The event will include empowering talks by Vet Empowered founders Katie Ford and Claire Grigson MsRCVS.
Expert guests include Aoife Smith, an ex-RVN and psychotherapist, Chloé Hannigan from VetYogi and Jo Kelly, a registered veterinary nurse and accredited nutritional therapist.
There'll be hands-on workshops and immersive activities aimed at challenging comfort zones, fostering connections, and cultivating a mindset of growth and empowerment.
The organisers say Vet Empowered Live also offers the chance to connect with like-minded professionals, share experiences, and build a supportive community of peers committed to personal and professional growth.
Katie said: "We're thrilled to bring Vet Empowered Live to life and provide veterinary professionals with a unique opportunity to invest in their personal development.
"Our mission is to empower individuals to unlock their full potential, overcome obstacles, and create fulfilling careers on their own terms.
"We are passionate about providing a safe and inspiring space to do this."
Tickets cost £150 and include six hours of CPD and food and drink throughout the day.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/vet-empowered-live-confidence-beyond-manchester-2024-tickets-775605325407
https://www.vetempowered.com
Luisa (pictured left) said: “We want to further understand the research topics and questions that UK vets believe are most critical to improving veterinary care and advancing the veterinary profession.
“We are particularly interested in the topics, issues and questions that vets think scientific evidence would help when practicing veterinary medicine, whether specific to their role or the entire profession.
"It’s vitally important to highlight potential research gaps, so we can ensure clinical studies have the greatest possible impact to help improve outcomes for our patients.”
The survey will be conducted in two parts.
The first survey will close in early March, with the second survey circulated in April for three months.
The results will be published in an online, open access peer-reviewed journal.
Survey: https://bit.ly/4ko3utN
The National Association of Veterinary Physiotherapists (NAVP) is calling for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) to establish an independent register of veterinary physiotherapy practitioners. According to the Association, such a register would eliminate individuals practicing without proper training and qualifications and raise the standard of veterinary physiotherapy by providing a disciplinary role.
NAVP President and leading veterinary anatomist Dr Sue Kempson is heading the NAVP campaign for the establishment of an independent register. In a letter to the President of the RCVS, Dr Kempson said: "Recognition by the veterinary profession of the role of physiotherapy in post-operative rehabilitation and in supporting both companion and performance animals is growing. However, we do believe that referring veterinary surgeons are increasingly faced with a dilemma caused by the wide differential between qualifications offered by the various organisations representing practitioners in areas such as physiotherapy. There is an urgent need for a distinction to be made between these different types of qualification. To this end, there should be a clearly defined independent register of practitioners with appropriately validated qualifications which are clearly understood by the veterinary profession."
In partnership with Harper Adams University College, the NAVP has introduced a fully-validated post-graduate course in veterinary physiotherapy which offers a choice of Post-Graduate Diploma or Masters Degree. Only one other professional body, the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Animal Therapy (ACPAT) currently offers a similar qualification at this level.
Dr Kempson said: "The establishment of a register of physiotherapists would greatly assist vets and their clients to make informed decisions on their choice of therapist. It would eliminate those individuals without proper training and qualifications and help raise the standard of veterinary physiotherapy by providing a disciplinary role. At present there are no sanctions on those people practicing without the necessary qualifications or those whose work is sub-standard or who are guilty of professional misconduct.
"We do not believe that such a register should rest with any individual professional body or be affiliated to specific educational courses. To have authority, it requires independence and a register held under the auspices of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons would carry the credibility that the veterinary profession requires."
Harvey Locke has been elected President of the British Veterinary Association, and Carl Padgett its President-Elect for 2010/2011. The ceremony took place during the Annual General Meeting of the BVA at the close of its Annual Congress, held in Glasgow.
A small animal practitioner in Stockport, Harvey has veterinary science in his blood: when he qualified from Liverpool University in 1969 he became the fourth consecutive generation of vets in his family. His great grandfather was President of the RCVS one hundred years ago in 1910/11 and his grandfather was President of the RCVS in 1934/35. His daughter and his niece have both recently graduated from Liverpool to join the profession as the fifth consecutive generation.
Harvey has been actively and continuously involved in veterinary politics for 24 years and is a former President of the British Small Animal Veterinary Association and Vice President of the Union of European Veterinary Practitioners.
In his inaugural speech, he said: "We live in rapidly changing times and as a traditional profession we must strive to keep up. As the professional body I believe the BVA should always be one step ahead and that is why I have chosen 'Vets in a changing world' as the theme for my presidential year.
"From the internal changes to BVA Council to the new Coalition Government; from the prospect of a new Veterinary Surgeons Act to the impact of global climate change and the increasingly free movement of people and animals; we sit in the midst of enormous fluctuation. Each element brings its own challenges and opportunities."
Carl Padgett is a former president of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) and currently chairman of Trustees of the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation. He has been involved in veterinary politics for the last 15 years.
Carl said: "My representative roles for BCVA and subsequently BVA have enabled me to understand and realise my true interest in the veterinary profession: ensuring the profession has a voice and our place in society is valued.
"Our multi-disciplinary education and training places the profession in a unique position; representing the welfare and health of animals committed to our care, protecting the consumer in terms of food safety and ensuring food security at national and international levels by working within the agricultural world. Vets are not just part of the leisure industry making animals better; we fill a much wider role in underpinning society and its contact with animals at all levels.
"I am proud and honoured to become part of the BVA Officer team."
The London Vet Show, which takes place on Thursday 19th November and Friday 20th November at the Olympia Grand, has announced the business programme for 2015.
The programme will include:
Rob Chapman, group event director of the London Vet Show and France Vet said: "The business programme at the London Vet Show has gone from strength to strength with a plethora of informative lectures from top class industry leaders. The informative content includes hints and tips that veterinary professionals can utilise in practice to help enhance their veterinary teams, increase profits and develop their business.”
For further information on the business programme at the London Vet Show or to register for the show visit londonvetshow.co.uk/business.
The BVA Animal Welfare Foundation has announced the availability of an updated version of its A3 poultry poster designed to assist veterinary surgeons identify diseases in free-range birds.
Based on information compiled by Victoria Roberts, Honorary Veterinary Surgeon to The Poultry Club, the BVA says the poster provides an invaluable source of information on diseases affecting exhibition chickens, hens, ducks, geese, turkeys, ornamental waterfowl, quail, ornamental pheasants, guinea fowl and peacocks.
The poster details the symptoms of different diseases, the cause, treatment and species affected as well as sections covering common problems and some causes, common diseases by age and life expectancy for the various bird species. A separate highlighted box contains useful tips for veterinary surgeons to pass on to their clients.
Copies of the poster have been circulated to BVA members as an insert in this week’s Veterinary Record. For further copies (free of charge) please ring 020 7636 6541 and ask for the BVA AWF or email bva-awf@bva.co.uk stating your name and postal address, and quoting AWF Poultry Poster.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica is giving veterinary practices the chance to offer cat owners a free 3ml pack of Metacam to trial treatment in cats with chronic pain.
Boehringer says each free Metacam pack will provide up to seven days' pain relief to an average-sized arthritic cat, and that it comes in an easy-to-administer cat friendly syringe for accurate dosing. The company also points towards a study which demonstrates that Metacam is highly palatable in 95% of cats1.
To qualify for the offer, veterinary surgeons have to fill in a redemption form logging five new cases. The offer is limited to 25 free bottles per practice. Replacement stock will be sent via your usual veterinary wholesaler. In addition, all completed forms will be entered into a prize draw to win one of six copies of the textbook 'Feline Orthopedics'
According to Boehringer, it is estimated that up to 90% of older cats (over 12 years of age) have radiographic evidence of degenerative joint disease2. However, cats may be more restrained than dogs in the way they react to chronic OA pain, and subtle behaviour changes can be a sign that cats are suffering from chronic pain3.
For further information on Metacam and the 3ml trial pack offer, contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica territory manager or telephone 01344 746959.
References
ProteqFlu, the live attenuated canarypox equine influenza (EI) vaccine, has had its shelf life extended from 27 to 36 months.
Merial says the increased shelf life is the result of ongoing investment in vaccine research & development, and that the new data underpins the stability of modified live vaccine technology.
Merial highlights that ProteqFlu is the only equine flu vaccine in Europe to include the updated American clade 1 Ohio/03 strain in accordance with the OIE recommendations (2004).
MSD says the Summer Staycation campaign is designed to support the needs of new dog owners and those taking their dogs to areas outside their local region, where parasites risks will be different.
The campaign offers veterinary practices a range of resources, including client emails, a downloadable guide to parasites, social media posts and an interactive risk checker on the Keeping Britain's Pets Healthy website. There is also some training for front of house staff and receptionists at https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/cpd/staycation.
Nicola Barclay, Senior Product Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "Summer holidays will be taking a different form this year with most people planning trips in the UK, making it more likely they will take their pets.
"What's important is that seasoned and new owners alike are aware of the parasite risks in the places they're visiting so they aren't putting the health of their pets at risk.
"We're therefore providing a range of resources to help veterinary practices encourage pet owners to make sure there are no breaks in their parasite protection and vaccinations and that they are appropriately protected for the places they'll be visiting."
Dr Ian Wright, Head of ESCCAP UK & Ireland added: "The research findings from The Big Tick Project in 2015 found that 1 in 3 dogs coming into veterinary practices during the summer months had ticks on them.
"Research is also showing many parasites extending their range with an increased risk of human and pet exposure. Warming temperatures mean that ticks can be encountered all year round in the UK, carrying potentially dangerous pathogens to dogs and people including Lyme disease and Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV).
"With so many new dog owners and people being more likely to holiday in the UK, making sure dog owners understand the risks, while keeping them in proportion, and giving appropriate protection advice is vital.''
For more information, contact your MSD Animal Health account manager.
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association has established a new Foundation with a remit to improve global companion animal care through science and education.
The WSAVA Foundation, a not-for-profit body, is now identifying a range of potential projects, which it says are likely to include:
It is also identifying sources of funding, grants and partnerships with the veterinary pharmaceutical and pet nutrition sectors and other potential donors.
Dr Larry Dee, WSAVA Foundation President, former WSAVA President and co-owner of a large companion animal practice in Florida, said: "The creation of this new Foundation is one of the WSAVA's most exciting initiatives to date. We have an ambitious vision to improve global companion animal care through science and education.
With its establishment, global veterinary medicine now has a wonderful opportunity to utilize the networking resources and global 'connectivity' of WSAVA to deliver on its goal of improving companion care everywhere. We will be announcing details of our first initiatives shortly."
For further information on the WSAVA Foundation, please contact the WSAVA Secretariat at wsavasecretariat@gmail.com.
Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica has launched a new Canikur Pro website - www.canikurpro.co.uk - to provide pet owners with advice on digestive upset and offer a quick reference guide to using Canikur Pro.
The site offers information about the common causes of digestive upset, including dietary indiscretions, stress due to a change in circumstances and underlying gut problems.
The site also contains information about how Canikur Pro works, how to give the product and where to buy it, plus tips for supporting the recovery of a dog's gut health such as providing a constant supply of fresh water, offering a bland diet and providing access to outside areas to reduce accidents.
In addition, the site contains a 'veterinary only' area where veterinary professionals can download client materials.
The BVA has announced that from 2013, its annual Congress will take place at the London Vet Show.
The association says that the move is being done to bring together political debate and clinical CPD on a large scale and to ensure that the BVA can reach an even wider audience with its representative and educational services.
The BVA and the Vet Show teamed up last year at London Vet Show 2011 to announce the launch of the BVA Careers Fair, which will be hosted at this year's London Vet Show on 15-16 November, and the start of a partnership that would ensure discounted Vet Show rates for BVA members.
2013 will also see two new clinical streams added to the London Vet Show programme creating a comprehensive CPD event for vets in small and mixed practice. Cattle and equine streams for mixed practitioners will be delivered by the BVA to run alongside the popular companion animal stream provided by the Royal Veterinary College.
The partnership will also see substantial discounts being offered to BVA members.
BVA President Carl Padgett said: "BVA's number one value is that our members are at the heart of everything we do. We know that members require good value, high quality and relevant CPD and we believe that our new partnership with the London Vet Show offers the best opportunity for us to provide members with exactly what they want.
"It's a significant move for BVA but one that makes complete sense. From 2013 we will be bringing together the contentious issue streams that are the bedrock of BVA Congress, with a high quality clinical CPD programme covering large and small animals, and one of the biggest and best veterinary exhibitions.
"We know we haven't attracted the delegate numbers we would like to have done in recent years and by partnering with the London Vet Show we have the opportunity to reach a much greater audience. It's a very exciting step forward for BVA."
Rob Chapman, Event Director for the London Vet Show, said: "We are all delighted to be developing our relationship with the BVA. To be able to host such an established and prestigious event as the BVA Congress at the London Vet Show is an honour for the Vet Show.
"Combining the long-standing history of the BVA with the rapidly developing reputation of the Vet Show gives us a great symbiotic relationship. The new clinical content that we will be working on together will help the event and that relationship even further offering great value for both Vet Show delegates and BVA members."
The practice was officially opened by the TV presenter and newspaper columnist, Adrian Chiles, who faced a lot of criticism from the profession a couple of years ago when he wrote an article about increasing veterinary fees and upselling tactics.
Adrian said: “I have never received such a volume of correspondence to one of my newspaper columns.
"One of the people that wrote to me was Movement Director, Professor John Innes, and we had very useful subsequent discussions that made me realise I had unfairly blamed vets for the issues I had felt as a pet owner.”
The new centre is led by Mark Lowrie, Specialist veterinary neurologist, who is joined by orthopaedic surgeons, Kinley Smith and David Thomson and neurology residents, Callum Golding and Rebecca Clark.
https://www.movementvets.co.uk
Dechra Veterinary Products has launched the first in a series of 'How To' videos for pet owners which are now available online at dechra.co.uk and via youtube
In the videos, Louise O'Dwyer, Head Nurse at Petmedics in Manchester demonstrates how pet owners can complete simple tasks to look after their animals.
Carol Morgan, Product Manager at Dechra, said: "The feedback we get from vets suggests that pet owners would welcome advice and guidance on how to complete simple tasks. Many owners have a fear of getting it wrong so just don't do it. For example, when it comes to cleaning their pets ears, owners are concerned that it could be difficult to do or that they may hurt their pet. As these simple tasks are very important to the health of all pets, we decided to produce the videos as helpful tools for pet owners. They show owners what to do in easy to follow steps. By effectively carrying out these procedures, owners can also reduce the risk of their pet having problems in the future."
In addition to "How To Shampoo Your Dog" and "How To Pill A Cat", "How To Clean A Dog's Ears" and "How To Clean A Cat's Ears" will be available shortly.
Louise O'Dwyer, Head Nurse at Petmedics in Manchester, added: "To us it is quite straightforward but any of the four activities we have focused on can be quite stressful for pet owners. If anyone has ever had to give a pill to a cat, they will know how difficult this can be. The videos are simple to follow and demonstrate how to complete each task, with clear verbal instructions. We really hope this will help to overcome some of the fears and help pet owners in looking after their pets."
Incidentally, if your own practice website is short on video content, you might like to consider adding (or 'embedding') the videos on your site. Because they are hosted on youtube, it is very simple to do, even DIY.
Diverse Undertakings Ltd. has announced that it is extending its services to include support for veterinary practices in securing their RCVS Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) accreditation.
The company was originally formed to provide business advisory services to small and medium sized enterprises across a range of industry sectors. Its services range from general H.R. advice, health & safety guidance and facilities management to candidate sourcing and call-centre services.
However, with previous experience supporting a substantial veterinary practice in Kent for both employment challenges and PSS accreditation, Company Director Neal Palk decided to extend the company's capability to support other veterinary practices in securing their PSS accreditation.
He says that because the needs of each practice vary, Diverse can adapt its service to reflect both the individual circumstances relating to accreditation as well as the capability/capacity with the practice to undertake necessary tasks itself. By using a network of associates, he says Diverse can call upon other specialities (for example - competitively priced office/building equipment) to smooth the progress to accreditation.
Diverse says it offers a range of transparent pricing options to suit the client which, without the overheads of large consultancies, often result in PSS accreditation being achieved for less cost than a typical administrative temp for a month. Monthly retention fee alternatives for other services are available, beginning at £95+ VAT.
Neal said: "Several organisations offer professional services to the veterinary practice sector, but few can claim to have 'been there, done that' and really understand the climate and culture the sector operates within. Diverse Undertakings Ltd. values its experience in the sector and aims to work with other practices to achieve both accreditation and wider business success."
For more details please contact Neal on 07771 843719, e-mail: info@diverseundertakings.com, or visit: http://www/diverseundertakings.com
The RCVS President and Principal of the RVC, Professor Stuart Reid, has announced that he is to run the London Marathon on 26 April, in aid of the RVC Animal Care Trust, the Veterinary Benevolent Fund (VBF) and Mind.
The RVC Animal Care Trust will use the funds to assist the student bodies at all of the UK veterinary schools. The VBF, through Vetlife, the Vet Helpline and the Veterinary Surgeons' Health Support Programme, offers specific assistance to members of the veterinary team. Mind has been working with the profession and the veterinary schools at all levels in developing approaches to mental health and wellbeing.
Stuart said: "As President of the RCVS and Principal of the RVC I feel that I am in a privileged position and I would like to take every opportunity to help break down the stigma associated with mental health and wellbeing, and to raise what I can to assist these three excellent charities in dealing with what is, sadly, a major issue for us.
"Most of all, I am doing it for the nine people I know personally who are no longer with us, and the many more who have found, and will find, help in time."
If you'd like to help Stuart meet his sponsorship target of £10,000, you can sponsor him at: uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartReid.
Amy Bergs MRCVS, owner of The Cat Doctor in Surrey and co-founder of the new British Mobile Veterinary Association, has won a week's worth of free advertising for her practice on national TV.
The competition was run by the mobile payments company iZettle, which invited entrants to submit a 15 minute video about their business.
Amy's husband and business partner Robert put the video entry together. It was one of seven winners picked out of hundreds that iZettle said it received.
The resulting advert (below) is being shown on a number of TV channels, including Sky News, Sky Sports and Comedy Central, from today.
Amy said: "We are so excited to have won the competition. We love what we do and would like to help more cats, it’s such an amazing opportunity to share what we can offer on national television!"
watch?v=Vi8SCWcPJoo
A bad day for Egyptian veterinary surgeon Dr. Ibrahim Samaha from the University of Alexandria, who not only had the misfortune to board an aircraft that was later hijacked, but was also wrongly identified in the media as the hijacker.
Professor Samaha, who, according to Reuters, heads the department of food health at the University, later appeared on BBC Arabic to protest his innocence.
The Cyprus Ministry of Foreign Affairs later identified the real hijacker as Seif Eldin Mustafa (pictured right), about whom an official from Egypt's foreign ministry was reported to have said: "He’s not a terrorist, he’s an idiot. Terrorists are crazy but they aren’t stupid. This guy is." - though this was later denied.
Pneumonia-induced lung damage could be costing some cattle almost 74kg a year in lost lifetime growth potential with even moderate damage resulting in animals losing 39kg over an 18 month beef finishing system. These are the figures from a major collaborative study between Schering-Plough and Blade Farming, announced yesterday. They suggest that some producers may not be treating cattle pneumonia as effectively as they could. The project also highlights how better abattoir feedback can be used to improve cattle pneumonia management regimes on farm. In the study, 645 commercial beef animals from 15 units were examined at slaughter for evidence of lung damage. Data on carcase weight, age and grade were also collected to allow estimated daily live weight gains (EDLWG) to be recorded. According to project co-ordinator Paul Williams MRCVS from Schering-Plough, the research team recorded a significant level of pneumonia-induced lung damage in the slaughtered cattle. “Nearly half the cattle (48%) examined on the slaughter line had some level of lung damage. But there was also huge variation between units, with all the cattle from one particular farm having damaged lungs,” he said. The researchers also established that the extent of lung damage was strongly associated with reduced EDLWG. “The more lung lobes that are affected, the greater the potential daily liveweight gain loss and those cattle that had the most lung damage experienced a significant reduction in EDLWG of 202g per day throughout their entire lifetime. “For the animals with any degree of lung damage (310 cattle), the average reduction in weight gain over 14 months was 15kg – equivalent to a financial loss of £16.90 per animal based on a live weight price of £1.10 per kg. So the overall loss for this group of animals was potentially £5,239 – money the industry simply cannot afford to lose,” Paul Williams stressed. “In addition, those carcases with lung damage were significantly more likely to have a lower conformation grade and so receive an even lower price,” he explained. Blade Farming managing director Richard Phelps pointed out that the study had convinced him that paying closer attention to minimising pneumonia-induced lung damage could easily make some beef producers an extra £40-£50 an animal. “All the cattle we take look healthy, but I’ve been surprised at the level of undetected lung damage once the animals have been slaughtered. This lung scoring trial work in the abattoir is now helping us assess just how much lung damage diseases like pneumonia can cause. The feedback will be able to help producers reassess early stage rearing issues and be more vigilant. It’s not just grading issues that we are concerned about. Blade Farming consultant veterinary surgeon Rob Drysdale from the Westpoint Veterinary Group stressed that whilst pneumonia prevention should be the number one objective for all cattle producers, having an effective disease treatment protocol in place is increasingly vital – and particularly one that prevents permanent lung damage from occurring. He said: "Pneumonia infections can quickly damage lungs and once this happens the animal will not be able to express its full genetic potential. This means that even if the affected animal survives it is likely to have damaged lungs for the rest of its life, and this will reduce productivity and growth." T
Midlands-based veterinary surgeon Richard Hillman, who will become the new President of Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons on May 25th, has outlined the issues he'll be championing during his term of office:
The owner of Hillman Vets, a five-clinic practice based in Walsall, Lichfield, Brownhills and Darlaston, Richard is a successful businessman with numerous achievements under his belt. During the 1990s, he developed the Hillman Vets practice as well as helping to launch the first out-of-hours animal clinic in the country, Northside Emergency Veterinary Clinic in Great Barr, Birmingham, and the Birmingham-based chain of Value Vets clinics, for pet owners wanting basic services.
Passionately committed to the veterinary profession, Richard wanted to be a vet even as a child, and has described his job as “a privilege, and the enduring cornerstone of my life”.
In recent years, Richard has become an activist on issues he feels strongly about, such as the rights of animals. He has called on shoppers to buy British organic or farm assured meat because of poor welfare standards in other countries. He has also backed plans to introduce “ASBOs for dogs” in a bid to reduce the growing number of attacks by dangerous dogs on children in their homes and on members of the public.
During his year as SPVS president, Richard intends to encourage UK veterinary practitioners to play a greater campaigning role on welfare issues. “We are the best placed, most motivated, and appropriately qualified people to ensure animal welfare, the responsible use of pharmaceuticals, and food safety,” he will tell fellow vets.
Richard is excited about his presidential year and says: “This year gives me the opportunity to drive the agenda from the front to make a difference, and to work tirelessly to promote, support and represent our profession.”
Anyone unable to attend the latest in the increasingly popular BVA Animal Welfare Foundation discussion forums, held in May, can now catch up on the presentations on VETS.TV - the new web TV service currently being piloted by BVA - which can be accessed at www.vets.tv.
All the presentations, including ‘Put your money where your mouth is - can people afford animal welfare in food production', ‘Designer animals or breeding for welfare' and ‘Electric aid or shock collar' as well as the Norman Hayward Fund sponsored session - which included presentations on both the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and Edinburgh University laminitis studies and the casualty slaughter of sheep - along with the Chair of the BVA:AWF Trustees, Carl Padgett's summary of the day, are now available online to view at your convenience.
Also new on VETS.TV is an interview with Young Vet Network (YVN) senior graduate BVA Council representative, Louisa Rance who talks about the work of the YVN and how it is helping newly qualified vets with the challenges faced after leaving vet school and a series of videos, courtesy of Farmers Weekly, on Bluetongue - what it is, how it is transmitted, the symptoms and vaccination advice.
Recent changes in the way veterinary schools teach clinical and practical skills, coupled with increasing financial pressure on students and new graduates, have triggered the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to review its guidelines for Extra-Mural Studies (EMS) and clinical education.
A requirement has been in place for the last 75 years that veterinary students ‘see practice' for at least 26 weeks in their clinical years.
The purpose of EMS has always been to ensure that veterinary students have the right mix of practical and theoretical teaching and understand the realities of commercial clinical practice before they graduate. This objective does not change, but the College's Education Policy and Specialisation Committee believes it is now time to look again at what is covered in the clinical curriculum of the undergraduate degree to ensure that guidelines are kept up to date.
EMS was last reviewed in 1996, but in the interim veterinary schools have introduced new ways of teaching practical and clinical aspects of the curriculum. There has also been an increase in the role played by the veterinary schools' own first opinion practices.
In addition, having to carry out EMS not only restricts students' capacity to work during the holidays, but often incurs substantial travel and accommodation expenses. With students facing increasing amounts of debt, the financial impact of EMS needs to be reviewed.
The review group, which will be chaired by RCVS Council Member and practitioner Dr Barry Johnson, will gather evidence from a broad range of stakeholders. It aims to make a report to Council by the end of 2009.
Petlog has released the results of research to discover what dog owners know about microchipping and the upcoming change in legislation which will make chipping compulsory from 2016.
The survey was conducted amongst 1000 people in May. 46% of those that own dogs were unaware that microchipping is to become compulsory. Of the 54% that did know about the new legislation, only about 20% knew that it comes into force in 2016.
The survey revealed a surprising lack of understanding about how microchips work. 14.85% of dog owners - which would amount to more than 1M people in the UK - thought a microchip acted as a GPS device.
Half of all pet owners did not know whether the contact details on their pet's microchip record are up to date.
Petlog conducted the survey as part of National Microchipping Month which takes place this June. The awareness campaign has been running for 10 years now, to raise the profile of pet microchipping and its benefits and also to educate pet owners about how it works, the need to keep contact details up to date and how to make the most from a database.
Celia Walsom, Petlog Executive said: "Raising awareness about microchipping was our first priority when we began National Microchipping Month in 2004, but now we want to ensure pet owners fully understand exactly how the microchip works, that they need to keep their contact details up to date and of course are aware of what is happening in regards to legislation.
"Microchipping is the most popular form of permanent identification, and has reunited hundreds of thousands of pets and owners in the UK since it was introduced here over twenty years ago, and yet pet owners do not seem to fully understand how the microchip works and why it is so important to keep their contact details up to date.
"Worryingly the research found that around 12% of pet owners wrongly believe that the microchip acts as some sort of GPS device, or can stop a pet from wandering a certain distance. It is important that people understand how a microchip works so that they know how to make the most of it.
"We also need pet owners to understand that they need to keep their contact details up to date as it becomes a lot harder and slower, if possible at all, to reunite pets when contact details become outdated."
Talking about Petlog's annual campaign, Animal Welfare Minister, Lord de Mauley said: "I fully support National Microchipping Month. Campaigns like this are important in showing dog owners that microchipping is a safe, easy and quick procedure that can save owners a lot of potential heartbreak if their dogs stray. With Dogs Trust, Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, and Blue Cross all offering free microchipping, there is no excuse for dog owners not to chip their dogs before the April 2016 deadline."
To find out more about National Microchipping Month and events that are taking place in your area, visit www.nationalmicrochippingmonth.org.uk.
The company says most other providers have restrictions for older pets, commonly for dogs over the age of 8 and cats over 10. As a result, the customer often feels trapped to stay with their current insurer.
Petsure offers cover for a range of veterinary fee levels, from £1,000 to £15,000 regardless of pre-existing medical conditions. Each policy can cover a combination of up to eight cats or dogs on a single policy and gives the option of tailoring the level of cover for each pet, including the option of sharing the bill. There is also a choice of 4 add-on covers including travel and holiday cover.
There are no exclusion periods when switching from an existing insurer with like for like cover.
The company also offers 24 hour video consultations via FirstVet.
Scott Miller MRCVS said: "Every day I see pets come into my clinics with worried owners. Worrying for the wellbeing of your pet is expected but worrying about the cost of treatment should not be a concern. That's why I'm so thrilled that a product has launched to ensure our furry friends with most pre-existing conditions can be treated and pet-prejudice is no longer an issue."
For more information, visit www.petsure.com or call 03301281862.
Professor Susan Dawson (pictured right), Chair of the Mind Matters Taskforce, will introduce the event and will be followed by the symposium’s plenary speaker, Rory O’Connor, Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Glasgow and President of the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
Rory's talk: ‘When It is Darkest: Understanding Suicide Risk’ will draw upon his research and work on the psychological processes which precipitate suicidal behaviour and self-harm, an area of expertise that has seen him advise the Scottish Government, as well as other national and international organisations, on suicide prevention strategies.
The next presentation will be from Dr Victoria Crossley from the Royal Veterinary College and Navaratnam Partheeban, co-founder of the British Veterinary Ethnicity & Diversity Society (BVEDS), on their research into the mental health impact of racism and discrimination on Black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) veterinary surgeons.
They'll be followed by Professor Neil Greenberg and Dr Victoria Williamson from King’s College London, who will talk about their research into the impact of ‘moral injury’ on the mental health and wellbeing of vets.
The day will then split into different research streams with presentations on a variety of topics including: the impact of cyberbullying and harassment; the wellbeing of veterinary interns and residents; stigma and stress in veterinary nursing; mental health awareness training in the undergraduate veterinary curriculum; and the relationship between ‘patient safety culture’ and staff burnout.
Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Manager, said: “As with previous years the Mind Matters Mental Health Research Symposium promises to be a very informative and important day in terms of international researchers coming together to share their research, their conclusions, areas for further work and study, and best practice.
"Some of the topics we will be discussing, such as suicide, will be difficult, but research into issues affecting the international veterinary community is a vital first step to putting in place strategies and support mechanisms to help those in need. This is why research will be one of the key strategic priorities for the Mind Matters Initiative and our forthcoming actions in this area will be published later this year in our Mind Matters Initiative Strategic Plan.
“I would like to thank Dr Rosie Allister, a veterinary mental health researcher from the University of Edinburgh and manager of Vetlife Helpline, for putting together an excellent programme.
"As with previous years we are also offering free attendance of the symposium to those who have lived experience of mental ill-health, those who are currently not working, and veterinary and veterinary nursing students. If you have any queries about the event, please don’t hesitate to contact me on l.quigley@rcvs.org.uk to discuss further.”
Registration for those not entitled to a free ticket is £10.
To register for the event visit: www.vetmindmatters.org/events.