NY Honours 2016

RE: NY Honours 2016

grumpyoldman — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 19:29:29 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]Yes - but did he say anything about Jimmy Saville?[/quote]

He was staring at the box in the corner, but you could be right he was very disappointed when I did this , he wanted a Doctor/Surgeon, Vets were 3 rungs below the dentist and the pub landlord.

RE: NY Honours 2016

bob lehner — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 16:34:07 GMT

[quote user="grumpyoldman"] he would then comment, "can't put my finger on it but there is something wrong with that youth". [/quote]

Yes - but did he say anything about Jimmy Saville?

RE: NY Honours 2016

grumpyoldman — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 16:23:28 GMT

[quote user="Hannah Wynne Richards"]The celebrities tend to drag the system even deeper in the mire[/quote]

Yes, but not everyone was convinced , as a kid I remember watching Jim'll fix it on the tv. At the time my father would be getting changed ready for a saturday night down the pub, almost every night he would stand in the doorway before leaving finishing a cigarette, he would then comment, "can't put my finger on it but there is something wrong with that youth".

RE: NY Honours 2016

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 10:48:32 GMT

The celebrities tend to drag the system even deeper in the mire

Wynne

RE: NY Honours 2016

Malcolm Ness — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 10:44:15 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]He is a typical civil servant [/quote]

There is not a single political project that has succeeded, nor a single atrocity committed that has not depended, absolutely, on the collusion of civil servants whose key ability is to sideline all that makes them human - empathy, conscience, personal responsibility. The current honours system rewards civil service sycophancy with the occasional celebrity and working-class hero thrown in to fake a patina of credibility: if it rewarded even mediocrity then that would be an improvement.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 10:30:45 GMT

It is now some 8 or 9 years since I was talking with a man who I used to go to school with. He was at that time RAF liasion officer for Wales. I asked him exactly what did his job entail. He said liasing with civilian authorities to design protocols for how the RAF could assist in civilian disasters, such as floods and train derailments. He added that they were currently designing protocols for dealing with bird flu. I asked who was the veterinary surgeon involved. He said that veterinary surgeons weren't involved, just the various county Medical Officers of Health. He genuinely thought that the only useful veterinary input would be to provide slaughter teams.

That shows how little influence our profession has

Bob We think a good CVO is one who actively promoted animal health and welfare. Politicians think a good CVO is one who never voices an opinion, and robotically implements government policy, however scientifically misguided, whilst using his MRCVS to give spurious validity to scientifically indefensible actions

Meat hygiene is one of the CVOs responsibilities. If he had been pro-active in ensuring that the law was complied with, so only religious minorities ever ate non-stunned meat, then I would respect him. Instead there has been a deafening silence on the subject. Nuff said

Wynne

RE: NY Honours 2016

Bob Russell — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 10:16:03 GMT

Turbo posting because my reply was too mild.

The CVO has done bugger all for animal welfare, sick puppies flood in because of his departments decisions regarding PETS passports.

DEFRA has been decimated and contracted out to save money. Much of the work is controlled by big companies with too much to lose if they upset government.

Let him baste in the glory of his CBE but it is not a reflection of respect from his profession. I suspect that is minimal.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Bob Russell — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 10:07:50 GMT

[quote user="Bradley Viner"]

Whilst I realise it will not satisfy those that feel that practicing vets should receive more recognition, I was pleased to see that the work of our CVO, Nigel Gibbens, was recognised with a CBE. He has done a lot for the profession in a tough political environment and deserves our congratulations.

As for recognition of work at a more local level, the reality is that it needs those in the know to band together and make an effort to present a case to the relevant committee.

[/quote]

Sorry I do not agree. 'Our' CVO has effectively acted as a political puppet. He has overseen government respect for a (still) fine profession, drop to the point that vet input to many animal issues becomes degraded by the year.

The voice of ordinary vets in practice is largely ignored when it should be central.

He is a typical civil servant and his CBE is in line with his position rather than his usefulness IMO!

RE: NY Honours 2016

Hannah Wynne Richards — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 07:57:59 GMT

I don't know if Knights/Dames of the realm have an annual get together. If so, a conversation between Dame Vvivienne Westwood (famous for never weraring knickers) and Dame Jacqueline Gold (sells them) should be interesting.

Good for a scene in a pantomime

Wynne

RE: NY Honours 2016

grumpyoldman — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 22:11:45 GMT

[quote user="Nhombokisheni"]Some are born great..some achieve greatness..some have greatness thrust upon them (twelfth night).....[/quote]

Your forgetting you also have to wear tight bright yellow tights and strut about like a camp old twat. That sort of thing probably gets noted appreciated in Whitehall too.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Nhombokisheni — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 18:38:17 GMT

Some are born great..some achieve greatness..some have greatness thrust upon them (twelfth night).....

In life I have come to accept that the most important room in the house (toilet) is the least, the most vital organs in our bodies always go unacknowledged (unless death is in the neighbourhood), make up is only applied to the face (imagine how the other body parts feel).......in short the most deserving never get acknowledged......and frankly I doubt these awards are worth it considering the list of recipients.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 13:30:35 GMT

Jonathan To be fair to Bradley Mr Digby's honour was last years It was also an LVO, so the direct gift of the Queen, rather than being politically expedient

David Don't you know that as far as politicians (of all parties) are concerned, a perfect CVO is a man/woman who has a two word vocabulary - those 2 words being Yes and Minister

Wynne

RE: NY Honours 2016

J G Wray — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 13:25:58 GMT

[quote user="David Mills"]Ah the rarefied air atop the mountain...[/quote]

Westminster is nearer the mark The CVO's office is a stone's throw from RCVS.

If you want to know what the CVO thinks of practitioners then he had this published less than a month ago:

"..Compared to work in a private practice, government vet work tends to be much wider in scope, impact and influence..." so perhaps it is no surprise that GPvets receive so little attention from those in Westminster

Source

https://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/opinion/whats-it-being-governments-chief-veterinary-officer

RE: NY Honours 2016

David Mills — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:59:07 GMT

[quote user="Bradley Viner"]I was pleased to see that the work of our CVO, Nigel Gibbens, was recognised with a CBE. [/quote]

There's a paradox here. I don't know what Mr Gibbens has done for the profession or animal welfare at large. I know he's overseen the closure of some VLA labs and the creation of the new AHVLA and the TB debacle. He's been quiet on PET regs, a rabies waiting to happen. Probably a lot of what he has done has gone under the radar. Much like the swathes of GP vets. So why does he receive an award other than happening to be in the political circle, and, very occasionally, the public sphere? Are we therefore supposed to celebrate croneyism? Ah the rarefied air atop the mountain...

RE: NY Honours 2016

J G Wray — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:57:23 GMT

I was pleased to see the other vet got some recognition as well, because he is a practitioner and therefore someone I can relate to.

It's a shame it's left to me to mention him - Nicholas John Wingfield Digby

[quote user="Bradley Viner"]As for recognition of work at a more local level, the reality is that it needs those in the know to band together and make an effort to present a case to the relevant committee.[/quote]

It's a funny old world where our own Royal College and our industry body don't know what what practitioners do

RE: NY Honours 2016

grumpyoldman — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 12:49:49 GMT

So what exactly is as tough political environment ? being savaged by over springy paper clips maybe ? protein poisoning at those endless lobbying/canvassing occasions ? Do tell I am intrigued ?. The worst thing that can happen to a politician is getting the sack for being a bit crap ? Welcome to life !.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Neil Wheadon — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 11:07:53 GMT

[quote user="Bradley Viner"]Whilst I realise it will not satisfy those that feel that practicing vets should receive more recognition, I was pleased to see that the work of our CVO, Nigel Gibbens, was recognised with a CBE. He has done a lot for the profession in a tough political environment and deserves our congratulations.[/quote]

Any examples Bradley?

TB still rages on whilst Christianne Glossop in Wales is doing a really pro-active job and I personally feel she's more deserving

He's yet to be tested either. The UK hasn't seen a major disease outbreak for some time since FMD on the back of Swine Fever a number of years ago. It'll come as they always do. AHVLA has morphed into a department full of botanists and the experienced Veterinary Officers are retiring.

Happy New Year

Neil

RE: NY Honours 2016

Hannah Wynne Richards — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 08:39:30 GMT

Martin Two entertainers who recieved "honours" for services to charity were Sir James Saville, and Sir Rolf Harris. Both later stripped of their knighthoods, when they were convicted of particularly ville crimes.

Then there was Sir Frederick Goodwin

Then James Scudamore was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 2004 - 3 years after presiding over the greatest veterinary disaster in living memory Presumably the real reason he had a CB was that he didn't push Tony Blair's face in when he decided to interfere in a matter beyond his professional competance. It's one thing to give senior civil servants honours for merely doing their jobs reasonably competantly - it's another to give an "honour" for spectacular incompetance and dereliction of duty. The CVO in 2001 was the invisible man, and anyone could be excused for thinking that the only one who knew anything about Foot and Mouth was the Chief Scientific Officer - an organic chemist

That sort of thing does bring the entire honours system into disrepute.

Now we have a Dame Knickers as well as a Baroness Bra - sounds like the script of a pantomime

Wynne

RE: NY Honours 2016

Michael Woodhouse — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:55:44 GMT

Feel it's only right to mention the late Professor Mac Johnston OBE HonFRCVS, who taught at the RVC forever. Deservedly recognised.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Braden Collins — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 22:31:47 GMT

Don't get me started on this. When the entire team of poms get letters after their name for finally beating us in a cricket series, then our guys get none when we win the urn back 5-0......

RE: NY Honours 2016

grumpyoldman — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 20:04:55 GMT

I had a client with an OBE for services to the Salvation Army & disabled awareness , this person drove everyone insane. She would think nothing of attempting entry with huge mechanised wheelchair into the business of her choice , and create a massive stir by complaining about the lack of and poverty of access. Drove one hairdressing salon to despair . Drove along the middle of the road(A53) in her disabled carriage at peak periods Holding up the traffic in both directions. I think the honours were mainly down to the church and imaginary friend connections .

The only others I have met have been men who got paid quite well at the time for kicking a ball about , and managing to win the world cup.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Bradley Viner — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 19:18:26 GMT

As for recognition of work at a more local level, the reality is that it needs those in the know to band together and make an effort to present a case to the relevant committee.

RE: NY Honours 2016

J G Wray — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 18:29:23 GMT

The process is to be found here

https://www.gov.uk/honours/overview

If BVA won't take up the opportunity to present the value to society GPVets deliver, then perhaps this site could take on the burden of acquiring the information and submitting nominations. If social media has any value beyond being a talking shop then harnessing the knowledge and experiences of those here in some ordered manner to pick the deserving might be a grand validation of the concept.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:20:56 GMT

I don't know about Barbara Windsor but to be fair some of these apparently unworthy celebs have done a lot for charity. Albeit the money and connections they've made makes it easier for them to get folk to part with millions than for us to make £100 from a sponsored bike ride or whatever.

RE: NY Honours 2016

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 31 Dec 2015 17:17:25 GMT

What is even worse, is she was openly friendly with 2 exceptonally evil criminals - the Krays.

By their friends ye shall know them.

Wynne