Survey about online consultations / RCVS

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 14:15:36 GMT

[quote userid="8182" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs/241011#241011"]Channelling Sean Connery?[/quote]

More my inner Oliver Reed.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Eamon McAllister — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 14:10:05 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs/241009#241009"]mishcommunicashon[/quote]

Channelling Sean Connery?

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 11:46:11 GMT

[quote userid="8182" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs/241007#241007"]Has there been any response from the RCVS to the results of the Vetsurgeon survey?[/quote]

I did originally ask for responses from all the councillors individually (to explain their decision), but there was some mishcommunicashon and the RCVS emailed them the wrong thing! Meantime, I got wind of the fact that there are further revisions to the guidelines which should tighten the rules concerning remote prescribing yet further. I think these will be shared at next week's Council meeting, so I decided to shelve getting a response from councillors till we see what those revisions are (because commenting before they come would be premature).

More news expected next week.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Bob Russell — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 10:03:07 GMT

As this challenges the decision the RCVS was always going to make, does anyone really expect much of a response?

This is another case of a solution chasing a problem but favouring the corporate type model rather than welfare or the profession.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Eamon McAllister — Thu, 09 Mar 2023 09:22:51 GMT

Has there been any response from the RCVS to the results of the Vetsurgeon survey?

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Jeffrey Chakwenya — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 19:06:03 GMT

Count me in. Definitely not small animals. I may be inclined to for large animals

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

cairncross — Sun, 05 Mar 2023 10:44:53 GMT

Thanks for the survey Arlo.

Somewhere buried in the RCVS website is there legal definition of professional misconduct or at least the legal opinion they commissioned on defining this.

Essentially it was defined as doing something the majority of our professional peers considered unacceptable unethical .The majority don't seem to find this unacceptable?

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Eamon McAllister — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 12:11:33 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs/240964#240964"]And secondly it is surprising to me that the College, which is supposed to have animal welfare at the centre of its decision-making, would pass a decision like this where so many believe it will be harmful to the welfare of animals. How did that happen?[/quote]

It happened because the College has been out of touch with the vast majority of the profession for a very long time. The Council, self selected and unelected (only 20% turnout), confers a veneer of respectability by rubber stamping executive decisions.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 13:53:43 GMT

[quote userid="4181" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs/240962#240962"]or their pets?![/quote]

Yeah, that too!

As I wrote in the article, the two big standout things about all this seem to be that the decision is so dramatically out of kilter with the broader profession which Council is supposed to be representative of. How come?

And secondly it is surprising to me that the College, which is supposed to have animal welfare at the centre of its decision-making, would pass a decision like this where so many believe it will be harmful to the welfare of animals. How did that happen?

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Rob Loxley — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 13:48:32 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs/240961#240961"]'not having to examine the psychopaths'[/quote]

or their pets?!

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 13:38:57 GMT

Here we go, the results, and they really are pretty conclusive:

https://www.vetsurgeon.org/news/b/veterinary-news/posts/93-of-vets-say-prescribing-meds-without-a-physical-exam-will-harm-animal-welfare

I thought some interesting comments posted for both benefits and drawbacks of remote consulting, though the standout one for me was the benefit of: 'not having to examine the psychopaths'!

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Catherine Spence — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 21:07:15 GMT

Clumsy fingers, sorry !

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Fri, 24 Feb 2023 10:26:49 GMT

We're doing well with this survey, nearly 500 responses so far, and still climbing rapidly!

And some interesting comments being posted in the 'other' boxes.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Eamon McAllister — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 17:24:17 GMT

Survey completed.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Thu, 23 Feb 2023 11:39:17 GMT

I've had some useful feedback from a few of you, and thanks to those who have done the survey so far. Made a couple of minor tweaks, and it is ready for a wider audience now.

Please share this with colleagues. The more responses the better, er, obviously!

https://www.vetsurgeon.org/news/b/veterinary-news/posts/new-survey-asks-what-vets-think-about-prescribing-without-having-ever-seen-the-animal-in-person

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 18:33:00 GMT

Here we go, then. Sharing this with VS members first tonight, and if you don't spot any howlers and I've got the question logic right, then I'll share it more widely tomorrow.

https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7235757/Remote-Consultation-Survey

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 22:18:45 GMT

Sam OK!

Catherine Spence - you disagreed with my original post, but I’m not sure about what exactly!

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Sam — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 19:39:51 GMT

The questions are good.

But I have been in practice my entire working life. Burned out running a practice during the pandemic and now having a break. But these issues will probably affect me in the future.
There may be many like me who cannot currently meet your criteria, but will, nonetheless care about how the RCVS behaves towards the practicing arm of the profession.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:10:32 GMT

Hi Sam - I was thinking that perhaps this should be for practising vets only, as they are the people affected by the decision and most likely, perhaps, to have a fully informed view (as opposed to, say, an academic).

But then again, no reason why I shouldn't just let everyone do it, but ask whether they are practising or not.

What do you think of the questions?

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Sam — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 18:01:48 GMT

Can we take part even if not currently working in clinical practice please?

Surely any MRCVS can have a valid opinion?

Thanks

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 11:27:10 GMT

How about this first DRAFT. My aim here is to provide a properly balanced set of possible replies. I am not pushing any agenda here. Genuinely interested to see whether people agree or disagree and investigate the reasons why:

RCVS Council recently voted to redefine ‘under care’, to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe veterinary medicines without having seen/examined the animal in person, thereby paving the way for remote consultations.

The veterinary profession is self-regulating, and Council is meant to be representative of the wider profession in how it regulates.

This survey, by VetSurgeon.org, is to ascertain the degree to which the decision to redefine ‘under care’ accords with the opinions held by veterinary general practitioners at large.

I confirm I am a veterinary surgeon working in practice [tick]
Do you work for a corporate or an independent practice or a charity?
Do you work in first opinion or referral practice?
Do you agree with the RCVS Council decision to allow veterinary surgeons to prescribe medication without having seen / examined the animal in person.
YES/NO/AMBIVALENT
What are the biggest benefits you think remote prescribing will bring? Pick from the following and then place them in order of importance.

a) Improved animal welfare through increased access to veterinary services.
b) Reduced cost to the pet owner (driving / parking etc)
c) Improved client / vet relationship
d) Improvement to vets’ quality of life through more flexible working
What do you think are the biggest risks remote prescribing will bring? Pick from the following and then place them in order of importance.

a) Threat to animal welfare caused by misdiagnoses and missed diagnoses
b) Threat to the viability of more geographically remote veterinary services.
c) Threat to independent practice (corporates funnelling clients from online consults to their practices).
Your name (please note that your answers will remain strictly confidential).

David Hopper / Eamon McAllister / Bob Russell (and everyone else reading this) do you think these questions are ok? Are there any others you would like asked?

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Arlo Guthrie — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 10:46:53 GMT

[quote userid="8182" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs/240859#240859"]Are you thinking of conducting this survey Arlo? If so, then count me in.[/quote]

Yup, working on it now.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Eamon McAllister — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 10:34:49 GMT

[quote userid="2100" url="~/001/nonclinical/f/life-in-practice-discussions/30587/survey-about-online-consultations-rcvs"]would you be interested to take part in / see the results of a survey of what GPs feel about the remote prescribing decision? [/quote]

Are you thinking of conducting this survey Arlo? If so, then count me in.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

Bob Russell — Tue, 21 Feb 2023 09:37:43 GMT

I have no intention of voting or taking part in any future consultations because it appears the committee votes the way it was going to vote anyway.

The level of disquiet expressed by the profession should have been enough to put temporary brakes on decision making.

One legal opinion, flying in the face of members views seems to have been considered more important.

Communication has been very poor.

RE: Survey about online consultations / RCVS

David Hopper — Mon, 20 Feb 2023 18:36:06 GMT

I would be interested in a survey on GP’s opinions on remote prescribing which I consider to be further undermining of the first opinion veterinary practice and open to abuse, despite what our President of RCVS believes. I have been in practice a long time and I have seen a few good vets forced by their employers to lie or face the consequences