The Disciplinary Committee of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has refused an application for restoration to the RCVS Register from a Kent-based former veterinary surgeon struck off in 1994 for disregarding basic hygiene at his professional premises and failing to properly maintain a Controlled Drugs Register or patient records.
In June 1994, the Committee found that Mr Warwick John Seymour-Hamilton, at that time the only veterinary surgeon practising at premises at 9 Orchard Grove, Orpington, Kent, was guilty of disgraceful professional conduct and should have his name removed from the Register. The state and condition of the premises were found to be such as to risk the health and welfare of animals taken to the premises, and bring the profession into disrepute. An application made by Mr Seymour-Hamilton for restoration made in 1995 was refused.
At a restoration hearing on 18 June 2010, Mr Seymour-Hamilton told the Committee that he sought restoration to the Register because he wished to further his research work into plants with potential medicinal properties. Restoration, he said, would improve his professional status by giving him more credibility, particularly in terms of recognition by the medical and veterinary professions.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton said that he had no intention of returning to clinical practice immediately, and neither the Committee nor the College had heard of any adverse conduct by the applicant since his removal.
However, Caroline Freedman, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, noted that if Mr Seymour-Hamilton were to be restored, the Committee would have no power to prevent him from returning to general practice.
Mr Seymour-Hamilton's response to questioning by the Committee raised a number of concerns with respect to the future welfare of animals should restoration be granted. He told the Committee that he had not undertaken any relevant Continuing Professional Development in the past 15 years, and said he lacked knowledge of current relevant legislation, for example, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 and basic 'Cascade' prescribing requirements. He also said that he had not read the RCVS Guide to Professional Conduct in the past 15 years and that it would not be satisfactory for him immediately to return to general practice.
Ms Freedman said: "If the Committee were to reinstate the Applicant to the Register, it would have to be satisfied that he is competent and safe to practise immediately. The Committee has an obligation to protect the public and animal welfare and cannot simply accept his assurances that he would take steps to rectify his self-confessed shortcomings at some point in the future."
Having taken all the evidence presented into account, the Committee was not satisfied that Mr Seymour-Hamilton was fit to be restored to the Register and dismissed his application.
Eilona's is one of 50 new jobs created by the company in the last 12 months alone, across a range of positions including veterinary surgeons, nurses and client care co-ordinators.
Eilona said: "White Cross Vets has an unrivalled reputation for offering exceptional pet care, as well as being recognised as a great place to work, which really appealed to me. To become the group’s 200th employee is fantastic and I’m really looking forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead."
Tim Harrison, Managing Director of White Cross Vets, said: "Welcoming 50 new team members into the White Cross family in the last 12 months is a major coup and we’re delighted to have created a 200 strong team with Eilona’s appointment. We are already planning to expand our team further over the coming months, with three new practices due to open before the end of this year, which makes it a very exciting time for us."
Bimeda has announced the launch of a new teat seal which the company claims offers a significant return on investment and an opportunity for veterinary surgeons to prompt farmers to re-evaluate their dry cow therapy and mastitis control.
Bimeda's vet and head of technical services, Padraig Hyland MVB said: "Boviseal is proven to dramatically reduce mastitis in the 100 days post calving¹. Adding competition to the market will encourage farmers to re-assess their dry cow and mastitis strategies.
"The UK launch of Boviseal is a great opportunity for vets to raise the issue of the damage and cost of mastitis, and the potential savings by the correct use of a seal. Boviseal is the number one selling teat seal in the Republic of Ireland, with 2/3 of the Irish dairy cows sealed annually²."
Padraig says the evidence of the value from combined sealing and antibiotic therapy is all too clear when it comes to dry cow therapy. He cites a case study at Waterwheel Farm in Donegal, Ireland which delivered a 300% return on investment: "Combined therapy might sound costly but this two year study saw annual mastitis cases fall dramatically, from 26 per 100 cows to 9 per 100³.
"Defra figures indicate that mastitis is the most costly disease problem that UK dairy farmers face, with a typical case costing £175.00 4. When you compare that against the cost of treatment for the herd, there's no real counter argument in my opinion."
Boviseal contains 65% Bismuth Subnitrate. Padraig says the effectiveness of teat sealing is proven but correct administration is key: "It is important to note that the conventional practice of massaging into the udder after infusion is not employed - the teat seal must stay in the teat canal."
For details on best application practices, the company has developed a website, www.boviseal.co.uk with a video demonstration for correct infusion.
For further information, visit the website or contact Bimeda on 01248 725400.
References
Wiley has announced the joint online publication of a special issue of 22 ophthalmology papers from Equine Veterinary Journal, Equine Veterinary Education and Veterinary Ophthalmology.
Clinical equine ophthalmology: The current state of the art brings together papers on some of the most significant advances in equine clinical ophthalmology into a single issue to make them more readily available to a wider audience. The issue contains information of direct relevance to all sectors of the veterinary profession from general practitioners and specialists to researchers, surgeons and students, covering common diseases, surgical procedures and outcomes.
The new publication was devised and compiled by a panel of guest editors comprising Mary Lassaline, member of the Veterinary Ophthalmology Editorial board and Veterinary Ophthalmologist in the Department of Surgical and Radiological Sciences at UC-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, California, David A. Wilkie, Editor of Veterinary Ophthalmology and Professor at Veterinary Clinical Sciences Comparative Ophthalmology Ohio State University, Tim Mair, Editor of Equine Veterinary Education based at Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic, Kent and Celia M Marr, Editor of Equine Veterinary Journal, based at Rossdales, Newmarket.Mary Lassaline said: "The goal was to provide broad access to the most current information applicable to every stratum of the equine veterinary profession. Subsequently, a salient feature is that many of the papers included are collaborations between veterinary ophthalmologists with a special interest in horses, equine practitioners with a special interest in ophthalmology, private practitioners and those in academia, and academicians from different institutions."
Subjects covered include seven papers on new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of ulcerative and non-ulcerative keratitis in the horse. There are three articles on novel approaches to corneal surgery and a further three on corneal neoplasia. Six papers provide valuable data regarding long-term outcomes following surgical intervention for Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU), glaucoma, and cataracts. Finally, three articles present new information regarding retinal and orbital disease.
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the Equine Veterinary Journal said: "The key purpose of the EVJ is to disseminate information to help the enhancement of specialist knowledge at every level of the veterinary profession. By collating the most important and up-to-date ophthalmology research into one easy resource the new special issue does exactly that."The ophthalmology special issue is available free online at: http://bit.ly/1bi0RG0
The Veterinary Hospital and Surgery acquired the Magdalen Arms in late 2014 and started work on the conversion of the listed building in March 2015, with particular care needed to preserve original features including its Dutch gables and the falcon logo of local brewery Lacon’s, which is incorporated into the brick work.
The new hospital was officially opened at the end of February, with the Mayor of Great Yarmouth, Malcolm Bird, and local 2012 Paralympic gold medallist Jessica-Jane Applegate unveiling the plaque. More than 1,000 local people came to have a look round, many bringing their canine friends.
Clinical Director Elissa Norman said: "In recent years we had outgrown our original surgery and it started to become difficult to offer the level of service we wanted to within the space we had.
"We knew that the Magdalen Arms, in addition to being a well-known local landmark, offered all the space we needed, a central location and plenty of parking. The structure of the building made the conversion quite complex but the final result is beyond our expectations and we can’t wait to see the reaction of our clients when they bring their pets to us for the first time."
"We now have staff on site with patients 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, plenty of parking and we can offer full access for disabled clients all of which were a priority for us. The reception area is spacious and inviting, the consult rooms are well equipped and the new cat ward will create a less stressful environment for our feline patients.
"Watching this much-loved building take shape as a brand-new hospital with all the facilities we need for our patients, their owners and our staff has been special and I’m looking forward to helping it take on a different role within the community. While the building work is now finished, we have lots of plans to develop the service we offer further over the next few months."
"We are grateful to the Mayor Malcolm Bird and to Jessica-Jane for helping us celebrate the opening of the hospital and it was great to welcome so many local people and show them around as they have been so supportive during the conversion. It is clear that the building holds a strong place in many of their memories but that they are as excited as we are to see the amazing transformation that has taken place. We look forward to serving them and caring for their pets in the years ahead."
They say that they've been aware of minor interruptions to the supply of such vaccines throughout 2022.
However, a significant, pan-European logistical problem being experienced by Boehringer Ingelheim has raised the prospect of a further reduction in supplies in the coming months.
BEVA is liaising with the three vaccine manufacturers to quantify the impact of the shortage and to consider solutions, both to minimise the threat to equine health and to prevent disruption to equestrian competition.
Marc Laemmer, equine business head at Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health, said: “We are currently experiencing a European-wide supply issue relating to our equine influenza and influenza-tetanus vaccines.
"This has been caused by unexpected issues following the implementation of a technology upgrade and is not a product or quality issue.
"This means that some vet practices will have difficulty obtaining sufficient influenza vaccines and there may be a shortage in the UK market.
"We understand the importance of these vaccines to equine welfare, and we are continuing to work tirelessly to find a solution so that we can return to normal supply as soon as possible.”
Amanda Melvin, equine business manager at MSD Animal Health, said: “Based on prior demand, MSD’s equine vaccines Equilis Prequenza and Equilis Prequenza Te are in full supply.
"MSD have taken steps to protect as many horses as possible at this time.
"We will continue to supply existing customers with the available MSD stock on ‘allocation’ and, where possible, to allocate stock to additional customers. Allocations are being made to our veterinary customers based on their historical demand which we believe is the most efficient way to manage the available supplies.”
Rebecca Cabrejas, equine business unit manager at Zoetis, said: “Demand for our vaccines currently exceeds what we can supply.
"Whilst we have adequate stocks to fulfil current customers’ orders unfortunately, we are not in a position to be able to supply new customers at this time.
"We will continue to work with BEVA to limit the impact of the current shortages.”
Ceva Animal Health has launched ReprodAction, a new series of webinars to help address the problems commonly faced in bovine reproduction management.
James Husband, RCVS Specialist in Cattle Health and Reproduction, kicked off the series at the beginning of November with a live webinar for XLVet members: Assessing Fertility Records.
His presentation, which is now accessible to all large animal vets at http//onsync.digitalsamba.comn/go/ceva/ReprodAction, explores the common pitfalls and provides practical pointers for good fertility management. He discusses the limiting factors of oestrus detection, use of the calving interval as an assessor of individual fertility performance, implications of the varied definitions of conception rates, use of milk recording organisation data and the usefulness of the 21 day in calf rate.
Each webinar in the series is presented by a leading expert and has a facility for live chat and question and answer sessions.
For further information and details of when the next ReprodAction webinar will be taking place, contact Ceva Animal Health on 01494 781510 or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Vetoquinol - makers of the NSAID Cimalgex - has announced the launch of its updated website www.CiMyDog.co.uk.
The company says the website has been developed to provide reliable online information about pain in dogs to cater for the increasing needs of pet owners and vets.
The website has two sections. The first is a pet owner focussed, educational tool which takes the visitor on a journey through the process of pain; from spotting the signs of pain all the way through to ways of relieving pain, culminating in the recommendation that the visitor seeks advice from their veterinary practice.
The second section requires registration as it contains more in depth information on the pain process and potential treatment options available, this section is for veterinary professionals only. Also on this section of the website there are many scientific abstracts related to pain and treatment with links to enable the veterinary visitor can view this peer reviewed material.
Robert Simpson, Cimalgex Product Manager said: "The internet is a very powerful tool in terms of increasing education, especially in areas such as canine pain. Unfortunately there can also be a lot of misinformation online and so we felt it was important for Vetoquinol to try and redress the balance by producing www.CiMyDog.co.uk. This can be used as a reliable and up-to-date resource by pet owners and veterinary professionals alike. -
www.CiMyDog.co.uk is a very interactive site which aims to demystify the pain treatment process, ensure pet owners look out for behavioural signs of pain and looks to improve overall canine health with assistance from their veterinary practice. We hope that this will be a valuable resource to which vets can refer their pet owners."
In June the College held a six-week consultation with the profession, asking for opinions on its proposal for an outcomes-based approach to CPD which would concentrate less on hours logged and more on interactive, reflective learning and measuring the impact that CPD has on the individual’s practice and patient health outcomes.
The proposed model for CPD had four key components: planning, doing, recording and reflecting. While an overall majority of the 3,357 people who responded to the College’s consultation agreed with the proposed changes to the CPD requirement, certain elements received less support than others. The lowest amount of support was received for the ‘reflection’ component with 35% of respondents disagreeing with it.
The RCVS Education Committee therefore decided that a pilot of a new outcomes-based approach should be held during 2017 with a group of volunteers, before making a recommendation to Council.
Professor Stephen May, who chaired the Working Group that developed the CPD proposals, said: "Because of the concern voiced by members of the profession responding to the consultation we decided that, at this stage, it would not be appropriate for the RCVS to move straight into this new way of doing CPD but that it would be more appropriate to hold a pilot. The idea is that we will explore some of the concerns around reflection and around the extra time and paperwork that people felt that a more reflective approach may lead to.
"We have taken all these comments into account and are now seeking to work with individual volunteers on this pilot. It is important to note that we are not only looking for volunteers who agree with what we are doing but also those who are apprehensive about it or even some who see it as something they do not support. We want to explore the full range of views and how we can move forward in changing our approach to CPD."
The pilot is expected to be launched in February next year and the College is now looking for volunteers who both support the proposals and have a ‘healthy scepticism’ about them. Volunteers will receive help and support throughout the trial and will also be invited to attend an introductory CPD meeting at the RCVS offices in February.
If you are interested in volunteering, contact Jenny Soreskog-Turp, RCVS CPD Officer, on cpd@rcvs.org.uk.
Further information, including the CPD Policy Working Party’s response to the consultation and the full interview with Stephen May, is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/CPDpilot.
The dispensation was originally introduced during the spring 2020 lockdown to safeguard animal health and welfare, the health and safety of the veterinary team, and public health, by allowing prescriptions to be made by veterinary surgeons without their having first physically examined the animal, subject to conditions and safeguards.
The RCVS says the Committee considered the ongoing challenges posed by Covid-19 and recognised that staff absences due to isolation requirements were still causing issues.
However, given the relaxation of the requirement to work from home in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and relaxation of restrictions generally across the UK, the Committee felt it was time to end the dispensation.
Chair of the Standards Committee, Dr Melissa Donald MRCVS, said: “The safety and wellbeing of veterinary professionals, as well as the health and welfare of the animals they care for, have remained uppermost in our minds when considering this temporary position on remote prescribing.
“We are pleased to have been able to support the professions through a very difficult time by introducing this dispensation, however, it was only ever a temporary measure and, given the relaxation of restrictions across the UK, we feel the time has come to revert to our usual guidance.
“We will continue to keep the position under review in light of any changes, including governments’ advice and regulations, as we have throughout the pandemic.”
To help veterinary practices engage with pet owners and help them understand the importance of eye health, TVM has produced a range of free educational materials including waiting room displays, informative web pages and social media packs.
The company has also published a page of information at www.tvm-uk.com/eyehealth – where pet owners can find out more about eye problems, how to spot them and learn what can be done about them.
Emma Hancox MRCVS, Veterinary Advisor at TVM said: "It can be easy for owners to miss the signs of problems with their pet’s eyes, but they can be extremely distressing for animals and be a sign of conditions ranging from cataracts and glaucoma through to conjunctivitis - all of which can be painful, and in the worst-case scenario, lead to blindness.
"We hope that National Pet Eye Health Awareness Week will help practices assist owners in understanding the importance of eye health and prevent more serious conditions occurring."
To request your board kit and pet owner leaflets, and download your free social media pack, visit www.tvm-uk.com/eyehealth or contact your Territory Manager.
Avid has released a new version of it's microchip registration system, which offers a significantly enhanced statistical analysis of the microchipping done at your practice.
The new MicroChip Plus section of the site is specifically for implanters, and contains the following:
Avid says the registration system, which has built-in postcode software, can now re-use more registration details, so that registering a complete litter will take less time. This is especially important when microchips are being registered for or by breeders.
Denise Chaloner, Manager at Avid said: “Avid MicroChip Plus gives our customers more control of how they manage pet microchipping within their organisation. Listening to feedback has inspired Avid to develop a more tailor-made and efficient system for the end user, also enabling the generation of reports, statistics and targets”.
Customers with supporting practice management systems may register microchips directly from their software using VetXML and VetEnvoy.
For more information contact Avid on freephone 0800 652 7 977 or email sales@avidplc.com
MSD Animal Health has launched a new Chronogest CR pack for practices starting a dialogue with sheep producer clients about planned breeding for 2013 lamb sales, and is offering a free applicator with every four packs purchased.
The Chronogest CR intra-vaginal sponges, impregnated with 20mg of cronolone (flugestone acetate) synthetic hormone, are now available in foil wrapped packs of 25. The packs protect the sponges from light and moisture.
MSD is reminding practitioners that sponging programmes must be planned at least six weeks in advance of mating, with PMSG-Intervet injections essential at sponge removal.
The new packs of 25 will be available when existing 25, 50 and 100 pack sizes sell out.
Further information on planned breeding - including newsletter copy and sheep producer advisory materials - is available from the MSD Animal Health veterinary support group (VSG) on 01908 685685 or via emailing vet-support.uk@merck.com
Three veterinary surgeons and an appointed RCVS Councillor have been awarded an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours.
Caroline Freedman, who has been appointed to Council from the University of Edinburgh since 2005, received a British Empire Medal for services to animal welfare in Edinburgh. Caroline will be officially retiring from Council at RCVS Day on Friday 11 July but will remain as a lay member of the Practice Standards Group - the coordinating body for the Practice Standards Scheme.
Three veterinary surgeons were also awarded OBEs in the Queen's Birthday Honours. Sarah Cleaveland, Professor of Comparative Epidemiology at the University of Glasgow, was honoured for her contribution to veterinary epidemiology. Robert Houston, former Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland, was recognised for services to veterinary science in the country and Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, the Scientific Director of the Moredun Research Institute and Chief Executive of the Moredun Foundation, was honoured for services to animal health and science.
RCVS President Colonel Neil Smith said: "I am delighted to see these very deserving people from the veterinary world receive their due recognition in this year's Birthday Honours.
"During her time on Council Caroline has provided a greatly valued lay perspective on the veterinary issues of the day and I am pleased that she will continue to give her valuable insight to the organisation through the Practice Standards Group.
"Professor Cleaveland is our guest speaker at this year's RCVS Day where she will be speaking about her vital work in tackling zoonotic diseases on an international basis, so I am delighted to see that her contribution to human and animal health is being recognised.
"In addition, Bert Houston and Professor Fitzpatrick have contributed a great deal to both the veterinary profession and animal welfare in UK, with the latter being a member of our former Research Subcommittee."
The publicly supported Dog Control Bill moves a step closer towards changing dangerous dog legislation for good as it reaches Report Stage in the House of Lords today.
Over 10,000 people signed up to support it and animal welfare organisations and charities throughout the UK are backing it; Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill would replace the widely criticised Dangerous Dogs Act (1991), by targeting the inappropriate behaviour of any dog, and more importantly the owners of such dogs, to reduce the occurrence of serious dog incidents, rather than continuing to demonise specific breeds or types.
The Bill is championed by the Dangerous Dogs Act Study Group (DDASG), a wide-ranging group representing animal welfare, local authorities and veterinary professional organisations who have been actively involved in resolving the inadequacies of the current 'dangerous dog' legislation for many years.
The DDASG considers that the Dangerous Dogs Act needs to be overhauled to better protect the public and that a new dog control regime which emphasises responsible dog ownership should be introduced.
DDASG Chairman Chris Laurence said: "We have had considerable input into the Dog Control Bill and are confident that the Bill takes huge steps towards changing the manner in which owners of dogs that are out of control will be dealt with; the emphasis being on the prevention of dog bites."
The Report Stage of the Dog Control Bill is listed as the first item of business in the House of Lords on this morning and comes as Defra's public consultation on dangerous dogs shows further support for this approach with 71% of respondents calling for breed specific legislation to be repealed.
In support of the Bill, the DDASG launched a petition which has received over 10,000 signatures. The petition can be found at http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/repeal-and-replace-the-dangerous-dogs-act.html. The DDASG has also been working with other major stakeholders including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and will be issuing a joint briefing to government tomorrow, entitled 'Finding solutions to irresponsible dog ownership' which outlines where urgent action must be taken in existing dog legislation to improve huge inadequacies within the law.
Subject to the Bill passing the Report Stage, the Third Reading will take place after summer recess before moving to the House of Commons for further consideration. For more information on the DDASG, Lord Redesdale's Dog Control Bill and current legislation, visit http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/928.
The European Commission has agreed with the BSAVA and BVA that controls must be maintained to keep the UK free from the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, and adopted a regulation that will permit pre-movement treatment for dogs travelling to listed Member States (i.e. the UK, Ireland, Finland and Malta).
In June Defra announced that the UK's derogation from European pet travel rules, which allows additional protection for the UK against rabies, ticks and tapeworms, would end on 31 December 2011. The movement rules on rabies and ticks will now be harmonised with the rest of Europe.
However, due to the significant public health risk posed by Echinococcus multilocularis, the BVA and BSAVA (working with Defra, the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe [FVE] and colleagues in Veterinary Ireland) continued to lobby the European Commission for controls on tapeworms to be maintained.
The regulation will ensure that a dog must be treated by a veterinary surgeon 24 to 120 hours (1-5 days) before entering one of the listed countries.
The BVA and BSAVA say they made a scientific case for a treatment window of 24-48 hours, but accept that the Commission had to find a compromise that would assist pet owners travelling during national holidays.
Harvey Locke, President of the BVA said: "This has been a long process but the BVA and BSAVA put forward the strong scientific case for the UK to maintain tapeworm controls and we are delighted that the European Commission has adopted this resolution.
"In our role as guardians of public health, vets were deeply concerned that the removal of tapeworm controls would see the introduction of EM to the UK and Ireland.
"Although relatively benign in dogs, the resulting disease in humans - alveolar echinococcosis - is an invasive, cancer-like cystic stage of the parasite, and is invariably fatal if not treated.
"The next stage of our lobbying will be to ensure that Member States and MEPs from across Europe support the UK's case for the additional controls."
Andrew Ash, President of BSAVA said: "Echinococcus multilocularis is a significant public health threat and we have worked hard to ensure the European Commission understands the potential impact of allowing this zoonotic disease to enter our country.
"The BVA and BSAVA will continue to promote the best possible health and welfare advice for pet owners taking their animals abroad. Our advice to owners is to speak to a vet as early as possible to make sure pets are protected from all diseases and parasites encountered abroad."
The Royal Veterinary College is calling for dogs diagnosed with osteoarthritis to take part in a revolutionary study in which their movement will be monitored by a state-of-the-art recorder.
The recorder (pictured right), which is attached to the dog's collar, uses miniaturised sensors based on those found in smart phones. It can distinguish between different activities independent of the dog's location, allowing constant recording of movement in the dog's home environment, to complement the traditional clinical assessments carried out as part of the trial.
The study is being carried out to assess the efficacy of the joint mobility supplement Yumove in reducing the clinical signs of osteoarthritis. This will be the first time that the real effect of a joint supplement has been measured.
Dr. John Howie, co-founder of Lintbells, the company that makes Yumove, said: "This is the first time the real effect of a joint supplement has been measured and it will be a very fast trial. Yumove is a supplement that has been specifically formulated to include glucosamine, chondroitin and Omega 3 from green-lipped mussel, which all work together to increase joint mobility and provide an anti-inflammatory effect."
The research is being led by Dr Matthew Pead the RVC's Academic Director of Professional Assessment and Development. He said: "The results of this study will have important clinical implications for the understanding and treatment of canine OA, with the ultimate aim of advancing the treatment of this difficult and degenerative disease for the benefit of many thousands of dogs."
Any veterinary surgeon with a patient in their practice that might benefit from this study is invited to refer them. Further details are available the Clinical Investigation Centre at the Royal Veterinary College - email cic@rvc.ac.uk or phone 01707 666605.
Henry Schein Inc. has announced an agreement to acquire RxWorks Inc., the veterinary practice management software provider.
Founded in 1988 and with headquarters in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, RxWorks has 68 team members and an installed base of more than 1,500 veterinary clinics in 19 countries worldwide (primarily Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the Netherlands).
Henry Schein says RxWorks will become part of it's Global Animal Health Practice Solutions business, led by its current management team.
Stanley M. Bergman, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Schein, Inc. said: "RxWorks has an excellent reputation for helping veterinarians increase practice efficiency and improve quality health care through its innovative practice management software solutions.
"The addition of RxWorks further strengthens our growing practice management software solutions business, which helps deepen relationships in the regions served by RxWorks with our animal health customers, including large corporate customers. The addition of RxWorks will nicely complement our expanding animal health technology businesses. We look forward to welcoming our new colleagues from RxWorks to Henry Schein."
Nathan Basha, Chairman of RxWorks said: "RxWorks software is designed to facilitate consistency of patient care, enable practice growth, achieve enhanced profitability and optimize professional time, all the while improving the quality of life for patients. Aligning with Henry Schein, a global company committed to serving animal health professionals and bringing innovation to the marketplace, allows RxWorks to provide even further value to customers while expanding industry reach."
Henry Schein says it expects the acquisition to close in the second half of January 2016. Financial details and terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The study, Urinary incontinence in bitches under primary veterinary care in England: prevalence and risk factors, which will be published in the Journal of Small Animal Practice, also found that other factors such as weight, neuter status and age also play key roles.
The authors hope that the study findings will provide an evidence base that allows veterinary surgeons to enhance their clinical recommendations for higher risk bitches.
The study was based on a population of 100,397 bitches attending 119 veterinary clinics across England. The main findings included:
The study also gave evidence on the welfare impact from urinary incontinence. Almost half of cases (45.6%) received medical therapy for the condition. In addition, of the bitches that died during the study period, urinary incontinence was recorded as either contributory or the main reason for death in 16.7 % of these deaths.
RVC veterinary epidemiologist and VetCompass researcher Dr Dan O’Neill said: "This urinary incontinence study has uncovered dramatic breed predispositions that have previously been hidden to vets and owners.
"Overall, about 3% of bitches were affected but this rose to over 30% in the Irish Setter and over 20% in the Dobermann with many other breeds also predisposed.
"Vets can now use these results to alert owners to typical clinical signs in order to ensure earlier treatment and better outcomes. The study also suggests increased risk in heavier and neutered bitches.
"Following on from this study, a VetCompass Masters project supported by BSAVA PetSavers is working to unravel these associations in order to identify potential preventive strategies, especially in those highly predisposed breeds."
The paper is available in Early View on Wiley Online Library ahead of publication in the JSAP at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jsap.12731/full
Reference
Photo: ©Diane Peace Collection / The Kennel Club
The talk, by Stephanie Sorrell, Director of The Mindful Vet, will provide insights and tips on how to support staff, promote wellbeing and reduce the stigma associated with mental health in the workplace.
Hillary Noyes, Hill’s Veterinary Affairs Manager, UK & Republic of Ireland said: “Following an unprecedented two years the veterinary profession is still hugely affected by the pandemic with long working hours and limited staff leading to burnout and increased stress for many. “We hope this webinar will raise awareness of this prevalent issue, highlight the importance of burnout awareness and produce valuable insights into recognising the early signs, so that practices are equipped to tackle the crisis.”
To register for the webinar, visit: https://veterinarywebinars.com/register/hills/prevent-and-manage-burnout/
The publication of the guide follows a study of vet professionals published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery which revealed that the main barriers to blood pressure measurement are a lack of time (72.8%) and situational hypertension (92%)1.
Vet professionals also thought the main barrier for owners was cost (80%) whilst the least problematic aspect is the longer consultation needed to accommodate a blood pressure measurement (48.8%).
The guide has been written to address these concerns and empower vet nurses to run nurse-led clinics for older pets.
Written by RVN, Beth Kirwan, the guide provides information on the benefits of vet nurse-led senior pet clinics, which can either be free or paid, together with hints and tips on how to get started and promotion.
The guide also covers the importance of a senior health-check questionnaire, tips on preparing and setting up a clinic, a 10-point health check providing guidance on what should be covered and information on additional senior pet tests that can be carried out, such as blood pressure checks for senior cats aged seven years or older to help identify feline hypertension.
Beth said: "I was really excited to be asked by Ceva to create this resource for veterinary nurses and grateful for the opportunity to share my experiences and knowledge.
"I have been a nurse for over 22 years, and I am passionate about making our nurses feel valued in practice.
"Nurse clinics are a really good way to do this, but I feel that setting up a senior nurse clinic service in a practice creates so much value in many ways and for every member of the practice, from the receptionists to the vets.
"Our RVNs are the stars of the show with senior nurse clinics; they bring so much experience, care and compassion and are a great reflection of our practice values.
"They often have the time that the vets don't have and will go home knowing they made a difference to a pet and an owner, or a family.
"Veterinary nurses can help identify disease early, support the owners with home adaptations or new medicine regimes.
"They can also educate the clients in senior and super senior care as our pets are living longer and provide quality of life and end of life support.
"The benefits are huge; as well as a financial benefit support like this will bond clients to a practice for life.
"We are all businesses, but we need to be caring businesses.
"I hope the guide provides inspiration to many nurses and empowers them to set up a new service or helps them to improve their current one."
Dr Sarah Caney, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine who led the study said: “Our recent survey had more VN participants than vets, showing just how enthusiastic and engaged nurses are when it comes to assessing blood pressure in cats.
"Owners very much appreciate nurse clinics and I’m delighted to hear that there is a new senior pet clinics guide to support nurses in setting up and running successful clinics.”
https://easethepressure.co.uk/feline-senior-health-clinics
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has produced bookmarks for accredited practices to give clients, which explain the RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS).
Lizzie Lockett, Head of the RCVS Communications Department said: "A key part of the PSS is helping practices explain their accreditation to clients - and the bookmarks are a simple and eye-catching promotional tool for this. We hope they will have the advantage over conventional leaflets of being kept, and used, by clients, meaning the accredited-practice message is more likely to be taken on board. Although many people are using e-books these days, the traditional book - and bookmark - still has a place."
All accredited practices may order a free sample of 100 bookmarks, and a further 400 free bookmarks are available to practices recently renewing or receiving accreditation. More bookmarks may also be ordered from the RCVS, as well as the new accredited-practice logos. To find out more, or download an order form, practices can visit www.rcvs.org.uk/PSSpromo.
The College’s PDP is a period of structured self-assessment, reflection and development designed to help veterinary graduates in the transition from life as a veterinary student to clinical practice.
During the PDP (which normally lasts no more than three years after the graduate enters clinical practice), graduates are supported by a Postgraduate Dean and are expected to keep a record of their clinical cases against a list of clinical skills and procedures, and reflect on how they are progressing in relation to the PDP Competences.
In 2016 BSAVA launched its online PDP Resource Bank, matched to the RCVS competences and created to provide BSAVA graduate members with CPD support during their first years in practice.
The research project, which is being conducted across the whole profession, aims to:
The RCVS and the BSAVA have now appointed the Work Psychology Group, to undertake the research. The research team also includes Professor Susan Rhind, from the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, and Professor Liz Mossop of the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham.
Christine Warman, Director of Education at the RCVS, said: "Since its launch in 2007 the PDP has had some success in helping graduates in the transition into practice life, but we recognise that there is some frustration and uncertainty with the process and that not everyone finds it helpful.
"So we are very pleased to be joining forces with the BSAVA on this project and hope it will help us get a better sense of how both graduates and employers feel about the PDP, where obstacles to learning and development exist, potential gaps in support provision and common areas of confusion, anxiety and concern."
Sheldon Middleton, BSAVA Honorary Treasurer and board sponsor of the BSAVA’s PDP Resource, said: "BSAVA recognised the gap in provision of support material for the professional skills element of the PDP and created the PDP Resource Bank to plug this gap for our members. We worked with the RCVS to match the resources to the structure of the PDP but also recognised that there was a need for support for employers of new graduates as well. The PDP Resource Bank is growing and has a dedicated editorial board reviewing material for inclusion. This research project will allow us to tailor our resource further and ensure our members are able to access the support they need.”
The research will be conducted across the whole veterinary profession through focus groups and telephone interviews and will include graduates, employers, vet school representatives, Postgraduate Deans, and BSAVA and British Veterinary Association (BVA) representatives. The results of the research will ultimately be made publicly available across the profession, together with recommendations for the further development of the PDP.
For more information about the PDP, visit www.rcvs.org.uk/pdp. You can find the BSAVA’s PDP Resource Bank at https://www.bsava.com/Education/PDP
Vetoquinol has announced that the vouchers it provides as part of the Epiphen practice support package for monitoring and management of serum levels of phenobarbital will now be provided directly from the veterinary wholesaler and sent with each order.
One or two vouchers are provided with the 30ml and 60ml packs respectively. The vouchers come complete with a pre-paid envelope in which to send samples directly to the laboratory. Each test is valued at £19.80
For further information, contact your local Vetoquinol Territory Manager.
The Westpoint Group has announced the divestiture of its small animal and equine veterinary practices in order to focus on production animal health and welfare.
From now, the production animal business - which includes veterinary practices providing services to pig, poultry, dairy, beef, sheep, game bird producers and small holders - will be known under the umbrella brand of Origin.
The company says that excellence and innovation in client service will continue to be the focus throughout the organisation.
Matt Dobbs, Managing Director of Origin said: "Origin is committed to supporting livestock farmers to enhance production by improving health and welfare. We have a unique group of vets, researchers, lab techs and paraprofessionals passionate about the success of UK agriculture, with other businesses committed to supporting the industry, joining us through the autumn.
"By focusing on supporting farmers, we will become a unique source of animal insight in livestock agriculture."
For more information, visit: http://www.westpointveterinarygroup.com