B&W operates an integrated practice based around a multi-disciplinary referral hospital in Breadstone, Gloucestershire, with additional clinics in Cardiff, Gloucestershire and Bristol. The group employs more than 30 veterinary surgeons, including seven diploma holders, and offers a full range of services, including what it says is the most comprehensive equine imaging service in the UK.
Ian Camm, Managing Director of B&W, will continue in the role of Equine Regional Director for the South West at CVS. He said: "We are excited about life within CVS and see many opportunities for our staff both within B&W and within the wider Equine Division at CVS. We look forward to working with the CVS team to realise the potential the partnership offers to members of our team and to further developing B&W as an equine veterinary centre of excellence."
Simon Innes, Chief Executive at CVS, said: "Our Equine Division has grown rapidly over the last 18 months because we offer an ambitious and exciting vision for the future of equine practice. B&W is one of the UK’s premier equine practices and we are delighted to welcome the team to CVS and look forward to working with them to help them build an even more successful future."
251 veterinary surgeons and 124 veterinary nurses took part in the Permanent Salary Survey. 109 veterinary surgeons and 51 veterinary nurses took part in the Locum Pay Rate Survey.
The majority of respondents to the Permanent Salary Survey (69%) worked in the Midlands and south, but the survey didn't make any allowance for experience or qualifications, so it's difficult to read much into the reported figures. However, they were as follows:
Veterinary Surgeons
Veterinary Nurses
Under £15K
n/a
12.98%
£16K to £20K
<£20K 5.84%
40.46%
£21K to £25K
8.03%
38.93%
£26K-£30K
12.04%
6.87%
£31K-£35K
20.80%
>£30K 0.76%
£36K-£40K
24.09%
£41K-£45K
13.14%
The Locum Pay Rate Survey also made no allowance for experience or qualifications, but it may be that locum pay rates are less experience-sensitive than permanent salaries.
<£180
9.84%
<£8
0%
£180-£190
1.64%
£8-£9
1.72%
£190-£200
2.46%
£9-£10
£200-£210
5.74%
£10-£11
3.45%
£210-£220
6.56%
£11-£12
5.17%
£220-£230
17.21%
£12-£13
17.24%
£230-£240
13.11%
£13-£14
13.79%
The average charge rate for locum veterinary surgeons was £210 per day, and for veterinary nurses, around £13.50 per hour. The majority of the locum respondents (69%) worked in the Midlands and south.
Interestingly, 53.5% of the locums polled said that demand for their services had increased over the year.
If you are a locum, don't forget to complete your profile on VetSurgeon.org and add your flag to the VetSurgeon Locum Map.
The committee meets three times a year, typically in February, May and September, to consider issues relating to the marketing authorisations for veterinary medicines and animal test certificates, and reports of suspected adverse events relating to veterinary medicines.
Meetings are held at offices of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in Surrey. On occasion the committee holds additional ad-hoc meetings.
Members of the committee are paid £148 for each meeting, plus £76 for preparation time.
Further information about the Veterinary Products Committee can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/veterinary-products-committee, or from the secretary, Sandra Russell s.russell@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk.
To apply, contact Chris Abbott: c.abbott@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk
The closing date for applications is Friday 27th October 2017.
During a welcome reception, leaders and representatives of the veterinary profession were given tours of the facility and shown the advanced surgical training and ultrasound equipment available.
The wet-lab is equipped with 13 electrically-adjustable surgical tables, each with their own operating light and an audio-visual (a/v) system connecting them to the lecturer. The a/v system enables the lecturer to carry out demonstrations of procedures and to provide individual or group guidance to delegates practising surgical and other practical techniques.
Delegates are able to use the latest surgical and diagnostic equipment, including IM3 dental equipment, Logic E ultrasound machines and new surgical instrumentation for a range of orthopaedic and soft tissue procedures.
Improve's Managing Director, David Babington MRCVS, said: "Newly qualified vets have a huge need for additional training in practical skills and this demand extends into their ongoing professional life as new techniques are developed and existing ones refined.
"We already offer practical training facilities to delegates attending our training programmes at our HQ in Swindon but wanted to make it easier for vets and nurses in the north of the UK to access these facilities. This new 'wet-lab' offers an ideal training environment for our delegates to accelerate their learning and take new skills back to their practice."
He added: "Learning new techniques, whether surgical or diagnostic, is a proven way to boost practice profitability because it reduces the need to refer more complex cases. We hear from many of those who have trained with us that their increased skillset has enhanced their job satisfaction and increased the volume of cases they treat. In many cases, the training has paid for itself many times over. We are excited at the prospect of helping even more veterinary professionals to advance their skills."
Additional credit is given if the display includes a den, and the top ten displays win a luxury chocolate hamper.
Ceva says the aim of the exercise is to highlight preventative steps pet owners can take to manage their pets' firework fears and the benefits of building a den to help calm and reassure dogs during the firework festivities,
Claire Russell, pheromone product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "Our display competition is one of the highlights of the veterinary practice year with veterinary professionals creating innovative displays that capture the imagination of their clients and help educate them on the preventative measures that they can adopt at home to help manage their pet’s firework fears."
Ceva has a range of marketing materials for veterinary practices to use in the competition, including waiting room materials.
For further information, contact your local Ceva territory manager.
Defra's new measures include:
Eleven additional licences for badger control covering parts of Devon, Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset and Cheshire. Licences have been granted for supplementary badger control in areas of Gloucestershire and Somerset which have completed their original four-year licences.
The relaunch of the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme following suspension due to a global shortage of TB vaccine, with groups invited to submit expressions of interest and feedback on the criteria for the scheme.
A new bTB Advisory Service for farmers to provide advice on-farm and by phone or email to farmers in High Risk and Edge Areas on bTB biosecurity and risk-based trading, set to launch this autumn.
Tighter control of Inconclusive Reactors (IRs) in the High Risk and Edge Area, to come into force from 1 November.
British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Gudrun Ravetz said: "Today’s announcement sees 11 new licences issued and, while BVA supports badger culling as part of a comprehensive strategy for tackling bovine TB, we will continue to call on the Government to use the targeted and humane method of cage trapping and shooting only - rather than the current method of controlled shooting.
"As one of the many tools in the toolbox, we welcome the re-commencement of the Badger Edge Vaccination Scheme, particularly if used as a ‘firebreak’ to mitigate the spread of the disease into the low risk areas. The introduction of a TB Advisory Service will provide valuable additional support for farmers, who we’d encourage to continue working with local vets on biosecurity and herd health planning.
"Yet we are concerned that Government policy seems to have moved away from the original, evidence-based proposal of a six-week time limit for badger control within the open season, which enables an intensive, coordinated and effective operation in order to secure optimum disease control benefits.
"In terms of numbers, it is clear that badger population estimates have previously demonstrated considerable uncertainty and imprecision. It is critical that as accurate as possible population estimates, using an evidence-based methodology, are obtained and made openly available.
"We would urge clarity over cull timeframes, numbers and mid-cull review methodology to ensure that the progress made, enabling the application for Officially TB Free status, is not undermined."
Today’s Defra update follows a consultation on licensed badger control conducted at the start of 2017, to which the British Veterinary Association (BVA), British Veterinary Zoological Society (BVZS) and the Association of Government Veterinarians (AGV) submitted a formal, joint response.
Photo: Young Eurasian Badger (Meles Meles), by BadgerHero, CC BY-SA 3.0
According to the FSA figures, 24.4% (758,263) of sheep and goats slaughtered between April and June this year had their throats cut without first being made insensible to pain, up from 15% in 2013, when the EU and UK-adopted legislation allowing an exemption for animals that are slaughtered for religious purposes came into force.
The number of chickens slaughtered without pre-stunning rose from 3% in 2013 to 18.5% (45,396,583) in 2017.
The BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "This huge increase in the number of sheep, goats and poultry that are not stunned or not stunned effectively before slaughter is a grave concern to our profession. Millions of individual animals are affected, making this a major animal welfare issue.
"The supply of meat from animals that have not been stunned massively outstrips the demand from the communities for which it is intended and is entering the mainstream market unlabelled.
"In the light of these official figures we reiterate our call for all animals to be stunned before slaughter. If slaughter without stunning is still to be permitted, any meat from this source must be clearly labelled and the supply of non-stun products should be matched with demand."
Welfare at slaughter is one of the UK’s most pressing health and welfare concerns for vets, according to the BVA’s latest member survey. The association has long campaigned for the re-introduction of law that guarantees all animals are stunned before slaughter on the grounds of animal welfare. While legislation exists to permit slaughter without pre-stunning, the BVA is calling for any meat or fish from this source to be clearly labelled to enable customers to understand the choice they are making when buying such products.
Photo: © Nevit Dilmen - Own work, Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
In the Voice of the Profession survey, 52% of nearly 700 veterinary surgeons said it was their biggest concern, more than double the number that said so two years ago. The figure was even higher amongst veterinary surgeons working in companion animal practice, with 66% citing it as a major issue.
The BVA is highlighting these statistics and encouraging veterinary teams to talk to clients about responsible dog breeding and buying during this year's Puppy Awareness Week, which runs till 10th September.
The BVA and the Kennel Club run Canine Health Schemes which screen dogs for inherited conditions including hip and elbow dysplasia, hereditary eye disease, and Chiari-malformation/Syringomyelia. Dog owners and breeders can use the results to make more informed breeding decisions and help improve the health of breeds susceptible to debilitating or life-limiting inherited conditions.
Pre-breeding testing and screening are not just for purebred pedigree dogs - screening is also important for crossbreed dogs, such as Labradoodles and Cockerpoos, which are becoming increasingly popular.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "With breeding and hereditary defects emerging as the number one animal health and welfare concern for vets, it is more important than ever to screen before breeding dogs. Vets in practice regularly see cases of inherited conditions such as hip dysplasia and eye problems that are debilitating and distressing for dogs.
"The good news is that we have schemes and tests in place that help breeders and owners make sound judgements about responsible breeding. The BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes and Kennel Club DNA testing services are critical tools for breeders. Anyone thinking of breeding from their dog or thinking about buying a puppy should ask their vet about available health schemes and how they can be used to inform their decisions."
During Puppy Awareness Week, BVA is also working with the Animal Welfare Foundation to promote the use of the Puppy Contract, which contains a section for the breeder to fill out about any health screening or DNA results to offer reassurance to owners.
BVA, in partnership with ITN Productions, has developed a 4-minute film on responsible dog breeding and buying that can be played in practice waiting rooms or on social media channels, which also explains the process and benefits of the Canine Health Schemes.
More details about the BVA/KC Canine Health Schemes can be found at: https://www.bva.co.uk/Canine-Health-Schemes/
Photo: By DodosD - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link
MiPet Cover has been developed using feedback from CVS's own veterinary surgeons and veterinary team members who deal with insurance claims on a daily basis.
The company says it'll offer a new level of transparency to owners, including policy documents which are clear, concise and free of 'legalese'.
As the first insurance range to be integrated directly into a practice management system, it also offers benefits to the veterinary team by speeding up the time taken to provide quotes and to introduce and activate policies.
CVS says the addition of insurance to its range of services is in line with its vision of offering clients complete care for their pets and at this stage, it is focused on offering the new policies to clients of its existing 420 practices.
VetSurgeon.org spoke to Simon Morrall, the insurance professional brought in by CVS to develop the new range of insurance products for the company. He said: "As the UK’s largest provider of veterinary services, we knew that some owners experienced frustrations with insurance and we challenged ourselves to eliminate these problems with the development of MiPet Cover.
"The more research we did, the more we realised that there was an opportunity for us to go one better and to draw on the extensive experience of our veterinary teams to produce an insurance solution built on transparency, choice and efficiency, which would give our clients access to the very best treatment when they needed it.
"With the launch of MiPet Cover, I believe that’s what we’ve done. It has been received positively by our teams across the country and we are excited about the potential it has to help both our clients and our veterinary teams."
The online academy offers a range of materials to help veterinary surgeons, nurses and receptionists further their knowledge of obesity as a disease, support the running of weight clinics and ultimately help reduce the number of overweight cats and dogs.
The academy includes Weight Management Online, an interactive course which is designed to improve the management of obesity in practice. The course offers eight hours of CPD and additional support from Royal Canin's dedicated Weight Management Team via an online forum.
The course modules are: Obesity is a disease; Body Condition Scoring; Feeding for weight loss diets; Communicating the positives of weight loss; Running a weight loss clinic; and Success is a team effort.
Each module contains additional downloadable reading material and/or learning tools.
Courses run from 11th September to 1st October 2017 and 13th November to 3rd December, with three weeks given to complete the six modules.
Louise Brennan, a Weight Management Specialist at Royal Canin, said: "The prevalence of pet obesity is increasing in the UK, with at least 59% of all dogs and 39% of all cats overweight or obese¹. We have recognised the need to provide further education to help veterinary staff understand the seriousness of the disease and how to communicate this to owners."
Veterinary surgeons and RVNs that complete Weight Management Online within a three week time frame will be invited to complete the second stage, allowing them to become a Royal Canin Weight Management Counsellor.
For more information, contact your Royal Canin Veterinary Business Manager.
Reference
Andrew Montgomery, veterinary adviser for MSD Animal Health, says this is a very positive outcome for the industry: "It is estimated that 90% of UK herds have been exposed to bovine viral diarrhoea1 (BVD), costing the UK cattle industry up to £61 million each year2."
The new Summary of Product Characteristics for Bovilis BVD states that following primary immunisation, consisting of two vaccinations given 4 weeks apart to cattle over the age of 8 months, and a further vaccination 6 months after this, revaccinations can be given at up to 12 month intervals.
Andrew said: "The fundamental principle of control, is to identify and remove persistently infected (PI) animals from a herd, and stop PIs being created using a trusted and proven vaccine.
"Providing primary immunisation has been finalised 4 weeks before the start of gestation, Bovilis BVD is licensed to protect the foetus against transplacental infection, preventing the creation of a PI calf which is hugely significant for BVD control.
"The convenience of being able to vaccinate on a herd level without having to assess pregnant animals on a case-by-case basis provides the flexibility to tailor vaccination schedules to the farm system, which for many vets and farmers comes as a convenient solution."
MSD says Bovilis BVD also has the advantage of not interfering with antigen ELISA or PCR testing and can be jointly administered with other routine vaccines.
For example, Bovilis BVD can be mixed and administered with Bovilis® IBR Marker Live when given as a booster dose to cattle from 15 months of age, or can be administered on the same day as Leptavoid-H in cattle from 8 months of age.
For further information, refer to the product data sheets at www.noahcompendium.co.uk and SPCs and/or speak to your local MSD Animal Health area manager.
References
The College says that although professional bodies advise their members to value their own wellbeing and seek help if unwell, there has been an absence of senior professionals who have felt able to say 'been there myself'.
By asking senior medical professionals to share their stories of overcoming struggles with mental health, &me aims to encourage other medical professionals to seek help, in part by showing that such experiences do not exclude people from achieving leading roles in healthcare.
With the addition of Dr Cathy Wield in August, there are now seven ambassadors for the &me campaign, and all of their stories can be read at www.vetmindmatters.org/&me:
Lizzie Lockett, Director of the Mind Matters Initiative, said: "Over the past eight months we have seen an incredible level of support for our &me ambassadors. Our Facebook post about Rob Pettitt, for example, reached nearly 25,000 people, many of whom posted stories about Rob helping them navigate veterinary school and better understand their own mental health issues. These kind of role models really do help reduce stigma, and we thank every one of our ambassadors for having the courage to share their own experiences with mental health."
Louise Freeman, Vice-Chair of the Doctors’ Support Network, said: "The &me campaign has really shown how the medical professions can work together when it comes to mental health. Medical professionals face many of the same challenges, and we needn’t face them alone – instead we can work as one to tackle stigma and speak openly about mental health issues. And it’s not just in the UK that health professionals can feel as if they are ‘not allowed’ to experience mental health problems. As a direct result of the &me campaign, health professionals from around the world including Australia and the U.S. have been in contact with DSN to confirm that they have similar issues within their local health culture."
The campaign is still 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, please email Dr Louise Freeman on vicechair@dsn.org.uk.
On social media tweets about the campaign are sent from @vetmindmatters and @DocSupportNet twitter accounts using the hashtag #AndMe.
The practice has assembled a team of post-graduate certificate holding veterinary surgeons, supporting specialists, nurses and front-of-house staff to offer a comprehensive range of services, including advanced orthopaedic and soft tissue surgery and outpatient diagnostic imaging.
In order to make its service more accessible, the practice has also developed a number of innovative aspects to its service, including a 'fixed price fix', a guaranteed 'same week solution' and an interest-free credit payment option.
Lead veterinary surgeon Ross Allan (pictured right) said: "We consider the launch of Roundhouse Referrals to be one of the most exciting developments in the provision of advanced veterinary services to clients in the West of Scotland for many years.
"While there are existing referral options, we want to remove some of the current challenges that prevent vets and pet owners from accessing these services.
"We all know how frustrating waiting lists can be for vets and their clients, and by creating the 'same week solution' we pledge to arrange an appointment and provide a referral consultation within one week, something we feel will be reassuring to referring vets and clients.
"In addition, we are delighted to improve provision for pet owners with financial restrictions such as low value or no insurance policies. Roundhouse Referrals has been established to address these concerns through the provision of a high quality, highly accessible service and 'same week solution' for referring veterinary practices, and through such services as our 'fixed price fix' and interest free credit.
"Similarly, we are committed to the principle of an easy-to-use service for referring vet and client: price certainty, the personal touch and great communication."
Roundhouse Referrals says it can undertake an extensive range of investigative and surgical orthopaedic procedures including: fracture repair; lameness investigation; growth deformities; arthrodesis; arthroscopic surgery and ligament or tendon injury. Its soft tissue services include: endocrine surgery; ENT; gastrointestinal; hernia surgery; oncological; thoracic; urogenital; vascular; wound management and reconstructive surgeries.
The practice also says it undertakes to work in partnership with referring veterinary practices to provide an easier referral system that will always return satisfied clients to the referring practice.
For further information, contact 0141 649 1316 or visit: www.rhr.vet
Mandy, an Australian-born small animal vet, won in the 'You and Your Work' category with her photograph "Happy Enterotomy", which captures a smiley squeeze-toy being removed from the stomach of a Labrador.
Mandy, who is currently taking time out from full-time work, said: "I am so thrilled to be able to share this photo. It was actually about 10 years or so ago that I encountered this dog. We knew from radiographs that he had eaten a ball, but it was a lovely surprise to make the incision into the stomach and have this happy little chap beam out at us! We have such a cool job as vets, and this just nails it."
Jen captured the judges' attention with her image of rare and native North Ronaldsey and Dartmoor sheep grazing under the Milky Way in Northumberland in 'The wonderful world of animals’ category'.
Jen, who works in mixed practice in Aberdeenshire, said: "I am completely shocked and delighted to have won this competition and it has definitely inspired me to get out with my camera more often. I was very lucky to get this shot as it was a single thirty second exposure - I had some very cooperative models!"
Commenting on Jen’s photo, competition judge and award-winning wildlife photographer George Stoyle said: "Jen Rowland has clearly put some thought into her photo and has shown skill in its execution. From a technical perspective, the exposure used for the sky is just long enough to make the stars visible whilst minimising star trails, and artificial light has been used just enough to highlight the sheep and the rest of the foreground. The entire scene along with the ragged appearance of the sheep gives the image a feeling of wild, remote, windswept moorland, which I love."
Alongside the two winning photographs, five photos in the ‘You and your work’ category and eight in ‘The wonderful world of animals’ category received Highly Commended awards – ranging from giraffes to gannets and Lackey Moths.
British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz said: "We are delighted by the number and quality of the entries we received this year. The veterinary team is uniquely placed to capture the many wonderful facets of its work on camera, and we are pleased that our members have shared their eye-catching snapshots for BVA’s photography competition, offering us a vet’s-eye-view of their daily work and interaction with the wonderful world of animals."
Mandy and Jen each receive £250 worth of gift vouchers from John Lewis. Their winning images alongside the commended photographs will premiere in an exhibition at BVA’s Members’ Day at W5 Odyssey Belfast later this month (21 September).
The BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year gallery can be viewed at: www.flickr.com/photos/britishvets/albums
Photos:
Having had a three-month sabbatical working at Fitzpatrick, Jonathan decided to relocate from New Zealand where most recently he'd been Head of the Companion Animal Group at Massey University.
Jonathan said: "My prime passion is working directly with animals and their families in a supportive and exceptional clinical setting. I enjoy pushing boundaries and not accepting the status quo. I want to identify better ways of improving outcomes for patients, and minimising the impact of the disease (or its treatment) on an animal’s quality of life. My sabbatical at Fitzpatrick Referrals exposed me to their tremendous energy and real passion for patient and client care. From the moment the clients walk in the door, I feel there is an embrace that lets people know we truly care and want to do the best for their animal friend. I am looking forward to discovering what we can achieve together. Cancer management is such an important opportunity, with the power to change both animal and human lives positively. The direction and focus of Fitzpatrick Referrals in this area is already incredibly exciting.”
Clinical Director of Oncology and Soft Tissue, Professor Nick Bacon said: "On Jon’s first day of his sabbatical, he jumped right into the team and made an immediate positive impact. He hasn’t looked back. He carries with him such a good energy, which we all absorb and hopefully reflect back. His knowledge of implant design for dealing with defects in the mandible and elsewhere is exceptional and I am looking forward to watching that develop. I am also very pleased that Jon’s wife Sharyn is able to join the team; she is very experienced in the field of advanced imaging in humans, including Fluoroscopy and PET-CT. This is already benefitting our patients as we improve our diagnostic and treatment abilities, and get ready for the future."
Jonathan has active research interests in several clinical areas including soft tissue sarcoma, injection-site sarcoma, endoprosthetics and haemangiosarcoma. He also supports the concept of One Medicine as his PhD research into soft tissue sarcoma, haemangiosarcoma and endoprosthetics has a potential relevance in improving the understanding of treatment paradigms for humans and animals.
Sean became interested in animal welfare science as an undergraduate veterinary student, when he was awarded a Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) Vacation Scholarship to investigate the welfare of caged zebra finches housed under typical pet shop conditions.
Six years later, having been instrumental in developing BVA policy in supporting a ban on the importation of wild-caught birds into the European Union to be kept as pets, Sean represented the position in Brussels and an EU-wide ban was introduced in 2007.
As BVA President in 2015/16, Sean initiated and led the production of BVA’s Animal welfare strategy. Developed through consultation with representatives from across the profession and other sector stakeholders, 'Vets speaking up for animal welfare' lays out a number of strategic actions based on the veterinary profession’s unique opportunity and responsibility to advocate animals' best interests at individual, community and political levels.
The strategy aims to further expand BVA’s animal welfare advocacy; provide tools and support to BVA members in areas such as veterinary ethics; and foster collaboration with other animal welfare-focused partners such as the recently launched BVA/British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA) position paper promoting analgesic use alongside local anaesthesia for routine surgical procedures on calves. To help build BVA’s international animal welfare agenda, Sean has recently been appointed as a member of the FVE Animal Welfare Working Group.
Another important project during Sean’s BVA Presidency was the jointly led BVA/RCVS Vet Futures project. He assisted in developing the Vet Futures report, which identifies veterinary leadership in animal health and welfare as one of the six key ambitions in its 2030 vision for the veterinary profession. While President he also produced an online video with the international animal welfare organisation World Animal Protection on the importance and relevance of animal sentience to the veterinary profession.
British Veterinary Association President Gudrun Ravetz, said: "Improving animal welfare has always been the focus of Sean’s veterinary career, through veterinary practice and policy and developing the profession’s role in advancing animal welfare. Since his undergraduate research and subsequent postgraduate studies in animal welfare, he has undertaken a wide range of overseas volunteer projects and continues to champion and promote understanding of animal welfare at individual, community, national and international levels on a daily basis.
"Sean also led on BVA’s landmark Animal welfare strategy, championing the role of vets as advocates of animals’ best interests and sending a clear signal that the veterinary profession will be a considerable force for good, for animals and for an increasingly compassionate society in the years ahead.
"Sean has made a difference to the lives of many animals with his dedication to animal welfare. I am delighted that Sean is being recognised on an international stage for his fantastic work in the field of animal welfare with this important award."
On receiving his award, Sean said: "It is excellent that WVA has further underpinned its commitment to animal welfare, in line with global society’s expectation of our profession as animal welfare leaders, through the establishment of the Global Animal Welfare Awards. It’s a great honour to be a recipient, which is tribute to my driven and forward-looking colleagues at BVA and PDSA. I thank them, as well as the many other organisations, institutions and individuals who have given me invaluable opportunities and encouragement during my career to date."
Produced by Knowledge’s Library and Information Service, inFOCUS watches all relevant veterinary journals and provides concise summaries of the most important, interesting or practice-critical primary and secondary material.
Subscribers to inFOCUS are sent a bi-monthly email containing the summaries – including the bottom line for implementation in practice – and the option to read the original articles.
The new service aims to remove the time constraints associated with identifying the most vital research.
A Clinical Review Team, made up of experts and specialists from across the veterinary community, assesses journals to find the best items based on relevance, quality and potential impact, and then reviews and summarises the literature for each edition of inFOCUS.
RCVS President Stephen May said: "inFOCUS is a crucial and long-awaited provision available to everyone involved in veterinary care.
"By removing the barriers to accessing and reflecting upon latest research and commentary, this innovative way of bringing you must-know updates further enforces the move towards evidence-based veterinary medicine, of which RCVS Knowledge is a champion.
"Whether you’re someone who regularly checks veterinary publications or you rarely get the chance to analyse the available material, make sure inFOCUS is on your reading list."
As well as the six-times-per-year email, inFOCUS will be viewable online, where editions from previous months will be housed and individual summaries categorised by animal type. Though initially focused on small animals, literature from across the broad spectrum of veterinary practice will be highlighted.
You can subscribe here to have the latest inFOCUS updates sent directly to your inbox.
Also, if you're interested in helping to ensure that the most important research reaches the veterinary community, you can apply to join the Clinical Review Team here.
The object of the exercise is simply to find out whether a significant number of veterinary professionals feel that they have been bullied, and look at the impact it has had on them.
If a significant number of people say they have, the hope is that the survey will trigger constructive discussion on the subject, both amongst key opinion leaders in the profession and in practice.
One of the biggest challenges in measuring the incidence of bullying in practice is the highly subjective definition of the word. For this reason, the survey asks whether you've been on the receiving end of very specific types of behaviour, ones which most people would agree are at best unconducive to a happy and effective working environment, and at worst, outright bullying.
VetSurgeon.org Editor Arlo Guthrie said: "Early responses to the survey have already shown, if we didn't know it already, that bullying is going on, and how bullies can make life utter hell at work. We just don't yet know the scale of the problem.
"Either way, there are two ways I think this survey could make a difference. Firstly, by discussing the subject openly, so it creates an environment in which bullying behaviour is less likely to happen. Secondly, I suspect that a significant amount of bullying may happen as a consequence of poor communication. For example, if one member of the team thinks another is underperforming but is uncomfortable having a candid but constructive discussion. If there is no other process in place to resolve the issue, they may resort to other types of behaviour which can have a profoundly negative effect on their colleague."
To take part in the survey, please visit: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/3783698/Behaviour-In-Practice
The VMD, which reclassified the product following a request from Zoetis, says that increasing the availability of this anthelmintic should help it to be incorporated into strategic worm control programmes on farms in line with best practice guidance on worm control. This could result in long term health benefits for sheep, for example by reducing the development and spread of anthelmintic resistance, thereby prolonging the effective use of anthelmintics.
However, both the British Veterinary Association and the Sheep Veterinary Society have expressed concerns over the move.
BVA Junior Vice President John Fishwick said: "We know that resistance to anthelmintics is increasing in grazing animals worldwide and needs to be addressed to avoid a potentially disastrous situation of being unable to tackle parasites. The reclassification of Startect Dual Active from POM-V to POM-VPS is in direct opposition to the trend in Europe, where we are seeing increased control over dispensing of anthelmintics in species where resistance is posing a serious threat to animal health, welfare and profitable production; we're extremely concerned that we might start seeing resistance develop in Group 4 as a result.
"BVA believes that the prescribing of anthelmintics requires a level of control best provided by a veterinary surgeon who has the animals under his/her care, and is based on a sound clinical diagnosis. The drugs are best used as part of a flock health plan drawn up by farmers in conjunction with their vet in order to protect animal health and welfare and safeguard the efficacy of these products for the future."
Sheep Veterinary Society President Kathryn Dun said: "Group 4 anthelmintics should be used only as part of a careful designed strategy for the individual farm and it is imperative that this strategy is worked out with a vet and is part of a flock health plan for that farm. The products need to be used, in the correct way, to help prolong the life of our other anthelmintics.
"We are unlikely to have any further new groups of anthelmintics in the foreseeable future, so education of those buying and selling these products is crucial to ensure the longevity of the effective action of them against sheep parasites."
Further information on BVA's policy on anthelmintics can be found here: www.bva.co.uk/news-campaigns-and-policy/policy/medicines/anthelmintics
The program, which was set up in response to calls for more support and better teaching on the essential non-clinical skills veterinary graduates need for success in veterinary practice, begins in September and is open to any veterinary surgeons who are up to three years post graduation.
VetX features 12 months of intensive teaching, mentoring and peer support for up to fifty graduates and so far has vets from both the UK and USA signed up for places. The class of 2017 will be mentored directly by Program Director Dr. Dave Nicol, who bills himself as one of the most experienced vet coaches on the planet!
Dave said: "I've been running 'in practice' mentoring and training schemes for vets for almost a decade, VetX takes this experience and brings the content online so I can reach, support and help more graduates than ever before.
"Our young vets are crying out for better support and training in the non-clinical skills. They want to learn better communication skills. They want to know how to make dealing with clients and people easier and they want to know how to handle life as a vet so they enjoy it, not get burned out. VetX provides all of these things and more."
Dave says he has set up the scholarship as a way of giving something back to the profession, because he was lucky enough to have been given help from many amazing mentors who gave freely of their time and expertise: "Opening up two fully-funded places for vet graduates on the program is my way of saying thanks - of paying it forwards."
If you are a veterinary surgeon who has graduated in 2015 or later and are interested in applying for a fully funded scholarship in the VetX class of 2017, visit www.drdavenicol.com/vetxscholarship to learn more about the course and apply for a scholarship place. Demand is likely to be high so don’t delay.
Applications will close at midnight on September 7th 2017.
The redesign includes an overhaul of the layout, structure and navigation of all the College’s websites: Professionals, Animal Owners, Find a Vet and RCVS Knowledge.
Some of the main changes are:
Ian Holloway, Head of Communications, said: "We’re delighted to be launching our new-look site today and hope all the improvements we’ve incorporated will make using the site a much better experience for veterinary professionals and animal owners alike.
"Working closely with our website provider, NetXtra, over the past nine months, we’ve been able to develop a new-look site with vastly improved design, structure and navigation, whilst avoiding the major expense of building a completely new website from scratch.
"We’re very grateful to them, and to all those vets, vet nurses and members of the public who have helped us with user-testing and content mapping to improve the site as much as possible for everyone who uses it."
Anyone with any comments or feedback about the new-look site is invited to send it to communications@rcvs.org.uk.
Dr Sabela Atencia DVM MVM Dip-ECVIM CA MRCVS is an internal medicine specialist who holds the European Diploma in Small Animal Internal Medicine.
During her research for her Masters degree on muscular dystrophy in the Japanese Spitz breed, she contributed to knowledge of the underlying mutation of the disease, facilitating the development of a genetic test.
Sabela enjoys all aspects of canine and feline Internal Medicine, but is particularly interested in endoscopy, endocrinology and genetics.
Dr Owen Davies MA VetMB MVetMed MANZCVS(SAM) MRCVS, a veterinary medical oncology clinician, holds a Masters degree based on research into canine lymphoma.
Owen is interested in all aspects of medical oncology, especially haematopoietic malignancies, targeted therapy for cancer and paraneoplastic disease. He has recently completed a residency in veterinary oncology at the Royal Veterinary College and has just passed the DACVIM examinations in Oncology.
Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli DVM CertZooMed Dipl ECZM (Small Mammal) MRCVS is a European Veterinary Specialist in Zoological Medicine (Small Mammal Medicine and Surgery) and an RCVS Recognised Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine.
She was the first veterinary surgeon to undertake the European College of Zoological Medicine (ECZM) Residency in Small Mammal Medicine, which she completed at The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh.
Elisabetta will lead and further expand the established exotic pet service at the Hospital.
Acting Hospital Director, Professor Stuart Carmichael said: "As we continue to extend the range of services and expertise we offer to our clients, we are delighted to welcome these three distinguished professionals to the team here at Highcroft. They will make a great contribution and it’s great to have them aboard."
Highcroft Veterinary Referrals is based at 615 Wells Road, Whitchurch, Bristol and can be contacted on 01275 832410.
Photo: Left to right: Dr Elisabetta Mancinelli, Dr Owen Davies, Dr Sabela Atencia
There are three awards, two ruminant and one companion animal, of up to £4,000 each. Each project needs to be completed within 1-2 years and the veterinary practitioner proposals will be judged by university academics to ensure independent assessment.
Michelle Townley, Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health (pictured right), herself a winner of an MSD bursary in 2001, said: "Our existing Research Bursaries are well-known amongst practitioners focusing on ruminants, having run for 6 years. For the first time, however, we are offering a broader level of support which includes both ruminant and companion animal practitioners. Our aim is to engage as many people as possible as we view our investment in research, and the pursuit of new knowledge, as the lifeblood of the veterinary industry."
The deadline for entries is 30th November 2017.
For further information, visit: www.msd-animal-health.co.uk/researchbursary.aspx.
Matt, who contracted Lyme disease early last year, has been out giving interviews about how he was bitten by a tick, his experience with Lyme disease and why he is supporting the Big Tick Project. He said: "It was a really scary time for me and my family, and I was shocked to find out that a tick bite in Chiswick – such a tiny creature – caused me to end up needing heart surgery. Even though I am free from Lyme disease now it really has impacted me. I still have to take daily medication and I now adjust my lifestyle in a number of ways."
Amanda Melvin, Marketing Manager at MSD Animal Health said: "This recent campaign is part of a series of high profile media campaigns that we’ve organised to help pet owners understand the risks posed by ticks and the importance of seeking advice from vets. Vet are central to this campagn.
"During our attendance this summer at DogFest and Countryfile Live we asked pet owners about their awareness of the risks. While this was very rough data the message that came back consistently was that many pet owners didn’t realise that not all flea treatments could also provide protection against ticks.
"We are therefore urging them to talk to their vet and vet nurses to better understand the treatments they are paying for. The conversation is important as the risks can be high."
For further information, visit: www.bigtickproject.co.uk
Ben trained in medicine at Oxford and London before becoming a household name through his weekly Bad Science column published in the Guardian between 2003 and 2011.
Ben is the author of three books. His first, Bad Science, published in 2008, sold over half a million copies worldwide and is published in 31 languages. His second, Bad Pharma: How Drug Companies Mislead Doctors and Harm Patients was published in 2012 and his third, a volume of collected journalism entitled I think you’ll find it’s more complicated than that, in 2014. He currently works as an academic in epidemiology.
In his lecture, Ben will be talking about how quacks and charlatans misuse evidence, and the placebo effect, to bamboozle the public. It's an issue of particular interest for the veterinary profession, given the growing focus on evidence-based medicine.
The lecture is open to all London Vet Show attendees and will take place in the BVA Congress Theatre at London’s ExCeL between 12.30 – 1.30 on Friday 17 November.
BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: "We know that many people’s first point of call is the media or Dr Google when trying to decide what pet to purchase or how to treat their animal’s - or their own - health! So, I’m sure veterinary colleagues from all areas of the profession will find Dr Goldacre’s insight both engaging and inspiring in their day-to-day and working lives."
Other BVA Congress sessions at London Vet Show 2017 include Nudge, nudge – how can we change owner behaviour for better welfare?; Veterinary workforce crisis: what’s really going on? and Veterinary Surgeons Act: an open and shut case?. BVA Congress sessions as well as associated BVA Farm Animal, BVA/BEVA Equine, and BVA Career Development Streams count towards CPD.
BVA members can get access to the full BVA offering, as well as the usual London Vet Show programme, for 15% less than the lowest advertised price. To book, enter your BVA membership number and the code BVA 8 to claim your discount when you book online at www.londonvetshow.co.uk
Photo: John King 2012