The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has suspended Aberdeenshire-based James Gracey from the Register for six months after he was found guilty of conduct that risked undermining procedures designed to promote  public health and animal welfare.

At the beginning of the hearing legal applications were made to rule that the whole proceedings should be stopped as an abuse of process on various grounds including the delay that had occurred in the matters being referred to the RCVS, and that there had been flaws in the original investigatory process.

There was also application that the evidence of one of the College’s witnesses should be excluded on the grounds that the witness had been convicted of bribery.

The Committee decided that the proceedings should continue but ruled that the statement and evidence of one witness should be excluded from the hearing based upon their conviction.

Mr Gracey faced five charges, all of which he was found guilty of. They were:

• that he signed a Food Chain Information form in relation to a cow without declaring that there was a conflict of interest because the cow belonged to his father and without including his and his practice’s contact details with his signature
• that he signed a Food Chain Information form in relation to a cow, also without declaring a conflict of interest or leaving sufficient contact details;
• that he signed an Emergency Slaughter form for a cow without declaring a conflict of interest as above, and that he stated that he hadn’t not administered any treatment to the cow within the previous seven days of signing the form when he himself had
• that he signed a Food Chain Information form stating that a cow was fit for travel when it was not;
• that his conduct in relation to the proven charges risked undermining public health and animal welfare, and in relation to the Emergency Slaughter Form his conduct was dishonest and misleading. 

Three other charges were found not proven and one allegation was withdrawn by the RCVS.

The Committee then considered if the proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.

In doing so it made reference to the Code of Professional Conduct and its supporting guidance, particularly in relation to the 10 Principles of Certification.

Dr Hazel Bentall MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee considered individually and cumulatively all matters it had found proved.

"It concluded that the public relies on veterinary surgeons to be honest and transparent when completing and signing forms.

"There is a public interest in being able to trust the profession to uphold high standards of probity because veterinary surgeons are trusted to play an important role in the promotion of animal health and welfare and associated human health.

"The Committee therefore concluded that cumulatively Charges 1, 2, 3 and 4 amounted to serious professional misconduct because the respondent had failed to meet the necessary high standards of honesty and transparency.

"In particular the fact that there were four separate events relating to animal welfare and public health was significant when considering what sanction to impose.”

“The Committee is satisfied that such conduct, when taken together, would be considered deplorable by other members of the profession.

"The respondent’s conduct on four occasions in respect of four animals and three conflicts of interest called into question his competence in relation to completing such forms.”

In considering the appropriate sanction for Mr Gracey, the Committee took into account both mitigating and aggravating circumstances, as well as a number of character witnesses for the respondent who highlighted his positive personal and professional qualities.

In mitigation, the Committee considered that Mr Gracey has hitherto been of good character with no previous disciplinary findings, that he had admitted some parts of the charges against him at the outset of the hearing, that he had made efforts to avoid repeating the misconduct and remediate it – this included making alternative certification arrangements for his father’s farm and taking more appropriate care with record keeping.

The Committee also acknowledged the significant lapse of time between the date of the misconduct and the hearing and the stress that had caused to Mr Gracey, as well as the insight he had shown into his misconduct.

Taking into account all the factors, the Committee decided that imposing a period of six months suspension from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons was the appropriate sanction for Mr Gracey.

Dr Bentall added: “The Committee concluded that suspension of the respondent’s registration for a period of six months was proportionate.

"The Committee considered whether a shorter period was appropriate bearing in mind the mitigating factors it had found applied in this case.

"It decided that a period of six months was proportionate and the minimum length necessary to meet the public interest balancing the seriousness of the misconduct and the mitigation.

"It decided that a shorter period of suspension would be insufficient to uphold proper standards within the profession, or to have a deterrent effect.

“The Committee was satisfied that the respondent had shown sufficient insight and efforts to remediate his misconduct and it concluded that at the end of this period of suspension he would not pose a further risk to animal welfare or public health.

"The Committee considered that the respondent was a valued veterinary surgeon with extensive farm animal experience and that a more severe sanction such as removal from the RCVS Register would not properly reflect the Committee’s findings on the scale of dishonesty and would not take account of the respondent’s mitigation.”

www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary  

Noel Fitzpatrick of Channel 4 Supervet fame has been presented with an award by Guinness World Records after performing the world's first double 'bionic' leg implant on a cat. 

The procedure, which was carried out on a cat called Oscar in 2009, was also the first time such implants had been placed into a moving joint.

The award was presented to Noel by Craig Glenday, Editor In Chief of Guinness World Records, at the London Pet Show.

Noel said: "The Guinness Book of Records was the first book I ever had, so receiving this award is a real honour! I'm very humbled, you're only as good as your next operation - you only ever think about providing hope to pets and their owners and doing your best. To be able to help them through the toughest times and see pets like Oscar make a full recovery is the most rewarding feeling and I'm thrilled that the work we carry out at Fitzpatrick Referrals has been recognised by Guinness World Records."

The RCVS Disciplinary Committee has struck off a Wiltshire-based veterinary surgeon for charges relating to tuberculin (TB) testing on cattle that he undertook and certified at four farms during June and July of 2010.

At the end of the ten-day hearing, the Disciplinary Committee found Sorin Dinu Chelemen guilty of 32 charges relating to his work as an Official Veterinarian (OV) for Animal Health, while employed as a locum at Endell Veterinary Group, Salisbury. Mr Chelemen, who represented himself at the hearing, disputed all of the charges. He also said he had had poor knowledge and comprehension of written and spoken English at the time, which had since improved.

Mr Chelemen gave the Committee detailed accounts of what he said occurred in relation to the TB testing at all four farms. However, in almost all the points where the facts were denied, the Committee found a stark divergence between his evidence and that given by witnesses for the College.

The Committee was generally unimpressed by Mr Chelemen's account of events, finding many of his allegations and explanations for his actions to be incredible or unreliable. For example, he claimed that during his Animal Health training, he had not been given a copy of the 'Manual of Procedures' containing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for TB testing. Although the Committee accepted Mr Chelemen's English had been poor at the time, leading to communication problems, he had satisfactorily demonstrated that he knew how to perform TB tests in accordance with these SOPs when he started work at the practice. Overall, the Committee found Mr Chelemen's attitude was that he had not done anything wrong and nothing was his fault, and that he had little understanding of the professional responsibilities incumbent on an OV.

By contrast, the Committee considered all the witnesses called by the College to have given clear, credible and consistent evidence. Complaints had been made about three farms that were separate and unconnected, and where the tests had been conducted on different dates. These complaints, if not identical, were very similar. The evidence was overwhelming that Mr Chelemen had not followed the SOPs when carrying out testing at three of the farms.

The Committee noted that the measurements recorded by Mr Chelemen did not show the differences which would be normally expected. Mr Chelemen had not measured the animals in accordance with the SOPs when he knew he ought to have, and he had been dishonest in certifying the tests.

When considering sanctions, the Committee found an aggravating factor was that Mr Chelemen's actions undermined procedures to prevent the spread of disease. In particular, he failed to notify the owners of animals on three farms that he had found reactors or inconclusive reactors, resulting in those animals not being isolated. Nor did he submit paperwork to Animal Health about these animals, which was a fundamental breach of his duties as an OV.

In mitigation, the Committee accepted that Mr Chelemen had no previous RCVS disciplinary findings against him; and, that the OV training he received was limited, having regard to English not being his first language and relative inexperience as a TB tester. It also took into account that this disciplinary case had been in progress for three years, his poor health and his financial and family circumstances.

Mrs Judith Webb, chairing and speaking on behalf of the Committee said: "The Committee is of the view that this is a most serious case, in which the integrity of TB testing was undermined, and animal health was put at risk, which may have resulted in the spread of disease. Furthermore, this case involves findings of dishonesty, which has been held to come at the top end of the spectrum of gravity of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."

She directed that Mr Chelemen be struck off the Register.

Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health is now supplying Cepravin dry cow antibiotic treatment in a new 'flexi-cap' tube which offers two ways of infusing the product into the cows' teats.

According to the company, the new cap is easier to remove and can be quickly flicked off with a fingernail, whilst the shorter, thinner nozzle option may reduce the chances of damaging the teat canal and teat end. Farmers can be assured that administering Cepravin dry cow therapy with a shorter, thinner nozzle still delivers the antibiotic where it needs to be, and at the correct dose.

Jennifer O'Connor, vet adviser at Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health said: "The teat canal is a vital barrier to infection. A gentle infusion technique is essential to avoid causing damage, reducing its ability to close properly and form a keratin plug to help keep infection out. We are delighted to be introducing an innovative development for one of the UK's most widely used dry cow tubes."

Zoetis has announced the launch of Simparica, a once-monthly oral medication for the treatment of flea, tick and mite infestations in dogs beginning at eight weeks of age.

The company says the new product, which comes in the form of a tasty chewable tablet, acts quickly and provides continuous protection for 35 days without losing efficacy at the end of the month.

Simparica is effective against both Ctenocephalides felis and Ctenocephalides canis flea infestations in dogs.² It starts to kill fleas quickly within three hours³ and continues to kill fleas for at least 35 days², making it suitable as part of a treatment strategy for Flea Allergic Dermatitis.

The product also protects dogs against infestations with the most common ticks found to infest dogs in Europe^2,4, including  Dermacentor reticulatus, the species associated with the disease babesiosis, which has recently been reported in the UK. It’s also the only treatment for Ixodes hexagonus, one of the most prevalent ticks in the UK. The killing effect against Ixodes ricinus starts within 8 hours after a single oral administration and over 96% are killed within 24 hours.⁴

Zoetis says Simparica is also effective against Rhipicephalus sanguineus, and Sarcoptes scabiei, and that laboratory evidence shows efficacy for Demodex Canis and Otodectes Cynotis. 

Zoetis believes that Simparica’s ability to provide continuous protection up to and beyond the monthly treatment period is very important for pet owners. Sixty three per cent of owners confess to giving flea and tick treatment later than when it was due, with the median being  5 days late.¹ Simparica gives vets and forgetful pet owners the peace of mind of extended duration of activity helping to minimise the potential risk of protection gaps. 

Ned Flaxman, companion animal business unit director at Zoetis said: "With Simparica, we bring to the market an advanced parasiticide solution, helping to deliver improved client and pet owner satisfaction. The chewable tablets are easy to administer and readily accepted by dogs. But more importantly, Simparica helps vets and dog owners minimise the potential risk of protection gaps, as it acts very fast to kill fleas and ticks and performs for at least 35 days without losing efficacy — well beyond the monthly treatment period.

"With its rapid onset, robust duration of activity and very good safety profile, Simparica is the only oral isoxazoline indicated for four species of ticks in Europe including Ixodes hexagonus and the two species of fleas, dogs are most frequently infested with. Unlike most treatments, Simparica protects from both types of ectoparasites for the same duration."

For more information please speak to your account manager or contact customer support on 0854 300 8034.

The RCVS has published a report of the Veterinary Workforce Summit 2021, which includes potential solutions to the workforce crisis that were discussed at the event.

The Veterinary Workforce Summit was held last November, when 80 stakeholders from independent and corporate practices, veterinary schools, charities, government, the food hygiene sector, species associations and industry bodies came together to look at how the profession could address the workforce crisis. 

Prior to the Summit, preliminary research was carried out to assess the profession's views on the workforce crisis and how it was affecting them.

Based on findings from the preliminary research, six themes around the issue of workforce shortages were identified and used to structure the discussions of the day.

These were: readiness for work; work-life balance; workplace culture; client interactions; career development; and return to work.

The day was opened by Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive, who focused on the issues underpinning the workforce crisis:

• ‘Recruitment’; despite the number of vet schools and the annual number of veterinary graduates, there are still not enough vets and vet nurses to fill the demand for veterinary services.
• ‘Retention’; high numbers of vets and vet nurses are leaving the profession every year, with many citing unsociable working hours and stress, among other factors.
• ‘Return’; there are significant numbers of vets and vet nurses who had left the profession who could potentially return to it but maybe feel that the culture of the profession may prevent them from doing so.

Later in the day, delegates were divided into groups and asked to develop ideas and pitch a solution to a problem the sector is facing.

Some of the solutions that the professions might use to address the key workforce issues which came out of the pitches included:

• Rebrand the GP role (for both vets and vet nurses) to emphasise its benefits and rewards, which will encourage people to choose general practice as an active career choice that they wished to pursue long term.
• Develop ways for practices to prioritise workload and to ensure that people’s skills are maximised. This could include developing legislation that allows nurses to take on greater responsibility and developing efficiency models which focus on delegation and outsourcing rather than working longer hours.
• Introduce a compulsory curriculum for developing interpersonal, leadership and personal skills to be considered as important as mandatory CPD. This could be achieved through developing a workplace charter and identifying leaders with a passion for personal progression who could spearhead the initiative.
• Create a compulsory communications skills programme which would be introduced in a sustainable way.
• Introduce a professions-wide career framework to help everyone in the veterinary team achieve job satisfaction at the time they wanted it, at a salary that recognised their value and met their needs.
• Create a flexible back-to-work package of support to help them return to the veterinary professions after leaving the Register.

Kate Richards, RCVS President, said: “Although the issues affecting the UK veterinary sector aren’t new, they have been exacerbated over the past few years by factors outside of the sector’s control.

"We know that putting in place solutions to address and solve the issues that the veterinary sector is facing will take time.

"We want to reiterate that the Summit was the first, albeit an incredibly important, first step in co-creating innovative solutions to workforce shortages.

"I look forward to working collaboratively with our veterinary colleagues from across the professions to bring the workforce action plan to life and work on the solutions that come out of it.”

The RCVS says the next steps from the Summit are to consider the feasibility of the suggested solutions and integrate those that seem likely to deliver effective results into an action plan, alongside other activities that are already underway.

The College says it is open to hearing additional ideas for the professions and encourages anyone who has suggestions to get in touch with Sophie Rogers, ViVet Manager, on s.rogers@rcvs.org.uk

The full Workforce Summit report can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications

The BSAVA has published the third edition of the BSAVA Guide to Procedures in Small Animal Practice, updated with new video content.

Four new procedures have been added: cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS), and wet-to-dry dressings.

The new video content, access to which is included with the printed book, has been designed as a ‘go to’ resource to reference prior to performing a procedure.  

Nick Bexfield, one of the editors of the new edition, said: “We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed.”

Print copies are available through the BSAVA store, you can also access the digital version in the BSAVA Library.

Prices are £45.50 for BSAVA members; £70.00 for non-members.

Merial Animal Health has launched Allevinix, a flunixin-based non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) pain killer for cattle, pigs and horses.

Victoria Hudson, Product Manager for Merial Animal Health said: "We have positioned Allevinix as the flexible flunixin that meets your needs, because it offers flexibility in every area.

"It is the only flunixin licensed for both intramuscular and intravenous administration in cattle and we know that this will be very welcome for many vets and farmers. It can be used across cattle, pigs and horses, and it is the first injectable NSAID to come in a durable, non-breakable bottle."

Merial says Allevinix is fast-acting against inflammation, pain and fever, reaching peak plasma levels approximately 30 minutes after injection. It is available in 100ml and 250ml PET bottles and joins Ketofen as part of a range of NSAIDs available from Merial. It can also be used in conjunction with Merial's antimicrobial treatment for calf pneumonia - Zactran.

Victoria added: "We believe that vets will find this is a useful and innovative addition to the range of options that they have in terms of NSAIDs. Allevinix has a number of advantages over other flunixin products currently on the market."

VetSurgeon.org and Improve Veterinary Practice are this week hosting a Clinical Article Club session where all vets are invited to put questions to Mike Farrell, a locum orthopaedic veterinary surgeon and an RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, about his article: 'The cause and consequences of patella luxation in dogs'.

Mike is also the creator of the non-profit educational resource, VetLessons, a YouTube channel which contains open-access animations and decision aids which are very popular with busy veterinary professionals and anxious companion animal owners. Subscribe for free at: http://www.youtube.com/vetlessons 

For those new to the Clinical Article Club, every two weeks we pick an article in Veterinary Practice and invite the author to join us on VetSurgeon.org, so that you can ask questions and discuss the subject with one another. 

As a bonus, you can claim time spent reading or participating in the discussion towards your annual CPD requirement (press the claim CPD button at the top right of the question thread). 

To take part in this session, first read Mike's article here: https://www.veterinary-practice.com/article/patellar-luxation-dogs.

Then come and post your questions or discussion points here: https://www.vetsurgeon.org/001/veterinary-clinical/small-animal/orthopaedics/f/discussions/30632/clinical-article-club---patella-luxation-in-dogs

The British Veterinary Association has cautioned against any changes to the duration or dosage of antibiotic prescriptions, following the publication of an article in the British Medical Journal which questioned currently accepted guidelines that patients should always complete a course of antibiotics.

The rationale for completing a course of antibiotics has always been to prevent the growth of drug-resistant bacteria. However, the article says there is little evidence to support this idea, and that in fact, taking antibiotics for longer than necessary presents a greater risk of causing antibiotic resistance.

Responding to article, BVA Junior Vice President John Fishwick said: "We're very aware of the global threat antimicrobial resistance poses to human and animal health, and the UK veterinary profession is committed to the responsible use of antibiotics. Medicines should never be used to compensate for poor husbandry practices and routine habitual prophylactic use in healthy animals to prevent disease is a no-go.

"The article in the BMJ suggests that antibiotics should be used for as short a period as possible, and that we should move away from the concept of following a predetermined course. This may indeed be a very important advance, but it is far too early to determine how this would work in veterinary practice. We need to clearly establish the evidence supporting it.

"We support the researchers’ calls for clinical trials to determine the most effective strategies for antibiotic treatment. Until further studies are conducted, it is too early to change the way we prescribe medicines and vets should continue to prescribe as previously, only when necessary. It is also vital that clients continue to follow the directions given by their vets, both in terms of dosage and duration of treatment, carefully."

Virbac has launched Trilotab, the first chewable, flavoured and divisible trilostane tablet to treat Cushing’s syndrome in dogs.

Trilotab is licensed for the treatment of pituitary-dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) caused by an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-secreting pituitary adenoma, which accounts for 85% of spontaneous cases of Cushing’s, and for the treatment of adreno-dependent hyperadrenocorticism (ADH) caused by a cortisol-secreting adrenocortical tumour (ACT), which accounts for the remaining 15% of spontaneous cases¹.

The new tablet is divisible into halves and quarters to facilitate dose adjustment and make administration easier.

Divided tablets remain stable outside of the blister packaging until the next dose is due, thereby avoiding wastage.

Trilotab tablets are chewable and chicken-flavoured to help improve treatment compliance.

They contain hydrolysed chicken flavouring so they can be prescribed for pets allergic to chicken.

Trilotab is administered once daily with food with a starting dose of 2mg trilostane/kg bodyweight. 

The new tabs are available in three presentations: 10mg, 30mg, and 60mg presentations, which Virbac says should help practices reduce their dispensary stockholding.

Andrew Connolly, Marketing Director – UK & Ireland at Virbac, said: ‘The complex nature of Cushing’s syndrome in dogs can make it a challenging condition to manage for both the clinician and the pet owner.

"With the requirement for lifelong treatment, it is our hope that Trilotab’s easy administration and simplified dosing protocols will genuinely help to improve the lives of dogs affected by the disease, whilst making the clinician and pet owner’s lives just a little bit easier too!"

Reference

1. Sanders, K., Kooistra, H.S. and Galac, S. (2018) Treating Canine Cushing’s Syndrome: Current Options and Future Prospects. The Veterinary Journal, 241, 42-51

The Privy Council has partially upheld and partially dismissed an appeal submitted to it by Dr Gerhard Schulze Allen against a decision by the Disciplinary Committee in January 2018 to have him removed from the Register.

The Disciplinary Committee had found Dr Schulze Allen guilty of four charges, namely that he had been convicted of the criminal offence of petty theft in the US which rendered him unfit to practise, and that on three subsequent occasions, twice to the RCVS and once to a notary in California, dishonestly represented that he had no criminal convictions. 

Following the DC hearing, Dr Schulze Allen submitted an appeal to the Privy Council. The basis of his appeal revolved around whether, under Californian law, his conviction for petty theft was a conviction for a criminal offence or an infraction, and whether an infraction under US law was a criminal offence.

The RCVS had argued that while the theft is not a criminal felony in California, it would be considered so under English law. 

However, the Board of the Privy Council which heard the appeal – comprising Lords Wilson, Carnwath and Lloyd-Jones, found the College had not proven beyond all reasonable doubt that Dr Schulze Allen was convicted of a criminal offence under Californian law. It therefore upheld his appeal against the DC’s finding that he had committed a criminal offence.

The Privy Council then considered Dr Schulze Allen’s appeal against the third and fourth of the charges against him - that he was dishonest in his representations to the College that he did not have a ‘criminal’ conviction and did not have a ‘criminal record’. The Privy Council found that, since the conviction for petty theft was an infraction, and was not a criminal offence and did not leave Dr Schulze Allen with a criminal record, then, strictly speaking, his representations to the RCVS were not false and so upheld his appeal against these two charges.

The Privy Council then considered Dr Schulze Allen’s appeal against the College’s second charge against him. This charge was that he had, in a written application for restoration to the Register, represented that he did not have any cautions, criminal convictions or "adverse findings". The College argued that he still had a responsibility to make a full and frank disclosure about his infraction, even if it did not meet the threshold of ‘criminal’ under Californian law. 

The Board of the Privy Council said it had, on Dr Schulze Allen’s behalf, done its best to identify some argument that his conviction for a petty theft infraction did not amount to an "adverse finding", but failed. Rather, it found that "the conviction obviously amounted to an adverse finding." 

The Board added that "there is no material by reference to which the Board [of the Privy Council] can depart from the [Disciplinary] Committee’s conclusion that, in answering “no” to that question, he knew that his answer was untrue. In other words, his denial was dishonest."

The Board therefore allowed the appeal against the DC’s conclusion on the first, third and fourth charges. But it dismissed the appeal against its conclusion on the second charge, namely that in that regard Dr Schulze Allen had been guilty of disgraceful conduct in a professional respect."

The Board then set aside the original sanction, that Dr Schulze Allen be removed from the Register, and tasked the Committee with identifying the appropriate sanction in relation to the second charge.

The Disciplinary Committee will now hold a further hearing to decide the sanction, at some time in the future. In the meantime Dr Schulze Allen remains on the Register of Veterinary Surgeons.

North Downs Specialists Referrals in Surrey, has appointed Emily Jeanes, an EBVS European Specialist in Veterinary Ophthalmology, and Vim Kumaratunga, an RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Veterinary Ophthalmology to its team.

Emily graduated from the University of Liverpool in 2013, then spent three years working in small animal practice.

Having developed a keen interest in ophthalmology, Emily began studying for the BSAVA postgraduate certificate in ophthalmology, then moved to the Animal Health Trust in Suffolk to complete a specialist internship in veterinary ophthalmology.

She then pursued her specialist residency training at the Royal Veterinary College in London and became a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Ophthalmology earlier this year.

She said: “I have a particular interest in microsurgery, particularly corneal and lens surgery, while I also enjoy feline ophthalmology and am interested in uveitis and glaucoma.”

Vim graduated from the University of Bristol in 2005 and spent seven years in a first opinion small animal, mixed and exotics practice in Bristol, gaining his RCVS certificate in veterinary ophthalmology in 2012.

He qualified as an advanced practitioner since 2015, working solely as an ophthalmologist at large private referral hospitals before embarking on a European College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists (ECVO) residency programme at Langford Vets, University of Bristol, in 2019.

He completed his final year of residency training and Master of Veterinary Medicine degree at the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) in August and is due to sit the ECVO certifying board exams next spring.

Vim said: “I always knew I wanted to become an ophthalmologist, even before I started vet school! It’s a wonderful opportunity to join the NDSR ophthalmology team. 

“I’m interested in all areas of ophthalmology and across all species. I have a particular interest in feline ophthalmology, infectious keratitis, ocular manifestations of systemic disease and wildlife/exotics species ophthalmology.

“I’m also passionate about teaching and mentoring junior vets and undergraduate students. I’ve been the veterinary intern mentor or director for more than 40 interns over the years and I hope to get involved with NDSR’s renowned internship programme.”

Vim will also be doing one day a week working at Southfields Veterinary Specialists at its recently-opened Basildon hospital.

www.ndsr.co.uk