enabling Wilderness Foundation Africa's Forever Wild Rhino Protection Initiative to support these critically endangered species across a wide range of activities. This includes the treatment of poaching attack survivors plus the care and rehabilitation of orphaned baby rhinos.
In terms of prevention, thanks to Medivet client donations, two cold scent tracker dogs have been deployed – Ella and Ziggy – who work with anti-poaching units, while support has also been provided for intelligence-sharing amongst local law-enforcement agencies. Funds have additionally been deployed to help drive global awareness, provide community services as well as essential field-based veterinary equipment.
Dr John Smithers, Senior Partner and Project Co-ordinator for Medivet Saving the Rhino, said: "We could not be more grateful to our clients for all they have done to help the survival of this iconic species. Their incredible generosity - combined with the support of our colleagues and partners - has made a real difference in the fight against poaching and we want to thank our clients for every donation made."
In South Africa, the Medivet-supported efforts to reduce poaching are co-ordinated by Dr William Fowlds, a former Medivet employee, who added: "This is a truly remarkable milestone and we are overwhelmed by the kindness of Medivet and its clients. The money raised not only helps protect the rhinos but helps bring to justice those responsible for the destruction of these precious and innocent creatures."
Alison Hutchinson, CBE, CEO of Pennies said reaching 1m donations was a remarkable achievement: “Pennies is proud to support Medivet’s Saving the Rhino campaign, and it’s been so inspiring to see one million individual micro-donations made through the digital charity box over the past four years.
"From all at Pennies, thank you and congratulations to the Medivet team and their hugely generous clients for reaching this milestone, for challenging the rhino poaching crisis in South Africa, and proving that small change truly does add up to mean big things."
Three cheers from VetSurgeon.org, too. That's a big achievement by Medivet for an important cause.
Melissa graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and, after working as a food animal intern at Iowa State University in the United States for a stint, in 1990 joined a two-person traditional mixed-animal veterinary practice on the Ayrshire coast. Over the next 25 years she developed it into a 4.5 person small-animal practice with a focus on dentistry, before moving away from clinical work in 2015.
Melissa was first elected to Council in 2016 and re-elected in 2020 and, since joining, has sat on a number of committees including the Education Committee, Finance & Resources Committee, and Preliminary Investigation Committee/Disciplinary Committee Liaison Committee. Since 2019 she has chaired the Standards Committee where she has led the Review of ‘Under Care’ and Out-of-Hours Emergency Cover and also chairs the Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice Subcommittee.
As well as her work with RCVS she has also been President of the British Veterinary Association’s Scottish Branch and is currently a Non-Executive Director of the Red Tractor Assured Food Standards Scheme and a Trustee of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Outside of work, she enjoys running, swimming, cooking, reading and hopes to have the patience one day to write children’s books.
Melissa said: “I’m delighted and humbled to have been voted in as JVP from July. Thank you to my peers on Council and, as with everything I have done in my career, you, the profession, will see me put all my energy and commitment into the role.
"Themes that I'm keen to develop as a member of the RCVS Officer Team will be: communication, as that can always be improved; community, including within the profession, within the workplace and within the society in which you live; and continuing with the ‘blame culture’ theme originally set out in Chris Tufnell's presidency by looking into how we can use veterinary human factors to improve patient safety."
Other appointments that were confirmed by election at the same meeting of Council was Dr Niall Connell MRCVS as RCVS Treasurer, a role he will take up at the July AGM after completing his year as Senior Vice-President.
Niall: “It is a tremendous honour for me to be elected Treasurer. The RCVS has an exciting strategy which I am looking forward to playing my part in ensuring we remain on a sound financial footing, supporting projects within the RCVS Strategic Plan and continuing to play a wider role within the RCVS Officer Team.”
In terms of committee chairs, Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS was reconfirmed as Chair of the Education Committee, Dr Melissa Donald was reconfirmed as Chair of the Standards Committee and current RCVS President Dr Mandisa Greene MRCVS was elected as Chair of the Advancement of the Professions Committee, replacing Professor David Argyle in that post from July 2021.
Following Professor Argyle stepping down as Junior Vice-President earlier in March 2021, an election to replace him as Junior Vice-President for the remainder of the presidential year will take place in April 2021. Subject to the usual approval from Council, this person will take up the position of RCVS President 2021-22 following the AGM in July.
MDC Exports had launched a new biodegradable poo bag dispenser, aimed at veterinary practices and pet owners.
The idea is that pet owners can fix the dispenser to a wall, somewhere they'll be able to grab a bag on their way out of the door. The dispenser also has two strong hooks for other essentials such as dog leads or keys.
MDC Exports says their poo bags are generously-sized and feature long handles for simple tying and carrying. For more information, contact MDC Exports Limited on 01582 655600, or e-mail: mdcexports@btconnect.com
Oh I wish I was a travel journalist sometimes.
The BSAVA has announced that comic Michael McIntyre has joined the line up for Congress Party Night.
McIntyre will be joining comedian Fred MacAulay and ventriloquist Paul Zerdin
To register for BSAVA, click here.
Colivet® solution, one of CEVA Animal Health’s range of 3 soluble antimicrobials for pigs has been renamed Coliscour®.
Phil McGuire, CEVA’s business unit manager, explains the reasoning behind the name change: “We simply felt that the easiest way to avoid confusion between our product and a totally different non-prescription product of a similar name was to give ours a new name that also reflects its use, hence Coliscour®.”
Petplan has launched a new look policy range to give pet owners more comprehensive cover and make it easier for them to understand the types of cover available.
Simon Masding, Petplan's Head of Sales and Partnerships said the refreshed policies will not only benefit the pet and their owner but the changes will also allow veterinary staff to explain the policies with a lot more clarity: "Since Petplan started 35 years ago the pet insurance market and vet industry has changed significantly, especially in the last few years. There are now over 250 policies in the market with varying benefits and levels of cover, which often confuses customers to a point where they think they're getting lifetime cover but they're instead trapped with a restrictive policy.
"The veterinary industry is also continually changing with advances in new technology and better diagnostics allowing the industry to save and treat more pets, which means our policies need to evolve with them."
To better understand these changing market dynamics, Petplan held focus groups with veterinary staff from across the UK and undertook extensive research with charities, breeders, customers and non-customers.
Apparently, the feedback showed that Petplan needed to communicate its range of policies more clearly, to shift away from the confusion created by other brands and meet the changing demands of the vet industry and pet owners better.
For this reason, Petplan says it has simplified its policy range, adding and increasing each policy's benefits, making a 12 month policy available for practices to offer, and developing easy-to-understand policy names.
Petplan's new look policies for both cats and dogs are:
Petplan says its Covered for Life policies, Petplan Ultimate and Petplan Classic, will continue to provide pet owners with the best cover in the market. However, the company recognises that these policies are not always suitable for people with older pets or a limited budget.
Simon said: "Petplan Essential, our 12 month policy, will also now be available for veterinary staff to offer to their customers. While our Covered for Life Ultimate and Classic will continue to be our leading policies and at the heart of what we do, it's better that a pet owner has some type of cover rather than nothing at all and Essential is a market leading 12 month policy."
Zeta Frasca, practice owner and vet at Kitten to Cat in Richmond London said: "These changes will not only make it clearer for the pet owner but it will also make it a lot easier for us as an industry to explain pet insurance to our clients, which is really important."
For more information about Petplan's new look policies visit www.petplan.co.uk, call their dedicated Vetline on 0800 3168 8900 or talk to your Petplan Business Developer.
The following table outlines each policy and its benefits:
The RCVS has launched Mind Matters, a new initiative to help address mental health and wellbeing issues within the veterinary profession.
Neil Smith, RCVS Vice-President and Chair of the Mind Matters Initiative said: "Mental Health is a significant issue for the veterinary profession. Most of us have experience of colleagues or ourselves having problems. The Mind Matters Initiative is a pan-profession project, and I am very pleased that there is active engagement from across the various veterinary associations and stakeholders."
"The RCVS already contributes through our Health Protocol and support of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund. The Mind Matters Initiative seeks to work more proactively by increasing the accessibility and acceptance of support, encouraging a culture that is better equipped to talk and deal with stress and related mental health issues, and, ultimately, by helping to reduce such triggers within the profession."
The first Mind Matters Initiative action is providing funding to ensure that callers to Vet Helpline, a completely confidential support service which is part of the Veterinary Benevolent Fund and run by volunteers, are put directly through to a person, rather than having to leave a message.
Rosie Allister, Chair of Vet Helpline said: "We are able to offer confidential, non-judgemental support to many vets, VNs, vet students and members of their families who call us in distress, but we know there are more who are put off by the prospect of leaving a message.
"It takes real courage to reach out for help when you're struggling, and we know it can be especially tough for vets. Although we respond to calls quickly, callers need to speak to someone immediately, and not a message system, when they are in crisis. Through the Mind Matters Initiative funding we are able to put in place a service that connects a caller directly to a human being, which could make a real difference for people who call."
The new Vet Helpline system will be in place on 22 December, in time for Christmas, which can be a difficult time for many people. The Vet Helpline number is 07659 811 118 and there is also a confidential email service, accessible viawww.vetlife.org.uk.
The Mind Matters Initiative will be sustained over an initial three-year period, and will include five streams of activity:
The Mind Matters Initiative is supported by a group comprising the Veterinary Benevolent Fund, the British Veterinary Association, the British Veterinary Nursing Association, the Veterinary Practice Management Association, the Veterinary Schools Council, the Veterinary Defence Society and the Association of Veterinary Students.
A short survey, which has been emailed to BVA members this week, asks respondents to confirm which Official Controls Qualifications (OCQ(V)s) they currently hold or previously held.
They are also asked to give reasons if they have chosen to drop a particular qualification without revalidating it.
The BVA says members have raised concerns via Council about the OV training and revalidation process, citing time, cost, a lack of relevance and duplication of learning across different modules as reasons for choosing not to renew their qualifications.
The BVA plans to take the data and insights captured in the survey to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and make recommendations for how the system can be made more user-friendly and fit for purpose.
John Fishwick, BVA President, said: "Official Veterinarians have a critical role to play in upholding high standards of health and welfare across the supply chain, certifying products for export and safeguarding against disease and food fraud. We are already aware that this area is facing significant challenges as Brexit is likely to drive up demand for product certification.
"It is particularly worrying to hear that members are finding the system both frustrating and resource-intensive. Losing skilled professionals now at a time when they are needed most would be a real waste of specialist knowledge and could leave gaps in the UK’s provision for responding to disease outbreaks and meeting export certification needs post-Brexit.
"We understand and support the need to keep veterinary skills up to date, but the process for demonstrating this must be straightforward and proportionate. BVA will ensure that all insights offered by respondents are raised with APHA with the aim of getting the system right for OVs working in the UK both now and in the future."
BVA members can access the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/7Y2Y3RR. The deadline for responding is 29 June 2018.
The small animal and business meeting takes place on the 2nd and 3rd October. The farm and business national meeting is on the 18th and 19th September, and the equine and business meeting is on the 9th and 10th October.
The small animal meeting will also cover other topics such as the art of conversations to dentistry, while the farm meeting will focus on team working, competitive advantage, genomics and mental resilience.
All three events include a team-based activity and a social evening which offers the chance to network and exchange experiences and ideas.
Susan Goodfellow, the Chief Marketing Officer at XLVets said: "It's fine to know what we do but to actually experience it as part of our community is quite different. We know that talking to members and being part of a group of individuals that come together to determine their own future is the best way for veterinary professionals to see what's possible and how we strive for excellence together."
XLVets is also encouraging anyone who is thinking about starting their own practice to attend the events; the company has a number of programmes designed to support prospective owners with things like finding funding, identifying the right financial set up, and acquiring the skills needed to lead a team effectively.
Susan says many vets have a strong entrepreneurial mindset but lack support or know-how to allow them to take the first step to ownership: "Locum roles and mobile set ups are often stepping stones to practice ownership but the barriers can seem significant, not to mention any personal reservations people might have about all it entails. Support from like-minded colleagues who can openly share their experiences can help to make it seem possible, desirable and achievable."
Veterinary professionals wishing to attend one of the meetings should contact Colm McGinn, Chief of Implementation, in confidence, at colm.mcginn@xlvets.co.uk or call 01228 711788.
Vetoquinol has launched the Vet-Touch Digital Atlas, an innovative communication tool to help veterinary practices explain complex conditions to clients at the touch of a screen.
Vetoquinol says the Vet-Touch Digital Atlas saves valuable time and will allow you to offer an improved service to your clients, by maximising their comprehension of the case.
The Vet-Touch Digital Atlas has a 15 inch (38cm) touch screen monitor and comes with a range of animated movies. It's available to buy from your Vetoquinol Territory Manager.
For further information visit http://www.vetoquinol.co.uk/ or contact Vetoquinol on 01280 825 424.
Improve International has launched a new course for veterinary receptionists to achieve the nationally accredited Edexcel QCF Level 2 Certificate in Customer Service, but with the assessment tailored specifically to demonstrate excellence in veterinary client care.
Veterinary receptionists may be able to benefit from government funding to enable them to study for the qualification, which Improve says can be delivered either at its HQ in Swindon or in practice.
Government funding is available for students of the Certificate in Customer Service without an existing Level 2 qualification in another subject. Requests also depend on the age of the learner and will be assessed on an individual basis by Improve's local Edexcel accredited centre in Swindon.
The 30 hour course features three core units, assessed by a one hour online test:
David Babington MRCVS, founder of Improve International said: "A successful veterinary practice is no longer just about a 'good' vet or nurse. It's about a practice team pulling together and playing their role to the top of their ability. The key role played by receptionists in terms of creating that vital first impression and helping to maintain client loyalty cannot be understated and we wanted to offer them a form of training that would help them develop their skills while achieving a nationally recognised qualification. We look forward to welcoming our first students later this year."
For further information or to register, email enquiries@improve-international.com; visit www.improvecpd.com or call 01793 759159.
The voluntary scheme, which has been welcomed by Farming Minister George Eustice and Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths, improves a herd’s ‘score’ every year it is free from a bTB breakdown, awarding a status of 0-10.
This new bTB scheme will require the herd vet and cattle owner to work together on following a number of biosecurity measures already successfully implemented in five other cattle disease control programmes.
As well as reducing risk of infection, the country-wide programme could present informed purchasing opportunities. In particular, it could benefit farmers selling cattle from regions with a high risk of the disease or who wish to minimise exposure from bought-in animals. It could also give recognition for a farmer’s efforts to complement Government and industry strategies to control infection.
Farming Minister George Eustice (pictured left above, with BCVA President Andrew Cobner) said: "Dealing with Bovine TB is costing us £100 million a year and causing devastation and distress for farmers and rural communities across the country. 33,000 cattle were slaughtered because of the disease last year alone and many farms are subject to movement restrictions which can affect their trade.
"But we know some 40% of herds in the high-risk area in England have never had a breakdown, and the CHeCS scheme will help them to communicate this so they can carry out risk-based trading to support their businesses.
"The scheme will also recognise those practicing good biosecurity, which is a core part of our long-term plan to tackle bovine TB."
The scheme complements the Government’s 25-year plan to eradicate Bovine TB in England, and will provide another tool for farmers who want to show they are following best practice. It follows the launch of the TB Hub (www.tbhub.co.uk), which offers practical advice and guidance as well as background into the disease.
The Cabinet Secretary, Mrs Griffiths, said: "The Welsh Government has been supportive of this initiative from the start. By focusing on individual herds, the scheme complements our proposed regional approach, for example those herds in the high TB areas which have not recently had TB will be able to demonstrate they are a lower risk.
"This industry-led initiative aimed at reducing TB is to be welcomed and fits in with our principles of working in partnership and promoting the benefits of disease prevention. I urge Welsh farmers to engage with the scheme and reduce the risk of disease being introduced into their herd."
Across Great Britain, CHeCS has over 14,000 member herds, representing around 14% of cattle holdings in some form of monitoring, control and eradication of disease.
Keith Cutler, CHeCS board member and partner in the Endell Veterinary Group, said: "CHeCS so far has focused on control of non-statutory diseases – Johne’s Disease, IBR, BVD, Leptospirosis and Neospora. Participating health schemes have been monitoring the health status of participating herds for some years.
"With this programme, we will be working with Government to receive official TB test data with the agreement of the farmer. It’s an exciting development for CHeCS, but there is a natural fit because of the expertise CHeCS-accredited health schemes already have with monitoring biosecurity measures on their members’ farms."
Andrew Cobner, president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association, who has been technical lead on the project since the start, said: "All too often we are confronted with the view that there is little or nothing that we can do to control TB. We wouldn’t accept this attitude with any other infectious disease so it’s time farmers and vets fought back. We have a government that is willing to embrace all of the measures necessary and we have a 25 year plan in place. Part of this will involve increasing biosecurity and risk-based trading, and CHeCS is leading the way."
The CHeCS bTb Herd Accreditation scores run from 0 (following all CHeCS measures but had a herd breakdown within the past 12 months), to 1 (following CHeCS measures and one year since the last herd breakdown) all the way though to 10 (following CHeCS measures and 10 years or more since the last herd breakdown).
Veterinary surgeons who think their clients might want to know more can point them in the direction of: www.checs.co.uk to read the technical standard, programme handbook and Q&A. If it sounds advantageous to their farm, they should discuss joining with you, then contact one of the participating CHeCS-accredited health schemes listed on the website. The application form includes a privacy agreement to allow the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to send test data automatically to the health scheme, and a declaration from the herd vet. After the form is sent back, a starting score will be awarded.
More information on bTB is also available at www.tbhub.co.uk.
Lamond Veterinary Clinic from Livingston, West Lothian has won the first ever Merial Charity Rounders Challenge.
The winning team of vets and vet nurses batted and fielded their way to victory in September's rounders tournament involving practices from the region.
Merial Territory Manager Caroline Fox said: "The winners received a shield acknowledging their sporting triumph. Everyone had a fun day and all proceeds raised from the event went to their chosen charity, the SSPCA."
She added: "Everyone enjoyed the event so much, we are already being asked to organise another tournament for next year."
If any practices would like to participate in future ‘Charity Rounders Challenges', please contact Caroline Fox on 07825624413 or email: caroline.fox@merial.com
The letter outlines how the organisations want to work with the government to ensure the best possible outcome for animal health and welfare, public health and the veterinary profession post-Brexit, but also voices concern that perceptions of ‘anti-foreigner’ rhetoric may already be having an impact on the veterinary workforce.
Here is the full text of the letter sent to the Prime Minister on the afternoon of Tuesday 18 October 2016:
Dear Prime Minister,
Like all professions and sectors, we are currently involved in detailed debates regarding how Brexit is likely to affect our members and how we can best harness the opportunities it may present. We are very keen to work with the government to make a success of Brexit within our sector. The veterinary profession plays a crucial role in protecting public health, relies heavily on EU graduates and is already feeling the impact of the EU referendum.
The UK veterinary profession is made up of over 26,000 veterinary surgeons and over 11,000 veterinary nurses, working to improve the health and welfare of animals, to monitor and control the spread of diseases, and to assure the safety of the food we eat. Each year around 50% of veterinary surgeons registering to practise in the UK are from overseas, with the vast majority coming from the EU. EU veterinary surgeons make a particularly strong contribution to public health critical roles such as working in the Government Veterinary Services. In the meat hygiene sector some estimates suggest 95% of veterinary surgeons graduated overseas. Consequently, Brexit and accompanying changes to the mutual recognition system or immigration restrictions could have a profound impact upon the veterinary workforce.
We are currently considering how best to manage the potential impact on the veterinary workforce, and will be very pleased to discuss these issues with the relevant government departments in due course. However, even before Article 50 is triggered we are experiencing a negative impact on the existing veterinary workforce.
We have received reports that the increasing focus on foreign workers is causing personal distress to individual members of the veterinary profession who live and work in the UK. There are also reports of a negative impact on recruitment and retention: those involved in public health critical roles, such as meat hygiene, are having increasing difficulty recruiting much needed EU veterinary surgeons to work in the UK; leading experts from overseas are turning down employment offers from top UK universities; and many others are considering leaving the UK due to a feeling it is no longer welcoming to foreigners. There is a danger that the language and rhetoric around Brexit, alongside the ongoing uncertainty for non-British EU citizens, could seriously impact the veterinary profession’s ability to fulfil its essential roles.
The government has encouraged professions like ours to present factual data on the EU migration issues so that you can fully understand the challenges the country faces. The RCVS has begun the process of commissioning detailed research into the impact that Brexit is having upon those working in the profession and the implications this could have for the veterinary workforce. We will keep your officials informed as to the results of this research.
In the meantime, we reiterate our call for the government to protect the status of non-British EU vets and vet nurses currently working and studying in the UK, and urge Ministers to be mindful of the negative impact of what may be perceived as ‘anti-foreigner’ rhetoric.
We are committed to working with you to identify opportunities created by Brexit for animal health and welfare, public health and veterinary research and to realise our joint vision for the UK to continue to lead in these areas, and we are keen to maintain close communication with you and your colleagues as the negotiations develop.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Tufnell, President, Royal College of Veterinary SurgeonsGudrun Ravetz, President, British Veterinary Association