Mr Wood was removed from the Register in 2018 after being convicted of posessing indecent images of children and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years.
Mr Wood first applied to rejoin the Register in 2020 but his application was rejected.
At the outset of his second application last month, Mr Wood’s counsel argued that he is professionally competent to be restored, that he had strong mitigation for his offending, that he had consistently and repeatedly expressed and demonstrated profound remorse, that he posed a low risk of re-offending, that he had proactively engaged with the Probation Service and voluntary counselling to gain further insight into his offending, and that he had completed his community sentence and was no longer subject to any of the court orders arising from his conviction.
The Committee then weighed up whether Mr Wood had accepted its original findings in 2018, the seriousness of the offences, whether he demonstrated insight, protection of the public and the public interest, the future welfare of animals should he be restored to the Register, the length of time off the Register, Mr Wood's conduct since he was removed and evidence that he had kept up-to-date with veterinary knowledge, skills and practice.
Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee is satisfied that Mr Wood has done everything required of him in order to be able to satisfy the Committee that he is fit to be restored to the Register.
“At the last application in June 2020, he was unsuccessful largely because of the outstanding ancillary Court Orders that did not conclude until early 2023. Those Orders have now concluded
“He has shown significant insight into his offending behaviour. He has been proactive in his rehabilitation and taken significant steps to ensure there would be no repetition.
“He has a small, but strong, network of people around him who appear to genuinely care about him and support him. He has worked hard at maintaining his skills and knowledge, in so far as he has been able to in light of not being able to practise as a veterinary surgeon.
“He is thoughtful and realistic about his prospects going forward. His responses to questions about addiction were appropriate and persuasive. He has expressed genuine remorse and there is, in the Committee’s view, a public interest in allowing him to be restored to the Register.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
As well as recycling its own blister packs used for pet medication, White Cross Vets, which has 21 practices, is urging local residents to bring in their empty blister packs to be recycled in a collection box in its reception areas.
MYGroup will process the collected blister packs, separating it back into its constituent parts so it can be fed back into supply chains and used to make new materials, including MYboard, a product which is used for construction, joinery, shop and event fittings.
Tom Ward, clinic director from White Cross Vets in Guiseley, said: “Very few local authorities or waste companies can recycle blister packs, which are used to package tablets and pills, meaning they usually end up in landfill or incineration.
“As a practice we use thousands of blister packs every year and we’re conscious that we need to look after our environment, so when we discovered there is now a ground-breaking recycling solution through MYGroup, it was obvious we needed to get involved.
“We’re also pleased to be able to make it available to local people in the surrounding area who can collect the blister packs they use at home and drop them off with us for recycling, regardless of whether or not they’re a client or even a pet owner.
"The initial feedback we’ve received has been very positive and we’re now beginning to see more and more blister packs being recycled each week as the scheme begins to grow.”
https://mygroupltd.com
Steve Carrie, group director from MYGroup, said: “MYGroup offers the only circular solution on the market for recycling blister packs and we’re only just getting started in this critical waste space to save such a ubiquitous item from landfill or incineration.
MYGroup launched its first blister pack recycling scheme earlier this year across a series of GP surgeries and pharmacies in York, with over 185,000 waste blister packs collected so far.
Each full box that White Cross Vets collects carries an approximate carbon saving of 30kg, which is roughly the equivalent of driving nearly 800 miles in a car.
The money, which was raised from the annual raffle and auction was nearly 50% more than last year's total, which was an already impressive £27,800.
When the total was announced, former Vetlife President and auctioneer for the evening, Graham Dick was visibly moved and rendered temporarily speechless.
Once he's had a chance to recompose himself, he said “Your continued selection of Vetlife as the nominated charity for your now legendary fundraising at your annual conference not only raises much needed funds to enable it to continue to fulfil its mission, but also provides an excellent opportunity to re-enforce its contribution to the wellbeing of so many fellow veterinary professionals.” \
“This amazing sum raised could not have been possible without the provision by so many of such a wide range of raffle prizes and high value lots for auction and the generosity of those who bid unstintingly for them.
"On behalf of those in our veterinary community for whom such generosity may have made a substantial difference Vetlife is extremely grateful.”
Vet Dynamics Director Vicky Robinson said: “Both Graham and I were virtually speechless to see the amazing generosity from our delegates and exhibitors and, of course, the kindness of the donors.
"It's such a pleasure to be able to contribute to a charity who work tirelessly to help our wonderful profession.”
Photo: Vicky Robinson and Graham Dick
Practices which want to buy the alternative imported vaccine will need to apply to the VMD for a Special Import Certificate (SIC).
Wholesalers have agreed to stock the alternative vaccine.
Zoetis says it acknowledges the concern and frustration this causes its customers and wants to reassure the equine community that it is working hard to resume Equip Rotavirus supply as soon as possible.
For further information, contact your Zoetis account manager or ring Zoetis HQ on 0345 300 8034.
The pack highlights the benefits of Adaptil and Feliway and Ceva’s ThunderShirt range of calming wraps.
It contains a wall/notice board display, a poster, an e-book and leaflet for owners, and a social media toolkit with graphics and pre-written posts for practices to use on their own social media channels.
The company is also running its fireworks waiting room display competition this month, in which the five veterinary practices who make best use of the materials for creating a display in their waiting room will win one of five £100 Love 2 Shop vouchers.
There are bonus points for practices that build a den in the waiting room to demonstrate the benefits of having a safe haven for dogs to retreat to when fireworks are going off.
Veterinary professionals can post pictures of the dens and waiting room displays on the Adaptil Facebook page throughout October - www.facebook.com/AdaptilForDogs.
Ceva is running commercial offers in the run up to the firework season, which practices are being encouraged to pass to their clients.
To download the fireworks marketing support pack go to http://bit.ly/3RxGLza.
For further information, contact your Ceva territory manager or email cevauk@ceva.com.
Mrs Grecko faced two charges.
The first was that she got a nurse colleague to order griseofulvin, a prescription-only antifungal medication, knowing that it was for human use, rather than legitimate veterinary use.
It was also alleged that she then caused a student veterinary nurse to record the order in the name of another veterinary surgeon, who was not involved in the order or prescription of the medication, and falsely record that it was for Mrs Grecko’s dog.
The second charge was that she had acted dishonestly and misleadingly, as the medication was, in fact, intended for use by her husband.
At the outset of the hearing, Mrs Grecko admitted she had asked her RVN colleague to order the medication and for her SVN colleague to record that the medication was for her dog and that doing this was dishonest and misleading.
Mrs Grecko accepted that these admitted charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.
She denied asking an SVN to record it under the name of another veterinary surgeon.
However, the Committee heard from two eye-witnesses who testified consistently that Mrs Grecko had told her SVN colleague to record the medication under another vet's name, and from another witness who testified that Mrs Grecko had made a similar admission.
It therefore found it proven that she had asked her SVN colleague to make a false record, that it was dishonest and misleading, and that together, the charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf said: “The Committee considered that Mrs Grecko’s conduct had breached her obligations as a veterinary surgeon to respect the proper protections that were in place for the control of prescription-only medications.
"She had committed a serious abuse of her position in using the fact that she could obtain medications by virtue of her profession to circumvent the protections.
"She had been prepared to involve others in the course of the conduct.
"In addition, Mrs Grecko had been prepared to engage in an attempt to conceal her actions and falsify the clinical records in the process.
“Although it was acknowledged that Mrs Grecko may have been subject to some conflicting demands, being affected by her husband’s interests and may have felt a pressure to act, the Committee considered that she had completely failed to acknowledge and respect her overriding professional responsibilities.”
The Committee considered that the offence was a serious one, taking into account the abuse of position and pre-meditated and dishonest conduct.
The Committee also took into account previous adverse findings against Mrs Grecko from 2011, which involved misconduct of a very similar nature, which meant that they could not accept her argument that she had learnt her lesson, and also meant that, in the Committee’s judgement, she presented a significant risk of further repeated errors of judgement and dishonest conduct.
Mr Morris added: “Further, the Committee considered that members of the public would be very concerned to learn that, having once been reprimanded for her previous dishonest conduct, Mrs Grecko had repeated her behaviour.
“It [the Committee] concluded that this rendered Mrs Grecko’s disgraceful conduct in a professional respect incompatible with continued registration and no lesser sanction than removal from the Register would be sufficient to protect the wider public interest in maintaining public confidence in the profession and declaring and upholding proper professional standards.”
Mrs Grecko now has 28 days from being informed of her removal from the Register to lodge an appeal.
They say that dogs which lose sensation following damage to the spinal cord from a slipped disc have a prognosis for recovery of about 50%.
However, there is no reliable way of determining which dog will recover and failing that, owners must wait weeks to months to see if there are any signs of recovery, during which time dogs may need anaesthesia, surgery, and intensive nursing care.
The researchers say that the stiffness of an organ can be a marker of how damaged it is.
So, for the research, a new ultrasound machine equipped with an advanced piece of software (known as ‘shear wave elastography’) – will be used to measure the stiffness of a dog’s spinal cord during surgery.
The dog’s recovery to walking after surgery will then be monitored routinely.
The results will allow researchers to see if a relationship between spinal cord stiffness at time of surgery and recovery exists.
If successful, this would help them provide a more accurate prognosis for dogs with spinal cord injury in the future.
If you have a case suitable for this study, CVS says they will receive a gold standard treatment for spinal cord injury, which will include spinal surgery.
They will also have an ultrasound of the spinal cord performed during surgery, a procedure taking approximately 15 minutes.
Contact referrals@highcroftvet.co.uk or nicolas.granger@bristolvetspecialists.co.uk.
BVS Neurology study from CVS (UK) Ltd on Vimeo.
There are four categories of award:
Veterinary practices who feel they have excellence to showcase are invited to submit their nominations via: https://spvs.org.uk/business-excellence-awards, highlighting why they deserve to receive the award against each of the selection criteria.
The deadline for nominations is 5pm on 31st October 2023.
The SPVS Board then will review submissions and shortlist the top 5 nominations in each category.
Shortlisted practices will be contacted by 5pm on the 15th November 2023, and invited to submit a more detailed statement of 750 words or a 90-second video, giving them another opportunity to showcase their accomplishments.
A panel of SPVS members will evaluate the final submissions and vote for a winner in each category.
Category winners will be announced before the end of the year, and will win full day + evening tickets to SPVS Congress 2024 on Thursday 25th January 2024 for three team members, plus overnight accommodation at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.
The overall winner will be announced at the SPVS Congress 2024 opening ceremony (25th – 27th January 2024).
Brian (pictured right), said: “I am absolutely delighted that Colourful CPD has joined Agilio and I see this as a win-win-win for Colourful CPD, Agilio and the veterinary profession.
"Colourful CPD’s courses complement Agilio’s vast array of existing statutory and mandatory courses which they already distribute within the UK as well as all around the world, thus enabling Colourful CPD to make the move up to the next level, both here and abroad.
I believe veterinary practices, as well as all the roles working within them, will benefit from being able to access a range of new courses and management services from Agilio.”
To mark its expansion into the veterinary sector, Agilio will be launching iTeam, its HR and rota software, together with iLearn, an online training and CPD accredited platform at the London Vet Show in November.
https://www.colourfulcpd.comhttps://agiliosoftware.com
Dr Mark Johnston, CEO of Vetstream said: “The usage data of Vetlexicon has continually shown us how important the client factsheets are to practices helping clients understand the health and welfare of their animals.
"Whilst most of our subscribers are accepting of the Vetlexicon content in English, the preferred language of many pet owners is not necessarily English, and we wanted to help practices with that.
"So a major new dimension to the new Vetlexicon website is to enable the content to be made available in many European and Asian languages so that when you are viewing a client factsheet, you can instantly see that content in Spanish, French or Korean and then print it out on paper and give to the owners for them to share with friends or family on their return to home; or to print it as a PDF and email it to them.
"Practices have told us that this will be so useful for the relationship with their clients, and so it is great to be able to provide that now.”
The company says it has also improved the interface and functionality of the site and made it mobile phone friendly.
www.vetlexicon.com
In response to the question ‘How important is sustainability to you personally?’, 57% of respondents said it was very important making it the most popular choice.
However, in answer to the question: ‘Is your practice team actively working to improve sustainability?’, 20% of respondents said ‘Always/wherever possible’ and 42% said ‘Most of the time’, leaving 38% not actively working to improve sustainability.
IVC says the conclusion to be drawn is that sustainability is a personal priority, but this isn’t always translating to practice and more can be done.
To help with this, the company will shortly Positive Hoofprint, an Equine and Farm specific toolkit to help practices become more sustainable, with resources, checklists and practical advice for prioritising environmentally friendly initiatives.
Mark Tabachnik, UK Head of Equine for IVC Evidensia, said: “It’s clear from our survey that sustainability is still being treated as a secondary concern in practice, and this is something that IVC Evidensia is actively seeking to change.
“With our Positive Hoofprint about to be launched, there has never been a better time to prioritise our sustainability goals and to embed them in our own practices.
“This will give colleagues the tools they need to care for the planet, so we can fundamentally change equine veterinary to be more environmentally conscious for the future.”
The studies and articles include a look at retention in the veterinary nursing profession, the importance of ethics, artificial Intelligence in veterinary practice, canine corneal bacterial pathogens, canine appendicular soft tissue sarcomas and mast cell tumours, and autologous mesenchymal stromal cell treatment.
Professor Luisa De Risio, Clinical Research and Excellence Director at Linnaeus, said: “Innovation in clinical research can only happen if we embrace change in society – from new technology to improvements in animal welfare. As well as showcasing the latest research, our new report also brings together experts to consider the opportunities for our profession.”
https://bit.ly/42KFrMK
There will be 20 presentations from some of the world's leading experts, covering topics such as detection and diagnosis, advances in veterinary oncology, supportive care for the cancer patients, how to build a partnership with pet owners and, of course, feeding the cancer patient.
The presentations will be streamed live and available on demand afterwards, at https://learn.hillsvet.com/en_GB/hills-global-symposium-2023
Dr. Iveta Becvarova, Senior Director of Global Academic & Professional Affairs at Hill's Pet Nutrition said: "This year’s Hill’s Global Symposium will offer the latest advancements and innovations to help veterinary professionals support and counsel their clients, and provide the best care possible to the pets in their care."
The new range allows for gradually increasing support for the CKD patient according to the International Renal Interest Society (IRIS) stage, reducing phosphorous levels whilst avoiding early protein reduction and the associated lean mass loss correlated to a reduction in life expectancy.
Virbac says Veterinary HPM Kidney & Joint contains high quality protein, of which more than 85% is of animal origin, to support body condition and limit renal workload.
All of the products in the range contain Mobility Plus Complex, a mix of chondroprotective agents for joint support which are designed to increase joint flexibility and mobility with high levels of Omega 3 and DHA.
Dan Johnson, Product Manager at Virbac said: "CKD is the first cause of mortality at, or after, 5 years of age and osteoarthritis is highly prevalent but under-diagnosed in senior cats, with most cats being diagnosed at an advanced stage.
"So with Veterinary HPM Kidney & Joint, Virbac hopes to provide clinicians with a significant advancement in the nutritional management of these feline pathologies."
Veterinary HPM Kidney & Joint is presented in three dry and two wet formats:
The guidance was drawn up in response to a survey carried out by the association last year which found that a lack of understanding of Schedule 3 procedures, together with a reluctance to delegate appropriate Schedule 3 procedures to equine nurses as significant contributing factors to retaining them within the profession.
The new guidelines have been accepted by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and are supported by the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA).
Marie Rippingale Chair of the BEVA Equine Nurses Committee, said: “We hope BEVA’s Schedule 3 guidelines will help with the delegation of Schedule 3 procedures to eRVNs, enabling them to have more fulfilling clinical careers, which will contribute positively to retention.
“We also hope the guidelines will help reduce the workload of equine veterinary surgeons, improving their wellbeing and positively affecting retention.
"Overall, we hope the use of the guidelines will lead to improved welfare for equine patients.”
https://www.beva.org.uk/Career-Support/Nurses/Schedule-Three
The four organisations have written a template letter which anyone can send to any company they see using brachycephalic breeds, such as the Persian, or Scottish Folds, in its marketing materials.
The letter urges companies that use images of cats to work collaboratively with veterinary professionals and pledge to avoid using such breeds in the future.
Dr Nathalie Dowgray, Head of ISFM, said: “Seeing a cute cat in an advertisement can often be a trigger for people to seek out acquiring a cat of that breed without understanding the welfare concerns associated with some pedigree breeds.
"A rise in demand can lead to an increase in breeding practices that result in severe conformational issues and poorer welfare in these breeds.
"We encourage people to download this letter to use when they see breeds of concern being used in advertising, as health is always more important than looks.”
https://icatcare.org/app/uploads/2023/09/ISFM_FECAVA_FVE_UEVPAdvert_Letter.pdf.
The Scholarship was set up to continue the legacy of Louise O’Dwyer who passed away in 2018.
Louise worked tirelessly in ECC, spoke at several events to help other veterinary professionals around the globe and she worked as a speaker for Improve Veterinary Education to educate other vet nurses.
This year, the scholarship received over 30 entries across the UK.
Patricia Rigio RVN said: “I was born and raised in Venezuela where I graduated as a marine biologist in 2012.
"I moved to the UK in 2014 because I wanted to improve my English, little did I know I would end up discovering veterinary nursing as a career and falling in love with it.
"I have been working mainly in general practice since I started my training in 2018 but after qualifying, I decided to support Vets Now in my spare time to gain more experience, this has fuelled my passion and interest in emergency and critical care.
"I feel truly honoured and lucky as this programme is an amazing opportunity for me to further my skills in ECC and to apply everything that I can learn through the programme in practice, to the benefit of my patients and to help my colleagues."
www.improveinterational.com.
The event will focus on companion animals and deliver 7.5 hours of CPD.
150 tickets have been pre-sold and a further 100 tickets will be made available to pre-registered delegates first.
Vetpol director Caroline Johnson said: “SQPs have few opportunities to connect with and learn from their peers from other businesses in their day to day work.
"Our 2024 Congress will allow delegates to network, fully immersing all attendees in an enjoyable, practical learning experience.
"While the event is companion animal focused, we expect to attract SQPs from vet practices, retail environments, saddlers, and agrimerchants, bringing together a diverse audience with different experiences and perspectives.
"This means there is a huge potential to share tips and ideas, as well as to really experience the energy and passion that SQPs bring to their roles.”
Congress also includes an optional party night which promises to offer a great opportunity to create lasting friendships and develop an extended network of support.
To pre-register or find out more about the congress programme, contact: molly@vetpol.co.uk.
The open day will cover topics including radiography, wounds and TPLO surgery aftercare, hosted by Dr. Michael Hamilton, consultant orthopaedic and spinal surgeon, Dr Karla Lee, head of soft tissue surgery and Letty Piggott-Delves, physiotherapy team lead.
There will also be an IMHA case discussion with internal medicine nurse Rute Silva, and an interactive quiz on anaesthesia for attendees to take part in, led by anaesthesia nurse practitioner Kimberley Brady.
Rachel Pickles, clinical services manager at Hamilton Specialist Referrals, said: “The open day is a brilliant opportunity for nurses from all over the veterinary profession to build on their existing knowledge base.
"It also presents an excellent learning opportunity for student nurses too, giving them access to educational sessions and workshops with members of our expert team.”
For more information and to RSVP, email info@hamiltonspecialists.vet or call 01494 578 566.
www.hamiltonspecialists.vet.
Both veterinary professionals and clients can nominate people and practices for one of five awards.
Every professional nominated in the awards will be sent a personalised certificate.
An independent panel of judges from within the veterinary industry will then narrow down the entries to a shortlist of three finalists for each award, who will all be invited to awards ceremony in Manchester on Thursday 21st March 2024.
Bella von Mesterhazy, Sales and Marketing Director at Petplan, said: “Every year we think we’ve seen it all, but then we’re overjoyed by the sheer volume of and enthusiasm behind the latest nominations.
"So for anyone who’s considered nominating before but hasn’t got round to it, this year’s the time to get involved, as we all come together to champion the immense success of the UK’s veterinary industry, whilst celebrating the awards quarter-century anniversary.”
petplan.co.uk/vetawards
Nominations close on 8th January 2024.
2000 veterinary surgeons and nurses/technicians took part in the study, of which 545 completed all questions.
The biggest equipment barriers to BP measurement were 'cuff frustration' (cuffs pinging off) and difficulties hearing the pulse, which were experienced at least sometimes by 72.2% and 71.6% of participants respectively when using Doppler machines.
When asked about barriers relating to the procedure itself, the most significant issues were a lack of time, not having a colleague available to restrain the cat, and simply forgetting to include BP in the assessment.
Owner-related barriers included difficulties persuading clients to book a separate BP appointment, difficulties persuading clients to bring cats in for a BP check at all, and reticence over the cost.
Former Member, RCVS recognised Specialist in Feline Medicine who lead the study, said: “Feline hypertension is an extremely common condition which affects approximately one in five cats nine years or over4, however there are several challenges that we need to address to enhance the long-term health and welfare of the nation’s cats.
"The good news is that some of the barriers identified in the study can be overcome by taking a ‘practice makes perfect’ attitude towards taking blood pressure, in that the more experience vet professionals have, the easier the procedure will become.
"The study showed many VNs are confident and enthusiastic about blood pressure assessment in cats; this should be encouraged and expanded upon to ensure that as many older cats and those with conditions increasing their risk of hypertension, receive the BP monitoring they deserve.
Eye examinations are helpful in confirming a diagnosis of systemic hypertension, however the study revealed that while 96.5% of respondents had access to a direct ophthalmoscope, 73.1% reported that they felt under-confident in performing and interpreting ocular examinations when identifying hypertensive lesions in cats.
Ceva Animal Health, which funded the study, says that because between 50 and 100% of hypertensive cats have ocular lesions2,3, it is vital that clinicians feel able to identify ocular pathologies associated with high blood pressure.
Sarah added: "VNs and vets should be encouraged to ‘upskill’ their eye examination skills, as this can be extremely helpful in identifying cats with hypertension."
To that end, Ceva has published an online feline ophthalmology course ‘Looking hypertension in the eye’: www.veterinarywebinars.com/community/ceva
The course, which is presented by Dr Ben Blacklock BVSc (Hons), Dipl. ECVO, MRCVS, senior lecturer in veterinary ophthalmology at the University of Edinburgh, is designed to help vets and vet nurses to get the most out of their ocular exams and gain confidence in identifying ocular lesions associated with feline hypertension.
https://easethepressure.co.uk.
References
The decision was made after Council heard increasing reports that practices have not been keeping records of POM-V parasiticide prescriptions within patient records as has always been required by the VMD.
This created a bit of a problem when the new 'under care' guidance came into force at the start of this month, which requires that veterinary surgeons must perform a physical examination as part of their initial clinical assessment of an animal before prescribing POM-V anti-parasitics.
Failing a record of an existing prescription, that would have meant re-examining large numbers of animals at a time when resources in the profession are already stretched.
RCVS President, Sue Paterson, said: “While it has been both surprising and disappointing to learn of such widespread non-compliance with legislation that has been in place for many years, Council decided to postpone the implementation of this one aspect of our new under care guidance to allow practices additional time to bring their prescribing protocols into line."
The delayed implementation date of 12 January 2024 relates only to the prescription of POM-V anti-parasitics.
The rest of the new under care guidance remains in effect from 1 September 2023
Asked why the CMA had decided to launch the review, its Senior Director for Consumer Protection told BBC R4's Today programme this morning that: "the costs of many vet services are rising higher than the cost of inflation, and it can be really hard to find out how much it's going to cost you, both for routine treatments or if something goes wrong and you need to find emergency care for your pet."
George added: "There's many other [veterinary] services and costs that people cannot have predicted and they can find themselves unexpectedly facing some really high bills, and when other household bills are going up very steeply at the moment we want to do everything we can to make sure that people can predict how much it is going to cost to see a vet, both for routine stuff but also for things if there's a crisis."
The authority is also looking at whether there is enough transparency over practice ownership.
With the percentage of independent practices falling from 89% in 2013 to 45% by 2021, the authority says people may not be clear if their vet is part of a group which owns other vet practices in their area or that the services which are being sold to them (such as diagnostic tests or treatments at a specialist animal hospital) are provided by that group.
This, it says, could impact pet owners’ choices and reduce the incentives of local vet practices to compete.
The CMA is now asking veterinary professionals, people who supply veterinary products and services and pet owners to take part in the review by completing an online questionnaire: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-respond-to-the-veterinary-services-market-for-pets-review
In particular, it wants to hear practitioners' experiences of:
The questionnaire will remain open for six weeks.
The CMA will outline the issues it identifies and announce its next steps early in 2024.
The 12-month surgical guarantee covers professional fees, including consultations, anaesthesia and surgery, involved in rectifying a complication as long as the patient is in good health and the post-surgery instructions have been followed appropriately.
Clinical Director, Andy Moores, an RCVS-Recognised Specialist in Small Animal Orthopaedics, said: “We can never promise that surgery will be free of complications, but we are confident in our low complication rate.
"We are offering a surgical guarantee to demonstrate this confidence and to provide our clients with the reassurance that we will help them get through any post-surgical complications.”
Andy added: “Along with our highly competitive fixed-price fees we hope this guarantee will give owners financial peace-of-mind when their pet needs orthopaedic treatment at this difficult time.
"We do not know of any other specialist orthopaedic centre in the southeast that offers better value care.”
www.mooresortho.com
For free case advice, email: advice@mooresortho.com
The company points to research which showed that 42% of cats and 28% of dogs have lesions which are only detectable on x-ray1.
Failing to identify teeth with root lesions can have a significant impact on patient welfare, causing ongoing pain and eventual tooth loss.
The first priority for the CVS clinical improvement project was to review how effective its first opinion small animal practices were at using radiography in dental examinations.
In July 2021, only 16.2% of dental cases had radiography performed and clinicians were mostly using visual examination to guide decision making.
The project then identified the barriers to using dental radiography as: a lack of dental radiography equipment in a practice, a lack of clinician confidence in taking and interpreting the radiographs and a belief that pet owners would not want to pay for it.
To address the first issue, CVS installed new dental radiography machines at over 104 sites, at a cost of £615,000 over the course of the year.
The company then upskilled its vets and nurses in dental radiography - looking specifically at getting good quality radiographs and interpretation.
Finally, the company conducted an audit of each participating practice’s dental radiology data, updating it each month and sharing the results with the practices..
One year on, CVS says the data shows that 43% of dental cases in project practices are now using dental radiography as part of their consultation.
In the best cases, some practices have been using radiography in 100% of cases.
Hub Clinical Lead Deborah Komianos said: “When you open a patient’s mouth and look inside, seemingly normal teeth are oftentimes not normal.
"So vets and nurses can risk missing periodontal disease.
“Dental radiology has historically been underutilised but we believe it adds valuable information to dental consultations and is an important decision-making tool.
“We’re thrilled with the early results in our practices.
"It shows there’s been a real change of mind-set and behaviour towards using X-rays in dentistry – as well as increased confidence in execution."
Reference