Voting has now opened in the 2021 elections for RCVS Council.

There are 14 candidates standing in this year’s election, including one current RCVS Council member eligible for re-election and 13 candidates not currently on Council. They are:

• Dr Louise Allum MRCVS
• Dr Danny Chambers MRCVS (incumbent)
• John Davies MRCVS
• Dr Matshidiso (Tshidi) Gardiner MRCVS
• Dr Grant Hampson MRCVS
• Elizabeth Law-Bartle MRCVS
• Dr Philip Lhermette FRCVS
• Peter Robinson MRCVS
• Dr Ian Sayers MRCVS
• Dr Huw Stacey MRCVS
• Dr Kit Sturgess FRCVS
• Dr Samantha Webster MRCVS
• Dr Colin Whiting MRCVS
• Will Wilkinson MRCVS

In 2018 changes were made to the governance arrangements of the RCVS after a Legislative Reform Order changing the size and composition of Council was passed by Parliament. The changes mean that, in most years, there will be three elected places available for the candidates. However, this year the four candidates with the most votes will be starting their four-year terms on Council. This is to ensure that elected RCVS Council members remain in the majority. 

Emails containing links to the secure election voting websites which are unique to each member of the electorate, were sent on 17 March 2021 by Civica Election Services (CES) (formerly Electoral Reform Services) which runs the election on behalf of the College.

All votes must be cast online by 5pm on Friday 23 April 2021. The small numbers of veterinary surgeons for whom the RCVS does not hold email addresses have been sent letters in the post containing instructions on how they can vote online, including contact details for CES to provide further advice.

The biographies and statements for each candidate can be found at: www.rcvs.org.uk/vetvote21.

This year the College invited RCVS Council candidates to produce a video in which they answered up to two questions submitted directly to the RCVS from members of the electorate. The videos have been published on the RCVS website as well as on the RCVS YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/rcvsvideos).

Merial has announced the launch of Nexus (http://merialnexus.co.uk), a new online information resource which offers large animal vets and Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs) CPD training modules, webinars, technical articles, product information, marketing tools and support materials. 

Victoria Hudson, Marketing Manager for Merial’s Large Animal Portfolio said: "We know that it can be difficult for busy vets and SQPs to find the time to attend CPD sessions in the evenings. Our new Nexus online portal gives access to resources and training modules that can help vets and SQPs stay up-to-date with the latest thinking, best practice, and enhance their knowledge in the field of large animal health at a time that suits them.

"Merial is committed to providing high quality Continuing Professional Development (CPD); bringing the knowledge, expertise and experience which backs up our well-known brands online, to help support professional development."

The Nexus portal includes a range of online courses and modules aimed at SQPS in particular, participation in which can earn AMTRA points. The company says it will be adding further CPD throughout the year, including AMTRA accredited courses.

Merial is offering the chance to win £200 in Amazon vouchers to eligible individuals who register at merialnexus.co.uk from now until the 22nd April 2016.

Vetbytes, the point-of-care clinical support tool, has added a 'latest updates' feature to its emergency and critical care app, allowing veterinary professionals to see condensed summaries of the most recently published papers relevant to ECC.

Zoë Coker, a co-founder of VETbytes alongside Bronwen Eastwood, said: "This new feature will allow users to access real-time updates to the app so they can be assured they are following the most up-to-date clinical guidance."

The app, which was launched in partnership with the BSAVA earlier this year, covers more than 100 topics and includes other features such as drug (and CRI) calculators, a quick reference section and links to hundreds of source abstracts, as well as CPD accreditation for reflective learning.

It is available at a discount to BSAVA members and free to veterinary students.

BSAVA President Professor Ian Ramsey said: “The latest addition to the app advances our joint goal with VETbytes, to provide the latest practical, accessible, evidence-based resources for the small animal veterinary community.”

To view the ‘latest updates’ feed: https://vetbytes.co.uk/latest-updates.

For more information, visit: www.vetbytes.co.uk.

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.

Fort Dodge (makers of Equest equine worming brands, and Deosect), is launching a new Equine Parasites Reference Manual.

The manual, which is supported by AHDA, AMTRA and BEVA, is billed as 'an objective and comprehensive reference guide covering endoparasites and ectoparasites and their control, as well as offering prescribing tips, a glossary of terms and reference sources'.

Fort Dodge has produced the manual to provide an ‘all in one’ guide to support veterinary professionals and Suitably Qualified People (SQPs) involved in prescribing equine parasite treatments. It brings together, in an A5 spiral bound booklet, all the information they may need on the full range of licensed veterinary medicines to control equine parasites of concern in the UK. It will be launched at BETA (17-19 February at the NEC).

For further information about the manual (or to get a copy), please contact Fort Dodge on 01489 781711.

Medivet is celebrating two milestones this month: 30 years in the profession and its 200th veterinary practice.

The company, which has added over 50 practices to the business this year alone, puts its success down to the group's family feel, and the 'hub and spoke' model it operates.

Arnold Levy, CEO at Medivet, said: "There are lots of things that have led to us being in the position we are now: our wonderful team and partners across the country, our passion for offering the best treatment, and the opportunities we offer vets wanting to run and own their practice."

"Much of that stems from our unique hub and spoke model. Without it, we wouldn’t be where we are – it really is central to all we do."

Medivet’s hub and spoke model is comprised of nine 24-hour centres (hubs) located around the UK with state-of-the-art facilities. The rest of the Medivet group consists of an integrated network of practices, or 'spokes'. 

Medivet says the model allows smaller branches to offer pet owners services that otherwise wouldn’t be possible – referrals or specialist diagnostics, for example, can be passed on to another nearby practice or the bigger 'hub' if needs be.

Alison Jones heads up Medivet’s 200^th practice in Gloucester and celebrated the opening in October with the practice team and other senior partners from Medivet.

Alison said: "The vast expertise in both the clinical and management fields that Medivet has to offer can take a huge strain off a busy practitioner. In addition, the inter-site communications, along with help via the Support Centre from a team of specialists in areas such as health and safety, employment law and marketing means each clinic can still operate as a local practice, but has the back-up of the whole Medivet team when needed.

"I have been impressed by how even the managers have not forgotten what it means to be a practising veterinary surgeon and have not lost their compassion for animals or passion for our profession. I feel I am working with people 'like me' and that makes me feel secure and understood."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The RCVS has announced that it has joined forces with the Doctors’ Support Network (DSN) to launch the ‘&me’ campaign which aims to tackle mental health stigma in the health professions by encouraging prominent members to speak out about their own experiences.

The campaign was officially launched at an event at the Palace of Westminster sponsored by Kevan Jones MP (Labour, North Durham) who has spoken about his own experiences with depression, and featured first-hand testimonials from senior veterinary surgeons and doctors who have experienced mental ill-health.

‘&me’ is a collaboration between the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative, which seeks to address mental health and wellbeing issues within the veterinary profession, and the Doctors’ Support Network, which provides peer support for doctors and medical students with mental health concerns.

Introducing the campaign, Mr Jones said: "The key message I have today in regards to mental health is talking about it and trying to get it out of the dark corners rather than it being something you are ashamed to talk about. That is how we get people to help themselves with their own condition and to seek help. The other key thing is not to write people off if they have a mental illness."

The floor was then opened to personal stories from those who have lived experience of mental ill-health. Dr Louise Freeman is Vice-Chair of the Doctors’ Support Network and was diagnosed with depression in 2009 as a result of the way in which her return to work was handled after having time off work as an emergency medicine consultant following a bereavement.

She said: "This experience made me think that doctors with mental health problems were in a small minority and that it was probably our own fault anyway. Both impressions are completely wrong. The incidence of mental health problems is one in four people in any one year and is actually higher for doctors, who are often slower to seek help than non-medics. The good news is that well supported doctors have excellent treatment outcomes.

"During my own return to work, I was told by my clinical lead that they had 'always thought that I was a mental health problem waiting to happen.' I think this says more about them than it did about me! On reflection, yes that was true, but only inasmuch as this applies to all of us during our lives.

"I hope that the ‘&me’ campaign can start to address this by encouraging senior healthcare professionals, who are currently well, but have experienced mental health problems, to disclose that they have 'been there themselves'. I think that this will help to normalise mental ill health for healthcare professionals and therefore remove some of the barriers to unwell professionals seeking help at an earlier stage. Overall this would be better for healthcare professionals, their colleagues and their patients."

David Bartram, Director of Outcomes Research for the international operations of the largest global animal health company and a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' governing Council, spoke next. He gave his perspective on coming to terms with a mental health condition in a profession that has some stigma attached to it.

A number of years ago David attempted suicide following the breakup of his marriage and explains what happened from there: "I just thought I was stressed – after all, who wouldn’t be in those circumstances? But in fact I was becoming progressively more unwell. What started as worry, early waking and palpitations – which I recognised – led to patterns of thinking which I did not recognise as being disordered. I felt trapped and worthless – suicide was the only escape. From a medical perspective, my biological, social and psychological risk factors had converged and tipped me into major depression.

"That was the first of multiple suicide attempts and several prolonged stays in hospital. Over a three-year period I spent 12 months as a psychiatric inpatient. I was treated with antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, talking therapies and electroconvulsive therapy.

"But now thankfully I am well – and I have been for 14 years…. To what do I attribute my recovery? A mixture of medical treatment, psychological therapies, supportive friends and family, rest and time – they all contributed, probably in similar measure." 

He added that while his episode of mental ill-health does not define him it has changed him in a positive way and that no one is immune from it.

Dr Jonathan Richardson is Group Medical Director for Community Services at the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust who had a mental health condition when he was a medical student and spoke about how it is possible to flourish in your career with a mental health diagnosis.

"I was unwell as a teenager with a physical illness and later as a medical student with a mental illness… these two experiences crystallised my drive to become a doctor and my own approach to healthcare. I wanted to be able to deliver the care that I was fortunate to receive. I wanted to be as patient-centred and compassionate with the patients I would serve, in the same way as the teams who delivered my care. I was lucky to have support when I was unwell from very good friends, some from school and some from university; and a very close family. I have been able to recover.

"It is 24 years since my mental illness. I now work in Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, one of the largest mental and learning disability health trusts in England – and one of only two to be rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission…. I do not feel that my illnesses have stopped me."

Dr Angelika Luehrs is the chair of the Doctors’ Support Network and a consultant psychiatrist who was diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder while she was a trainee psychiatrist. She said: “When I asked for advice about how to access help one of the answer I got was one of ‘whatever you do, make sure that you don't have any mental illness in your medical records otherwise you will never go anywhere in your medical career. However, getting the diagnosis and help from a Consultant Psychiatrist was the best thing that ever happened.”

She added: "The reality is that my diagnosis has not stopped me – I have been a consultant psychiatrist since 2010 with the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, last year I was appointed as medical lead for West Wiltshire including early intervention, intensive services and primary care liaison services.  I have a special interest in supporting doctors with mental illness and I am delighted to be appointed by the newly launched GP Health Service as a special advisor for complex mental health cases."

The last speaker was veterinary surgeon Neil Smith who chairs the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative and outlined how to participate in the campaign. He said: "This event is just the start… the real challenge is to start to get this message out to the wider professions. Stigma is a difficult thing to tackle, but the good news is that changing our minds is within the power of every individual to do." 

Following the launch the ‘&me’ campaign is now encouraging other senior health professionals to step forward and talk about their own experiences with mental ill-health, especially as both medical doctors and veterinary surgeons have higher suicide rates than the general population but often have more reluctance to seek help because of the impact it may have on their career.

The campaign is interested in hearing from not only doctors and veterinary surgeons but also nurses, veterinary nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals who want to open up about their experiences of mental ill-health. To participate in the campaign email Dr Louise Freeman on vicechair@dsn.org.uk.

Further information about the ‘&me’ campaign can be found at www.vetmindmatters.org/&me

RCVS President, Dr Jerry Davies, has committed to prioritise the establishment of a new Audit and Risk Committee, following publication of the recommendations of a report into two overspends at the College.

Earlier this year, outgoing President Peter Jinman had announced that a review would be carried out into the circumstances that led to higher-than-expected expenditure on the College's new database and building development works in the Lower Ground Floor at Belgravia House.

The RCVS Officer team asked Professor Bill McKelvey - a member of the College's Governance Review Group - and two of the College's Privy Council-appointed Council members to look at all aspects that related to its budgeting and expenditure process of those projects, and propose lessons that should be learned.

Dr Davies said: "That such a review was required is regretted, but I would like to thank Professor McKelvey, Richard Davis and Judith Webb for their diligence in this work. Their recommendations will be a very helpful addition to the work that is currently underway to ensure corporate governance is fit for purpose and, in particular, that the management of capital projects within the College is optimised."

The full Overspend Report (one sentence was redacted on legal advice) was considered by Council at its meeting on 3 November. Council agreed that the recommendations should be made public. The College is currently seeking further legal advice on whether it is proper for the report to be made available under the Freedom of Information Act.

Dr Davies added: "The recommendations of the report are under consideration by a group of five past Presidents, together with Richard Davis and Judith Webb as lay members of Council, under the Chairmanship of Peter Jinman, and their proposals will be considered by Council in due course.

"The recommendation that an Audit and Risk Committee be set up will be prioritised, as this was highlighted as an imperative. Other related activities, such as the development of a protocol for the management of major projects, had already been put in place by Officers prior to the overspend review."

Regarding the two projects at the heart of the report, the College says building work in the Lower Ground Floor at Belgravia House has been complete for some time and the new rooms and their facilities are being used, particularly when Disciplinary Committee hearings render much of the rest of the building out of bounds. The new data management system is also in use and an external consultant is currently looking at the work that has been carried out so far, and will make recommendations for the future.

"Meanwhile, although there are many lessons to be learned from the report, it's business as usual in terms of bringing to a conclusion many of our important ongoing initiatives, such as the introduction of the new Code of Professional Conduct, the consultations on the recommendations of the Specialisation Working Party and a draft Performance Protocol, and, of course, the ongoing work of the Disciplinary and Preliminary Investigation Committees," said Dr Davies.

The recommendations of the report, which were adopted by Council, can be downloaded from www.rcvs.org.uk/McKelvey.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The RCVS has launched a new digital learning platform, with free-to-access interactive CPD-qualifying courses for veterinary professionals.

Called the RCVS Academy, the new platform offers training in the following areas:

• Leadership and coaching
• Working in the UK
• Ownership and consent
• Resolving complaints
• CPD recording and reflecting

The College says the content has been developed in partnership with members of the profession to make sure it meets the needs of the veterinary team, including new graduates and registrants, and those who have been in the profession for many years.

Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, said: “As part of our ambition to be a compassionate regulator, we would like to ensure that all veterinary professionals have access to learning resources that will help them meet the standards set by their peers on RCVS Council.

"We’re aware of the pressures that veterinary professions are facing and the Academy has been built to respond to changing learning needs.

“The learning resources available on the platform have been designed to help vet teams develop their understanding of the RCVS professional guidelines and also how they can apply them in their everyday role. "

https://academy.rcvs.org.uk/

A new study carried out to look at the efficacy of spinosad (Comfortis) in cats has shown that they can acquire a flea infestation even when kept in a controlled laboratory environment. 

The study was conducted on a laboratory colony of 15 cats that had been kept strictly indoors for at least a year, four of which had presented to the dermatology clinics of the Small Animal Hospital of the Toulouse Veterinary School, two with miliary dermatitis lesions and two with symmetrical alopecia.

Further investigation revealed that despite these animals having been confined to quarters for so long, adult Ctenocephalides felis and flea dirt were found on coat brushing. 

All the cats were then combed meticulously twice at the start of the study using an extra fine comb and fleas counted before being replaced on each cat. In total 60 fleas were counted. On the cats showing no lesions there was an average of 5.2 fleas per cat and on the cats exhibiting flea allergy dermatitis it was less than one. Two of these cats had no fleas on them, probably due to excessive grooming caused by pruritus.

Spinosad was found to be 100% effective, with no adult fleas found on any cat from day 15 of the study through to day 90.

The cats with skin lesions were assessed for pruritus levels using the SCORFAD system, an extent and severity scale for feline hypersensitivity dermatitis. The SCORFAD value rapidly decreased throughout the study and achieved 98% reduction by day 90. The skin lesions in the flea allergic cats completely resolved during this time without the use of any other flea control or the use of anti-inflammatory products on the cats.

Researchers Maria-Christine Cadiergues and Charline Pressanti from Toulouse Veterinary School also noted a greater level of palatability than previously reported in clinical trials and there were no side effects in any of the cats.

Reviewing the study, David Grant MBE BVetMed CertSAD FRCVS said: "This study confirms that indoor cats, even in a tightly controlled laboratory environment, can still acquire an infestation of fleas. These can be brought in on the clothes of owners of cats if they have been in the garden, for example, particularly in the summer. 

"In addition, flea allergic cats may have few fleas on them due to excessive grooming caused by pruritus, and it is often very difficult to persuade owners of the diagnosis, even more so with indoor cats. This study provides precise data to support the above statement.

"This study also demonstrates that spinosad can be used as a stand-alone treatment for mild to moderate flea infestation in an indoor environment without the need for environmental insecticides or anti-inflammatory treatment of the cats. This would be a major consideration for many cat owners." 

Reference

1. Marie-Christine Cadiergues and Charline Pressanti, "Efficacy of Spinosad Tablets Administered to a Colony of 15 Indoor Cats Naturally Infested with Fleas," ISRN Veterinary Science, vol. 2014, Article ID 484308, 4 pages, 2014.doi:10.1155/2014/484308

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: A dog with hyperadrenocortism, courtesy Professor Ian Ramsey