Wouldn't it be nice if........

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Malcolm Ness — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 10:05:04 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"]

Sorry - I will explain myself. When I say other practices are poor, I should have said that IN MY OPINION some practices are very poor. I would therefore like to advertise that, for example, our nursing staff are qualified, we have separate dog and cat wards, we see exotics etc... However, it is not my place to judge my competitors and say I am better than them - I would just like to put the information about what we offer 'out there' so that the public can decide what is or is not important to them and their pet.

Does that make more sense?

I understand. The problem is that while I agree that having qualified nurses is good, others don't completely agree - there have been posts elsewhere on this forum to the effect that individual unqualified nurses are as good or better than qualified nurses. Similarly, I think that diploma qualified surgeons are better than surgeons without specific training or qualification but others disagree - some very forcefully and again that has been expressed elsewhere on this forum. Also, I am no champion of the Practice Standards Scheme but I do struggle to understand those who imply that they are better because they stay outside the scheme.

My point is that by advertising those things which you believe makes your practice better, your are implying (quite directly) that those practices that don't have those features are inferior.

I don't have a problem with that but I do recognise the impossibility of implying, claiming or believing that one practice/vet is superior without at the same time implying, claiming or indicating that other practices must be inferior.

The advertising genie is out of the bottle (it was never really in) and I think the way forward is to look to advertising that is open, honest and complete - it would be nice if the College were able to take a more active interest there.

[/quote]

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 09:53:37 GMT

The way I look at it-the , 1 practice advertises-everyone else then feels they have to as well Advertising has to be paid for, so either:

a) profits fall

b) fees go up

The only winners are the advertising agencies/media

Wynne

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 22:34:57 GMT

Does that make more sense?

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Malcolm Ness — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 21:21:06 GMT

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"] It is also the case that some practices are very poor[/quote]

[quote user="Gillian Mostyn"] it is quite another saying or insinuating that others are inferior [/quote]

This seems to me to be a contradiction.

If there is indeed a variation in standards, then that implies that some vets and some practices are better than others. If that is the case, what justification is there from keeping that information from the fee-paying public.

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Tim Cheyne — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:41:21 GMT

[quote user="Tim Cheyne"]

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

That's how it was when I qualified-and yes far more professional

[/quote]

Sorry, Wynne, being careless with my (computer) mouse I unintentionally red-starred you and appear to be unable to undo it. In fact, I agree.

[/quote]

OK, managed to undo it this time.

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Tim Cheyne — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:39:09 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]

That's how it was when I qualified-and yes far more professional

[/quote]

Sorry, Wynne, being careless with my (computer) mouse I unintentionally red-starred you and appear to be unable to undo it. In fact, I agree.

Tim.

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Gillian Mostyn — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:27:29 GMT

I actually think there is a compromise here. I don't agree that vets shouldn't be able to advertise - we are a small business and should be able to tell the public what we do. It is also the case that some practices are very poor and the old system of the public assuming all practices are equal is not the case. (And no, the PSS doesn't cover this aspect - don't get me started!) However, there should be rules to govern what can and cannot be said - it is one thing telling people what you do and how you do it, it is quite another saying or insinuating that others are inferior or even unethical!

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:09:58 GMT

[quote user="plantagenet"]

Map

Staff names and qualifications - does a photogenic face make you a better vet?

You might just as well say come to me I'm way better looking than the vet down the road.

[/quote]Er, never said anything about faces, just if you had 3 vets and all 3 were good at different things, wouldn't you want to tell people this instead of them tying up your phone lines with routine questions?

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Mark Rowland — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:05:26 GMT

Ah but If I use anaesthetics that are more likley to increase rabbit survival than matey down the road, Is it not in the animals best interests that I say so? (playing devils advocate really).

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:52:20 GMT

That's how it was when I qualified-and yes far more professional

Wynne

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

plantagenet — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:28:26 GMT

Map

Staff names and qualifications - does a photogenic face make you a better vet?

You might just as well say come to me I'm way better looking than the vet down the road.

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:24:47 GMT

Would you be permitted to have more info on your website? (staff, maps, things like that? ) (Sorry, didn't mean to do so many short answers, apologies!) :)

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

plantagenet — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:22:10 GMT

I think you could put companion, equine, farm in the 2 lines.

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:17:07 GMT

[quote user="plantagenet"]

the name of your practice, your address and your phone number!

[/quote]

What about your clinical work? Do you treat only small animals or do you do mixed practice?

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

plantagenet — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:10:51 GMT

the name of your practice, your address and your phone number!

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

Mark Hedberg — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:05:19 GMT

Ok, but what would you put in those two lines?

Re: Wouldn't it be nice if........

James Laidlaw — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 16:01:22 GMT

Wouldn't it be nicer if we just did away with advertising altogether? (Not just vets!!!)