The RCVS has reported the results of its recent audit of CPD undertaken by veterinary surgeons and nurses, finding significantly improved compliance with its CPD requirements.

Last year a cohort of 1,010 veterinary surgeons responded to the CPD audit, which took place in September 2019 and included a random sample of 658 vets sourced from across all UK postcode areas.

The audit found that 820 (or 81%) of respondents met the annual requirement – a 13% increase from the 2018 audit. This followed a decline in compliance rates from 82% in 2014 to just 68% in 2018.

Amongst veterinary nurses, 79% of respondents were compliant, a 7% increase on last year’s compliance rate and the highest compliance rate ever from a veterinary nursing CPD audit.

Dr. Linda Prescott-Clements, RCVS Director of Education (pictured right), said: "It is fantastic to see that this year’s results demonstrate a significant increase in CPD compliance rates after a number of years in decline for vets and a largely static rate for veterinary nurses and I hope that it is part of a long-term trend towards the professions recognising the value of keeping their clinical and non-clinical skills up-to-date.

"This year we have made a number of changes that should make CPD compliance even easier now, including a clearer and simpler annual CPD requirement of 35 hours for vets and 15 hours for vet nurses, and the 1CPD platform and app which can be signed into through the My Account area and provides the professions with the ability to record, plan and reflect on their CPD."

Further information about the changes to the College’s CPD policy and the 1CPD platform can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/cpd2020.

The 1CPD app can be downloaded through the Apple App Store, Google Play and via the RCVS website at https://onecpd.rcvs.org.uk/accounts/login/

Virbac has announced that it is to support the work of Glasgow student vets buy supplying their homeless project with vaccines and parasiticides.

'Trusty Paws' was set up last year by fourth year veterinary student Ruby Shorrock and a group of her fellow students to provide basic veterinary care to dogs belonging to homeless people in Glasgow.

Working with organisations which help the homeless, the students provide monthly clinics during which they give free vaccinations and flea/worm treatments to animals owned by the homeless. They also microchip them and give out bedding, food and clothing for the dogs and their owners.

Virbac is providing its Canigen DHPPi and Lepto vaccines to Trusty Paws, as well as its recently launched Milpro wormer and its Effipro spot-on flea treatment.

Royal Canin is also supplying marketing assistance to help Trusty Paws spread its good pet-care message and encourage those in need to visit the clinic. They will also provide clinical diets to those pets in need of specialised nutrition.

Ruby Shorrock: " Glasgow is in desperate need of this service as there is very little in place to help homeless people with animals - not even a dog-friendly hostel. We provide preventative care for their dogs in a friendly environment where they can also have a warm drink, a sandwich and a chat. We rely on fundraising and donations to keep the clinics running and also fundraise to help any dogs with major health problems so that they can made more comfortable for their hard life on the city's streets.

"For many homeless people, their dogs are a treasured companion. Protecting them from disease and parasites is the most important thing we can do to help them continue to benefit from this companionship.

Simon Boulton MRCVS, Head of Marketing (Companion Animal Business Unit) at Virbac, said: "In setting up Trusty Paws, Ruby and her colleagues are providing a vital service to animals in dire need of basic veterinary care.  They are also extending the hand of friendship and support to homeless people in Glasgow, who already face a difficult life and value the unconditional love they get from their pet so highly.  We were inspired by the fantastic work they are doing and are delighted to support them by donating our vaccines and parasite control products to them."

BCF has launched a new operating lease scheme to make it easier for veterinary practices to afford the latest ultrasound and x-ray digital imaging systems.

According to the company, only one scan per week will cover the cost of leasing a system. BCF provides a range of training options to help practices offer imaging services to clients and increase revenue.

Practices pay a fixed monthly payment with no capital outlay. After 3 years they can upgrade to a new system or return the system to BCF. Service and maintenance cover can also be included in the monthly payment to avoid unexpected service or maintenance bills.

For more information call 01506 460023, email info@bcftechnology.com or visit http://www.bcftechnology.com/

VetSurgeon.org has launched the new Equine Group, where all equine veterinary news, discussions, clinical images and CPD are now being curated in one place.

I'm delighted to welcome Celia Marr from Rossdales and Edd Knowles from Bell Equine, who have kindly agreed to be our contributing experts. They'll drop in from time to time to add anything helpful they can to the forum discussions. 

As elsewhere on VetSurgeon.org, reading content in the new groups or participating in discussions can count towards a VetSurgeon.org CPD certificate. Just press 'Claim CPD' at the top of the page, then collect the record and certificate from your profile.

All members of the site with an interest in equine medicine are now invited to press the join button on the left hand side of the group home page (when viewed on tablet or bigger). You may also wish to select the option to receive a daily or weekly digest of new content by email, which you can cancel at any time. 

Equine is the third special interest group launched on VetSurgeon.org. The other two are Small Animal Medicine and Small Animal Dentistry.

Medivet Veterinary Partnership has announced the acquisition of a two-branch practice in Bedfordshire, Ridgeway Veterinary Centre, Flitwick, and Kempston Veterinary Clinic, Bedford, belonging to John Wakely, BVetMed MRCVS.

Current practice vets, John Wakely and Leo Weindrich, as well as all the nursing and reception staff, will remain at the practices. John said: "We are very pleased to be joining the Medivet Group. We will be able to offer our clients a wider range of services and expertise, as well as pass on price reductions for some services, which being part of a larger group enables us to do."

"On a practical level, our clients won't notice much difference. Our staff will remain the same and I will still be their main vet. On a professional level, because the day-to-day administration will be handled by the Medivet head office, I am looking forward to spending more time being a vet. It will give me the time to acquire more expertise in the areas I have always been interested in."

Medivet partner John Smithers said: "John Wakely's practices enjoy an excellent reputation. They will remain local veterinary practices, based, as they always have been, on the high standards of care and strong relationships the staff have developed with their patients and clients over many years. Becoming part of a group will give the practices access to additional skills, facilities and support of staff at other local branches."

This acquisition brings the total number of practices Medivet owns in Bedfordshire to four, the others situated in Biggleswade and Sandy, and brings the total number of practices in the Medivet group to 80.

CVS has launched a buying group open to independently-owned practices to benefit from the knowledge, experience and strength of the 250 practices which form CVS. 

The new buying group is called MiVetClub. It offers a range of services, including:

• discounts on a range of veterinary products and services
• business support and management expertise
• access to CPD and other training resources

Sara Armitage, Director of Product and Buying at CVS, said: "There are many thriving independent practices out there which have the potential to be even more successful if they just had the time and expertise to negotiate better deals and had access to the business resources and support to help them run their practices more efficiently and cost-effectively.

"That's where MiVetClub can help. CVS' stature in the veterinary sector means that we can negotiate the very best discounts and rebates for the group's members. But MiVetClub isn't just about saving money. It's also about helping independent practices raise clinical standards and run better businesses. MiVetClub  experts are constantly on-hand to advise members on all aspects of running their practice, freeing up their time to concentrate on what they do best, caring for their patients."

For more information, visit: http://www.mivetclub.com/

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. 

Virbac is running a special promotion through which UK-based practitioners who order from the company's reproductive product range can claim a free copy of the evidence-based book Clinical Canine and Feline Reproduction by Margaret V. Root Kustritz.

The book covers 100 separate questions across a range of reproductive issues, and currently retails for £47.99.

Virbac product manager Chris Geddes MRCVS said: "We offered this book as part of a promotion in 2010 and it proved extremely popular. As a result we thought we would give vets another chance to get a free copy." 

As the Assistant Dean at the Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, Margaret V. Root Kustritz is a leading figure in feline and canine reproduction and one of the world's most renowned experts in reproduction. Mr Geddes said: "The book is based on the questions veterinary surgeons have asked her over the years, and so is a valuable reference tool for any vet."

Numbers are limited, and the book is available on on a 'first come first served' basis. Anyone interested should either contact their territory manager or call Virbac on 01359 243243.

Dechra Veterinary Products has published a new series of video presentations about the diagnosis and treatment of canine hypoadrenocorticism to help veterinary surgeons who are prescribing Zycortal for the condition.

The six videos, which were recorded by Dechra's technical team, range in length from 10 minutes to 37 minutes.

Episode one describes the pathophysiology of Addison’s disease, different types of Addison’s disease and helps veterinary surgeons recognise the common clinical presentations of chronic hypoadrenocorticism.

Episode two examines the similarities in clinical presentation between hypoadrenocorticism and other disease processes.

The third episode looks at the changes commonly seen in the haematology, biochemistry and urinalysis of Addison’s patients. This section also covers how to perform and interpret hormone testing with the knowledge of the common causes of false positive results.

The fourth looks at a clinical presentation of an acute Addisonian crisis and best practice for emergency treatment of these patients, as well as the transfer of an acute patient onto maintenance treatment with Zycortal.

The final two films explore the treatment and monitoring of a patient on Zycortal and how to switch existing Addisonian patients from fludrocortisone acetate to Zycortal. It also documents the help which is available for those more complex cases.

Dechra Brand Manager Craig Sankey said: "These short films are an important support tool for any veterinary professional who is treating patients with hypoadrenocorticism or who may be presented with cases in their practice.

"Addison’s disease can be very hard to diagnose as it mimics so many other illnesses and we hope these presentations will give insights into a complex disease. The introduction of Zycortal has been a vital development in the treatment of the disease and we hope the new resources will be beneficial to veterinary professionals."

The presentations complement resources that Dechra has already produced for dog owners, including a website -www.myaddisonsdog.co.uk - which provides information and resources to help dog owners understand the condition and monitor their pet's progress.

Mrs Jill Nute has been invested as president of the RCVS at the AGM and Awards Day, held on 4th July in London.

Mrs Nute graduated from Liverpool University in 1970 and initially assisted in mixed practice in the Lake District, Droitwich and Leominster. In 1976, she established a mixed practice with her husband Geoff, a fellow Liverpool graduate, in Wadebridge, Cornwall. 

The practice is now an eight-veterinary surgeon concern, a veterinary nurse Training Practice, an RCVS Accredited Tier 2 Small Animal General Practice and Farm Animal General Practice, and an equine practice accredited to Tier 1; it is also a Meat Hygiene Service approved contractor. 

Mrs Nute has been an RCVS Council member since 1993, serving on all of its committees. She has chaired many of these committees and additional working parties, including the Advisory and Public Affairs Committees. She served on the Officer team as Treasurer for three years, from 1996-1999, and is currently Chairman of the Practice Standards Group. Spending several years on the Councils of the British Veterinary Association and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons (SPVS), she was elected President of SPVS in 1991.

RCVS Day also brought other changes to the RCVS Officer team: Dr Bob Moore, outgoing President, became Senior Vice-President, and Professor Sandy Trees took up the role of Junior Vice-President. 

Professor Sheila Crispin stood down as Senior Vice-President, with Dr Moore commenting that: “The veterinary profession is privileged to have such a knowledgeable and committed advocate.”

Retiring Council members included David McDowell, Debby Reynolds, Neil Smith and Wendy Harrison. New lay observer to the Preliminary Investigation Committee, Catherine Harvey, will replace retiring observer Diane Mark. The President paid particular tribute to long-standing Council member and past-President Stephen Ware, who retires from Council but will remain active in veterinary politics as Vice-President and Treasurer of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe, he also remains Chairman of the RCVS Trust. 

As part of the AGM, newly-elected Council members Richard Stephenson, Charles Gruchy and Bertie Ellis were welcomed. A fourth new member, Catherine Goldie, was not present. It was also announced that Professor Michael Herrtage and Professor Duncan Maskell have been reappointed for further four-year periods by the University of Cambridge, and Professor Sandy Tress has been reappointed for the same term by the University of Liverpool.

Dot Creighton was re-elected to the Veterinary Nurses Council and Katherine Kissick was elected for the first time. New lay member Penelope Swindlehurst and appointed veterinary surgeon Helen Torrington were also welcomed to the VN Council and the President thanked retiring VN Council members Diane Guinan, Donna Hunter and Neil Smith.

President Dr Bob Moore conferred a range of awards, including an Honorary Associateship upon Petplan and Petplan Trust founders Mrs Patsy Bloom and Mr David Simpson who, he said, have had a “remarkable effect on the veterinary profession, animals and their owners.” 

Honorary Associateship was also awarded to Mr Geoff Davies, who has dedicated his 30-year career at the University of Bristol Veterinary School to the training, support and development of future veterinary surgeons. He has also served as a valued member of the RCVS Extra-Mural Studies Committee for many years. “It is his enormous contribution in supporting and encouraging the students that is being recognised today,”
said Dr Moore. 

Honorary Fellowships were awarded to Mr Gary Clayton Jones, Professor Paul Flecknell and Dr Christine Gibbs, and the Dame Olga Uvarov Award, a cash prize for a researcher under the age of 40, was awarded on behalf of the RCVS Trust to Dr Harriet Smythe (in her absence)

The BSAVA has opened registration for its 2021 Congress, which is to be held online next year, from 25th –27th March.

The event will deliver more than 130 hours of CPD, including a programme of five simultaneous live streams each day. Delegates will also have opportunities to network and socialise - with peers, colleagues and experts in chat rooms and breakout sessions, and with industry partners - such as event sponsor Hill’s Pet Nutrition - in the online exhibition hall.

Live content will be delivered via 24 content modules and a library of 100 on-demand webinars will support the 80 hours of live programming. Scientific content will be available on the platform for 30 days and then available to attendees via the BSAVA library.

For the first time nursing, clinical and business topics will be blended into modules from which delegates can select the content they need.

Professor Ian Ramsey, President of the BSAVA, said: "On the clinical side, we’re covering everything from chronic pain and neurology to cardiology and orthopaedics – whatever your interests, there will be something for you."

“Most sessions in the live programme will feature two speakers, each delivering short presentations followed by a live, audience-led conversation. This new approach means delegates can explore the multi-faceted disciplines of the small animal veterinary world and see the clinical challenges from different points of view and, most importantly, join in.

“Pre-recorded webinars support the live programme, enabling delegates to dip in at their leisure. We’ve also swapped traditional lengthy notes or MCQs, with practical resources such as client handouts or flowcharts for delegates to take back to their clinics”.

Congress will also be covering an update on sustainability issues through the module titled, ‘can the profession go green?’ On the practical business front, recruitment and retention will be discussed and keynote speaker Jenny Campbell, a former Dragon on BBC’s Dragon’s Den, will be sharing her experiences as an entrepreneur and business leader.

BSAVA Congress prices start at £99 +VAT. To register, visit www.bsavaevents.com

The RCVS has announced a number of senior staff changes.

Gordon Hockey has been ratified by Council as Head of Legal Services and Registrar. This is a new role created when the post of Registrar and Secretary was split into two: Chief Executive and Secretary; and Head of Legal Services and Registrar.

Gordon, who was previously Assistant Registrar/Head of Professional Conduct, and then Acting Registrar, will have oversight responsibility for registration and professional conduct.

At the same time, Eleanor Ferguson, formerly Acting Head of Professional Conduct, has been confirmed in the position.

The post of Head of Registration has been made redundant, with a new role of Customer Experience Manager created to ensure that the customer (public and profession) journey improves across the organisation. This position will also report into Gordon Hockey.

There have been other changes on the Senior Team at the College. The post of Head of Corporate Services that had been vacant since the departure of Richard Holford last December will not be filled, and Head of Finance Corrie McCann has been promoted to the new role of Head of Operations, which will incorporate finance, corporate services (IT, mailing, reception) and facilities.

Two other posts have been made redundant: Special Projects Manager and RCVS Charitable Trust Director. A new post of Executive Director for the Trust will be developed, with a view to taking the Trust through a full strategic review. 

Chief Executive Nick Stace said: "I believe that an engaged and well-purposed team of staff, with a focus on customer service and driving improvements, lies at the heart of any successful organisation. These changes will enable the College to move into the next stage of its development towards becoming a first-rate regulator."

The changes will mean that the Senior Team is reduced from 11 people to seven, being the Chief Executive plus Heads of Legal Services, Operations, Human Resources, Education, Veterinary Nursing and Communications.

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