It has also been ranked 'Excellent' by employers as an apprentice provider on the government apprentice service.
According to the latest VetSkill data, the centre has also exceeded national average first time pass rates in almost all veterinary nursing modules.
Compiled every year, VetSkill audits externally verify first time pass rates for student nurse college modules in England.
In VetSkills’ latest results for the year 2021/2022, it found that Chester Veterinary Training Centre had exceeded the national average first time pass rates in 7 out of 8 of the MCQ exams modules.
In four of the modules, CVTC was found to have a 100% first time pass rate.
On average half of the student veterinary nurses at CVTC also achieved distinction for their module.
Jackie Evans, Head of Chester Veterinary Training Centre, said: “We set out to offer the best training, led by experienced tutors and with some of the best facilities. And we’ve worked really hard to deliver it, since being accepted onto the Register of Training Providers in 2019. So it is fantastic that we have received our good grading by OFSTED and our students are achieving these brilliant pass rates as a result.”
Applications are now open for a new cohort of student veterinary nurses and patient care assistants at Chester Veterinary Nursing College to start in March 2023.
To apply for a place, visit Chester Veterinary Training Centre: https://www.chestervtc.co.uk.
The Equine Veterinary Journal has published a special early view article reviewing the science behind enhanced equine influenza vaccination schedules, in particular the replacement of annual boosters with a mandatory bi-annual vaccination programme.The article argues that as the equine influenza (EI) vaccine supply returns to normal, there is sound scientific evidence why bi-annual vaccination schedules should be re-implemented promptly.
Whilst the scale and number of outbreaks has been relatively small since the introduction of mandatory EI vaccination by most competitive equestrian disciplines in the 1980s, disease events such as those experienced in the UK in 1989, 2003 and most recently in 2019 have demonstrated EI’s epidemic potential, even in vaccinated horse populations.
In their article 'Equine influenza bi-annual boosters: what does the evidence tell us?' Victoria Colgate and Richard Newton discuss what has been learnt from previous outbreaks and explain the evidence from mathematical models to show why bi-annual boosters are beneficial.
The authors say that epidemiological data from previous natural EI outbreaks have repeatedly demonstrated the impermanent nature of the protection provided by vaccination and observational field studies have repeatedly highlighted the potential for 12-monthly boosters to leave a vulnerable immunity gap at both the individual animal and population level.
Mathematical models of EI transmission confirm that six-monthly rather than annual EI booster vaccinations are preferable to establish and maintain effective population level immunity to EI.
Ideally vaccine strains should be updated in a timely manner to ensure inclusion of the most epidemiologically-relevant strains, however, this is a slow and expensive process for equine vaccine manufacturers.
In the absence of updated vaccine strains, bi-annual vaccination is strongly recommended to help compensate for antigenic drift between vaccine and circulating EI viral strains
Professor Celia Marr, Editor of the EVJ said: “Although the recent EI vaccine shortage has necessitated a temporary relaxation of competition vaccine schedules, we must now renew the message that six-monthly boosters are optimal and necessary.”
The Editorial can be found at https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13898 and is free to view.
Two related articles can be found here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13874 and here: https://beva.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/evj.13885
The leaflets are designed to be used as part of the veterinary consultation and provide information to help owners understand what is involved in the examination, including the reasons for the procedure, the preparation required, any associated risks, and what happens during and after the examination.
They are available in a PDF format which can be printed and stamped with the veterinary practice details or emailed to clients.
Philip Lhermette, Principal of Elands Veterinary Clinic, specialist in minimally invasive surgery and Past President of the BSAVA said: “Minimally invasive surgery is becoming commonplace in general veterinary practice and is much sought after by clients, especially for routine procedures such as bitch spays.
"It is important that clients are properly informed of all the risks and benefits of a minimally invasive procedure and these leaflets provide the first opinion practitioner with an ideal means of providing such information in a succinct and easily understood format."
The new leaflets are available via the BSAVA Library here: https://www.bsavalibrary.com/content/cilgroupprocedures.
Access to the entire range of client information leaflets (including canine and feline behaviour, exotic pets, and medicines) is available for an annual subscription of £40.
BSAVA members have access to these leaflets as part of their membership benefits.
If you have any suggestions for further client information leaflets, email: publications@bsava.com.
The guidance has been in place since March to help practices continue to provide the public with veterinary services whilst safeguarding the health of their teams and clients.
The RCVS Council Covid-19 Taskforce reviewed the situation on 30th July and decided to extend the guidance after taking into account the pandemic’s progress, the latest government guidance, the headline results from a survey of practice experience of remote consulting, and 'other data from a number of veterinary practices'.
The Taskforce says it also considered the need to continue to provide practices with flexibility in the face of possible local or national lockdowns, the need for inclusivity of those practice teams members and clients who may still be shielding, the likelihood of quarantine of members of the team due to travel and/or Test and Trace and the fact that no major safety issues had been identified as part of the RCVS-commissioned survey into the immediate impact of the temporary guidance.
RCVS President Mandisa Greene, who chairs the Taskforce, said: “Whilst lockdown measures have been eased and matters have improved, we are far from being back to business as usual and the threat of returning to more severe lockdown measures, whether locally or nationally, is still very much alive."
The updated flowchart, along with all the College’s coronavirus guidance for the professions, is available at: www.rcvs.org.uk/coronavirus.
The sessions, which are delivered by the company's territory managers and cover things like toxicology, ophthalmology and the management of epilepsy, will now be streamed live to computers, tablets or smart phones.
Product Manager Will Peel (pictured right) said: "We know that concerns over coronavirus are affecting our customers so we want to make it as easy as possible for them to benefit from the information imparted in our Lunch and Learn sessions while normal service is disrupted.
‘We hope that these measures will also help us offer more virtual workshops in the future to make our sessions more accessible for busy veterinary staff and we are looking at the possibility of organising virtual drop ins from our sales team in the future.’
For more information visit: https://www.tvm-uk.com. To rearrange a previously booked session contact your local territory manager or email help@tvm-uk.com.
The annual three-day event takes place between Friday 11th – Sunday 13thOctober 2024 at the Telford International Centre.
This year’s theme is ‘Progression’ to inspire reflection on how far the profession has come and enable blue-sky conversations of where it could go in the future.
There are over twenty streams at Congress, covering subjects like emergency and critical care, anaesthesia and analgesia, primary care and first opinion nursing, referral nursing, One Health, feline nursing, behaviour, exotics, zoo and wildlife, nutrition, QI & Audit, VN Education.
On the social side, there's Musical Bingo, and a ‘Blue Light Party’, an emergency services themed gala dinner and awards ceremony.
https://bvna.org.uk/congress/
CVS says the use of ear cytology in OE is beneficial, both as a diagnostic and to evaluate the response to therapy.
However, in 2019 the company looked at 26,269 of its patients and found that ear cytology was only being used in 19.2% of cases, in line with the rest of the profession.
Only 11% of cases were being provided with in-house point-of-care cytology, whilst 8.2% had it performed externally.
80.8% of patients with OE were being prescribed antibiotics without cytological support, with 5% of these the highest priority critically important antibiotics (HPCIAs).
This low level of cytology use in primary care was suspected to be a major contributory factor to the significant use of unnecessary antibiotics.
To support its practices, CVS first looked at the barriers to performing ear cytology interventions, which were identified as a lack of confidence in using the microscope (particularly focusing on x100 and identification of pathological events), a perceived lack of time, insufficient or poorly working equipment, a lack of access to equipment, and the perception that cytology does not change the treatment choice or outcome.
As a second step, a minimal list of cytology equipment was developed to ensure that all sites had the right kit.
New equipment was then supplied to a practice if it did not meet minimum standards.
The company then produced education and resource materials, including new guidelines, imagery and video guides, to upskill both its vets and nurses.
The training focused on: equipment maintenance, cleaning and troubleshooting, how to use the microscope – including x100 magnification and the slide oil immersion technique, how to identify pathological changes, and time management to get a consultation done – including swabbing, microscope analysis, diagnosis and client consultation.
Each site was then provided with its own data, so that it could monitor progress.
Elizabeth McLennan Green, CVS Clinical Director for the North, said: “One of our goals with this project was to minimise the number of antibiotics prescribed without associated diagnostics, and to use ear cytology to guide therapy and response to treatment for the benefit of our patients and clients.”
“We know that low ear cytology interventions are an issue across the profession. We wanted to do better. So ear cytology has been our first and longest running clinical improvement project.
"We’re thrilled with the brilliant results our colleagues are now achieving.”
There's a video presentation about the project here: https://vimeo.com/875515008/bdc3ee5920
Photo: Emily Spencer, Head Vet at Castle Vets
Vita Referrals has been set up by Rob Quinn, an RCVS and EBVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, and Nick Blackburn and Stuart Cooke, both RCVS Advanced Practitioners in Small Animal Surgery.
They say that their aim is to ensure every pet owner has access to reasonably priced surgical care.
To that end, the clinic lists fixed costs for all of its major surgical specialities on its website, where it says clients should notice a significant reduction compared to other providers.
It also offers a 12-month post-surgical complications warranty.
Rob said: “Many pet-owners are unaware that there are three major companies which own the vast majority of veterinary practices in the UK.
"That is not necessarily of benefit to those using the services, as prices can rise when competition is low.
"Myself, Nick and Stuart felt very strongly that there was a different way to do things.
“No one becomes a vet to see animals suffer or pet-owners struggle to make tough financial decisions.
"We knew it was possible to offer a top quality service, with the best facilities and equipment available, whilst also keeping prices at a realistic level – and that is where the vision for Vita Referrals came from.
"We also wanted the freedom to offer collaborative decision-making, the removal of complex forms and bureaucracy and what we believe is an industry-leading 12-month complications guarantee on routine surgeries.
"It’s time there was more disruption and competition in the sector – and that will, ultimately, only be a good thing for pets, owners and vets.”
www.vitareferrals.co.uk
The speakers include Aldo Vezzoni, a European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, Peter Southerden, a European and RCVS Specialist in Veterinary Dentistry, orthopaedic specialist Daniel Lewis, veterinary physiotherapist Barbara Houlding, neurosurgeon Fred Wininger, Gary England, Professor of Comparative Veterinary Reproduction at Nottingham University, Rob Lowe, the ophthalmologist, Nick Bacon, Specialist in Small Animal Surgery, and Rachel Lumbis, a lecturer in Veterinary Nursing at the Royal Veterinary College, and, of course, Noel Fitzpatrick himself.
Dermatology, dentistry, ophthalmology, endoscopy and hepatobiliary disease have all been added to this year's education streams, together with a new ‘Top Tips’ stream, offering practical advice for immediate use in clinical practice.
In total, Vet Festival will have 18 separate education streams covering small animal clinical topics with dedicated nursing and rehabilitation content a key component of the programme.
The integration of veterinary professionals is a fundamental theme of the festival so, in the rehabilitation stream, surgeons, physiotherapists, rehabilitation specialists and hydrotherapists will offer perspectives in tandem.
Over the weekend, 135 lectures will be offered to suit those at every level of clinical practice. Delegates will collect 14 hours of CPD over the two days.
Also new in 2020 is the introduction of a ‘Wellness and development for you and your practice’ theatre, with speakers from both within and outside the profession, including paralympic champion Rachel Morris MBE, psychotherapist Di Gammage and mindfulness leadership specialist, Natalie Pennicotte-Collier. Various wellbeing activities, such as yoga, movement, fitness and mindfulness, will take place alongside the lectures.
Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, Clinical Chair at Fitzpatrick Referrals, who launched Vet Festival in 2015, said: "Outdoor festivals bring joy to the soul and I have always wanted education and continuing professional development to feel uplifting, inclusive and life-enhancing, both professionally and from a personal wellness perspective. That’s what VetFest is all about – food for the mind, body and soul."
Nicole Cooper, VET Festival Event Director, added: “For veterinary professionals keen to learn about the latest thinking and developments in small animal veterinary medicine, Vet Festival is simply unmissable. The breadth of content on offer and the quality of our speakers increases every year but what really sets VET Festival apart is the opportunity it offers for delegates to learn in a relaxed, fun environment.
Tickets for VET Festival can be purchased here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
The scheme uses a traffic light colour system of vaccination reminder stickers which veterinary surgeons can place on the front of passports at each vaccination appointment. If the 6-month pilot is a success, the initiative will be rolled out across the UK in the summer.
BEVA says that despite the best efforts of numerous equine welfare charities to address the obesity issue, a significant proportion of owners are either not recognising obesity in their horses, or not being motivated to take action.
For this reason, the Association decided to try and confront the problem in a different way, using knowledge gained from the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) – a government think tank specialising in behavioural economics and psychology.
Lucy Grieve, President Elect of BEVA and part of the Association’s obesity campaign working group, said: "Determined to look at new ways to positively engage with horse owners, we harnessed the BIT’s experience of what methods work most effectively and came up with a simple, practical scheme revolving around vaccination visits, which could be affected by vets themselves."
The idea is to use the routine annual or six-monthly vaccination visit as a time to assess a horse’s body condition. After the vaccination is given and the body condition assessed, a colour-coded vaccination reminder is stuck to the front of the passport, both to remind the owner when the next vaccination is due and to start a conversation about body condition.
A green sticker indicates a ‘healthy’ body condition. Amber means the horse is carrying too much fat tissue and needs moderate changes to diet, exercise, management, rugging and clipping regimes. Red implies that the horse is carrying excessive amounts of fat tissue which are placing the horse in morbid danger.
Amber or red stickers provide the opportunity to talk about the potential impact on the horse’s health and what needs to be done.
If there isn't enough time to talk about it during the appointment, the sticker includes a colour-specific QR code which the owner can use to access additional information via their smartphone in their own time.
One of three short, colour-specific videos will explain the reason their horse has been designated the colour of sticker on their passport, leading to a link to more specific advice on what the owner needs to do next. Having swotted up on the background information beforehand, the owner can then discuss the various management options with their vet at a convenient time.
Lucy said: "The first challenge is helping owners recognise when their horse is overweight. Once this has been established then we can make a plan to correct the problem as a team.
"The owner needs to be on board and committed in order to carry out the tough task of reducing the weight of their horse. We hope that owners will be ‘nudged’ by the sticker intervention to consider the information they have been offered and start to tackle the problem before it causes life-threatening disease."
Nine equine veterinary practices were invited to participate in the pilot scheme, including Loch Leven Equine Practice in Kinross. Managing director Liz Somerville said: "We have been focusing on equine obesity for the last couple of years including running a #FitnotFat campaign last year to try to highlight the growing obesity problem in our horses. Unfortunately, it sometimes feels that we are banging our heads against a brick wall so when BEVA came up with a new approach to try and get the message through to our owners it was too good an opportunity to miss."
BEVA says that at the end of the pilot, it will assess how well the project has worked for the vets involved, what proportion of owners used the QR codes, visited the advice pages and sought guidance from their vets.
For more information, visit: https://www.beva.org.uk/Resources-For-Vets-Practices/Clinical-Practice-Guidance/Obesity-in-horses
Kate’s election means that, come July and subject to ratification by RCVS Council, the offices of RCVS President, Senior Vice-President and Junior Vice-President will all be held by women for the first time in the College’s 177-year history.
A graduate of Edinburgh’s Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Kate was a farm vet for 15 years, a partner in a 15 vet practice in Aberdeen. She then moved to the pharmaceutical industry as a veterinary advisor before joining the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra). From there, she moved into non-veterinary Senior Civil Service (SCS) roles in several Whitehall departments including the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Justice. As a senior civil servant she was Principal Private Secretary to three Secretaries of State for Scotland, handling a diverse policy portfolio and working across Whitehall, including No.10 Downing Street and the Devolved Administrations.
First elected to RCVS Council in 2015 for a four year term and again in 2020, Kate has previously served as Chair of the RCVS Standards Committee and RCVS representative on the UK co-ordination group for the Federation of Vets of Europe (FVE). Currently Vice Chair of the Education Committee, member of the Registration Committee and the Environment & Sustainability Working Party, Kate is an appointed veterinary member of Veterinary Nurses’ Council.
Kate is a qualified Official Veterinarian (OV), a Non-Executive Director on the Moredun Foundation and Scottish Agriculture College (SAC) Commercial Boards, a veterinary advisor on a Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) mental health project and on the Council of the Association of Government Veterinarians. She’s a member of the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Veterinary Public Health Association. A Council member of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (2004-10), Kate served as a Trustee of the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (2014-17).
Current RCVS President Dr Mandisa Greene will become Senior Vice-President, and joining Kate and Mandisa on the Officer team will be Dr Melissa Donald, who last month was elected Junior Vice-President for 2021-22. Current Senior Vice-President Dr Niall Connell was recently elected RCVS Treasurer.
The vacancy in the RCVS Officer team arose following Professor David Argyle’s decision to resign from Council in March, meaning that Council needed to hold two votes in quick succession: one at its scheduled meeting in March for the 2021-22 JVP position; and one today for the current JVP vacancy.
Kate said: “I am delighted to be elected JVP. It’s been an exceptionally challenging year for those in all walks of veterinary life, including students aspiring to join our profession. It will be an honour to lead the RCVS as its tenth female president, working with veterinary colleagues as well as reaching out to allied professionals acknowledging that there will be challenges to navigate as well as triumphs to celebrate.”
The survey of 2717 horse owners, 56% of which were leisure owners and 35% professionals, found that most horses (62%) were retired between 15-24 years of age, mainly for health reasons.
Mares had a higher risk of retirement than geldings, which the researchers say may be due in part to mares used for breeding not doing much structured exercise.
Just over 1 in 6 horses in the study were affected by low muscle mass according to their owners.
Age, sex, osteoarthritis, laminitis, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), and primary use were identified as risk factors for low muscle mass.
Geldings had a higher risk of low muscle mass than mares, which the researchers say may be a result of low testosterone.
Horses with owner-reported veterinary-diagnosed PPID, osteoarthritis and laminitis had a higher risk of low muscle mass.
Primary use was identified as a risk factor for low muscle mass, with retired horses having a higher risk than horses used for competition or pleasure riding.
Owner-reported low muscle mass was perceived to affect welfare and the ability to work in the majority of senior horses.
Alisa Herbst, who led the study, said: “A prolonged working/active life may not only be desired by owners but is also likely to provide health and welfare benefits to the horse.
"We hope the results of this study may be useful for veterinarians caring for senior and geriatric equines, by helping to achieve this."
“The information may aid in the investigation of diseases affecting senior horses and in establishing senior horse-owner education programs.
"The low muscle mass risk factor list may assist vets in identifying horses at risk of low muscle mass to be selected for close monitoring.
“Vets may also consider inclusion of an objective measurement of muscle atrophy, such as the muscle atrophy scoring system (MASS)***, in annual wellness exams, so that atrophy can be identified and managed as early as possible."
Sarah Nelson, Product Manager at Mars Horsecare added: “This survey has highlighted several interesting retirement trends.
“With a better understanding of when and why senior horses are being retired we hope, eventually, to be better placed to monitor for, prevent (where possible), and treat the underlying conditions early on, to help horses stay active and healthy for longer.”
https://www.seniorhorsehealth.com
Reference
Linda gave her address at the Royal Institute of British Architects, venue for the RCVS Annual General Meeting last Friday.
Linda, an equine vet and director of the Wiltshire-based George Veterinary Group, said: “A Royal College and a regulator – it’s a challenge but this combined role is also an opportunity for us.
“In the time I’ve served the RCVS, I’ve definitely learnt some of what it takes to fulfil these roles under the remit of both the Veterinary Surgeons Act and our Royal Charter; to think not just from personal perspective and experience, and also to try to look beyond the needs of the profession today and consider what tomorrow might bring.
“Vets are not just one thing.
"The roles we fill in our working lives are many and varied, and I would argue that the MRCVS is the best placed arbiter of animal health and welfare.
"As such, keeping the MRCVS at the heart of decision-making around how veterinary care and services are provided is essential both to safeguard animal health and welfare and also to retain public trust in our work.
“Cultivating trust is a big part of what many of us do, day in and day out – trust in us from within our teams, from our clients and perhaps even from our patients.
“The RCVS with its two hats does a tough job for both the professions and the public.
"In many cases, the interests of the professions and the public align and there is no conflict.
"Of course, as a regulator where the interests don’t align, the RCVS regulates in the wider public interest and this, too, is a positive for us as a profession.
“Working in a regulated environment is a strength for us.
"The landscape in which we work has changed and the regulatory environment needs to change too. Now we are the other side of the general election, work can continue on legislative reform seeking parliamentary time for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act.”
As the 13th female President of the RCVS, Linda will lead an Officer Team comprising the now Senior Vice-President Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS, Junior Vice-President Professor Tim Parkin FRCVS and Treasurer Dr Tshidi Gardiner MRCVS as well as VN Council Chair Belinda Andrews-Jones RVN, who attends Officer Team meetings as an observer.
Strangvac has been in development for over 25 years and Dechra says it's the first and only intramuscular vaccine to help protect against strangles.
Strangvac contains recombinant proteins CCE, Eq85 and IdeE from Streptococcus equi and has DIVA (Differentiating Infected from Vaccinated Animals) capability.
The vaccine contains no live bacteria or bacterial DNA, so will not trigger positive culture or PCR tests.
In trials the new vaccine protected more than 94% of horses1.
Dechra says it reduces the clinical signs of strangles including a high temperature, coughing, inappetence, difficulty swallowing and changes in demeanour, while also reducing the number of lymph node abscesses.
Strangvac can be given to foals from five months of age and two injections should be given at a four-week interval.
Horses at high risk of Streptococcus equi infection, such as those in livery, should be revaccinated after two months.
Based on measured antibody titres, immunological memory was found in horses following repeated vaccination six months after primary vaccination.
Dr Andrew Waller, chief scientific officer at Intervacc AB, the company that developed the vaccine, said: “Strangvac is a ground-breaking new vaccine which, alongside good stable management and biosecurity procedures, can play a really important role in improving herd immunity and reducing the number of strangles cases in the equine population, thereby preventing major economic loss to the equestrian industry.”
https://www.dechra.co.uk/equine/vaccines
The CMA says its main concerns remain the same as it outlined in March, namely whether consumers are getting enough information to make informed decisions, whether corporatisation is stifling competition in certain areas, whether corporate groups have incentives to act in ways that reduce choice, whether pet owners might be overpaying for medicines and whether the regulatory framework is outdated
Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said: "The message from our vets work so far has been loud and clear – many pet owners and professionals have concerns that need further investigation.
"We’ve heard from people who are struggling to pay vet bills, potentially overpaying for medicines and don’t always know the best treatment options available to them.
"We also remain concerned about the potential impact of sector consolidation and the incentives for large, integrated vet groups to act in ways which reduce consumer choice.
"In March we proposed that a formal market investigation was the best route to fully explore these concerns and, if appropriate, take direct action to address them.
"That proposal has been overwhelmingly endorsed through our consultation.
"While we’re aware of acute staff shortages and difficult working conditions for vets, we consider a formal market investigation is essential to ensure good outcomes for the millions of pet owners in the UK as well as professionals working in the sector.
"The independent inquiry group will now take this investigation forward and, in the meantime, we’re publishing some tips to help pet owners better navigate vet services."
Meantime, the CMA has published 3 tips for pet owners, which are to look further than their nearest vet, to question treatment options and to consider buying medication elsewhere.
Ki-67 is a proliferation marker used for assessing tumour aggressiveness, however the traditional method of assessing Ki-67 scores involves manually counting the proliferating cells, which is subjective, time-consuming and prone to variability.
Finn says its new AI-assisted Ki-67 scoring test represents a significant advancement in veterinary diagnostic oncopathology.
The AI algorithm analyses Ki-67 labelling across the entire section of tumour.
Positively labelled cells are highlighted, scores are calculated, and the results are validated by a pathologist before reporting.
This more automated analysis enables the evaluation of large volumes of histological data, ensuring consistent and reliable prognostic assessments.
Finn says it also removes the subjectivity and variability associated with identifying areas of highest cell proliferation, which is a crucial aspect of tumour scoring.
https://www.finnpathologists.com
The pathway allows receptionists to progress through five stages of seniority, from receptionist to head receptionist - then beyond into practice and regional leadership roles.
It also shows how receptionists can branch out laterally into different roles within the group’s other divisions.
For each stage, there's a detailed outline of the necessary skills and capabilities and a curriculum of learning.
Philip Webb, Learning Partner at CVS who led the development of the pathway, said: “Receptionists are one of the most important roles in practice.
"They are the first and oftentimes key point of contact for our clients and play an instrumental role in how the workload of a practice is managed.
“We hope that the structured information and learning within our pathway will build the skills of each of our front-line colleagues, enhance the role of the receptionist in our practices, and give clear guidance on how to progress.
In the last four years, there has been an increase in the number of identified B. canis cases in the UK, which had previously been sporadic and isolated.
Data released by the Government shows that cases have risen from three reported before 2020 to 240 in the last three years.
Most dogs were either imported, had returned from holiday overseas, or been bred with an imported dog.
In 2022, the first UK case of dog-to-human transmission was reported, highlighting the risks to those handling and treating infected dogs and raising levels of concern within veterinary teams, although the BVA says the risk is relatively low.
The BVA, SPVS and BVNA joint policy calls on the Government to :
British Veterinary Association President Anna Judson said: “Vets are seriously concerned about the lack of adequate checks for potentially zoonotic diseases entering the country via imported dogs.
"Brucella canis is not currently considered to be widespread in the UK, so a proactive approach with an emphasis on reducing the risk of this and other worrying exotic diseases being brought into the UK is crucial.
“This is important both for the health of the UK’s dogs and the humans who care for them."
https://www.bva.co.uk/take-action/our-policies/brucella-canis
The opening speaker will be Cassie Leonard (pictured), engineer, best-selling author and executive coach, who will be talking about the value of authentic networking.
The programme, which includes a combination of lectures, panel sessions and interactive workshops, will cover:
On the Saturday, there's a dedicated ‘Grow your business’ day for those thinking of starting up or expanding their business.
New for 2025 will be a Friday morning collaborative ‘Business Club Live’ speed-networking session: an opportunity to discuss a variety of issues on hosted tables.
Also new for 2025 will be a dedicated livestock stream focussing on the unique challenges faced by livestock veterinary professionals.
The accompanying exhibition will host a selection of companies focussed on the business, management, marketing and client-facing aspects of veterinary practice and offering the latest products, services and advice.
Social events include Thursday afternoon's Happy Hour followed by a networking event and Friday night’s Presidents’ party with a reception, 3-course meal and a performance by the party band The Kings.
www.spvs-congress.co.uk
They include the launch of the RCVS Academy, reforms to the RCVS concerns investigation process, the publication of the Workforce Action Plan and guidance for universities on supporting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic veterinary students, ongoing work on new under care guidance, the development of new sustainability standards for the Practice Standards Scheme, and the purchase of the future headquarters for the RCVS.
The report also contains an update from the College’s charity partner RCVS Knowledge, details of RCVS financial management policies, and an independent auditor’s report on the College.
The Annual Report and Financial Statements will be formally adopted by RCVS Council at its Annual General Meeting on Friday 7th July at One Great George Street.
Veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses are able to submit questions about the Annual Report.
The College says that subject to time, submitted questions will be answered by the College on the day, or followed up in writing after the event.
Questions should be emailed to Deborah Rowlanes, RCVS Events Manager, on d.rowlanes@rcvs.org.uk no later than 5pm on Tuesday 4th July.
If you want to attend, register at: www.rcvs.org.uk/events.
The day is open to all RVNs, trainee veterinary nurses and animal care assistants, and there will be content for all experience levels.
This year, Langford Academy is launching a second stream tailored specifically for animal care assistants and an optional practical suturing session open to veterinary nurses (limited availability).
For veterinary nurses, topics include:
For animal care assistants, topics include
Chloe Ackerman (Head Theatre Nurse and Nurse Congress Organiser) said: “Since its launch in 2022, the Congress has continued to grow and thrive. Our goal has always been to highlight the exceptional skills of our nursing and ACA team at the Small Animal Referral Hospital while supporting our local referring practices and the wider veterinary nursing community through knowledge-sharing. This event is truly driven by our dedicated nurses and ACAs, whose passion and expertise in their fields are both inspiring and invaluable.”
Tickets cost £100 for nurses and £50 for care assistants.
https://www.langfordvets.co.uk/events/vet-nurse-congress-2025/
From early 2025, all vets, nurses and technicians will be required to wear a hard hat in the vicinity of a horse, pony or donkey – whether in practice, on a yard, or at a client’s premises.
It follows a three-year research project collaborating with the University of Liverpool which revealed that 90% of veterinary clinicians have experienced an injury during their career.
It is hoped that the move will reduce injuries to the head – one of the most common traumas to be suffered by equine vets identified by the research, usually sustained when examining distal limbs.CVS says that in the US, equine vets sustain on average eight serious injuries during their career, making it the second highest profession for non-fatal injuries.
The University of Liverpool research found that over 25% of equine vet injuries have led to hospital attendance.Dr. John Tulloch, Lecturer and European Specialist in Veterinary Public Health at the University of Liverpool, who led the research, said: “Vet visits are not an ‘everyday activity’ for a horse.
"As a result, many horses will be on heightened alert, and some may be more prone to unpredictable behaviour.“Vets are often in a vulnerable situation when examining a horse.
"And it’s difficult to pick up on a horses’ signals, especially when examining areas such as distal limbs.“Our research found that many injuries happen when a horse kicks or pushes a person over and the person’s head makes impact with the ground.
"So, wearing a hard hat will be a big step towards preventing traumatic head injuries if this were to happen.”Sophie Ignarski, Equine Director at CVS said: “All of our clinicians are at risk in their day-to-day work – whether they are newly qualified or very experienced.
"Other colleagues including nurses, vet techs and patient care assistants are similarly vulnerable.“We decided to make wearing of hard hats mandatory in order to protect all of our colleagues and minimise the potential risk of head injury, understanding it can never be fully eliminated.
"We recognise that this policy shift represents a degree of change but hope that it serves to further support and progress the equine veterinary industry more widely.“Our policy is evidence-based, utilising three years of rigorous research, and we will continue our efforts in the future to grow our knowledge and understanding of this important area.
"By doing so, we join other industries – such as construction – who have already adopted similar changes to the extent they are now established in their culture.”
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167587725001266
To nominate someone for inclusion in the showcase, visit: https://www.beva.org.uk/60-Faces
BEVA President Lucy Grieve said: "We are proud of BEVA’s heritage and want to recognise our 60th birthday by celebrating some of those who have made a significant difference to the equine veterinary community. We want you to help us identify the 60 individuals who you believe have truly inspired, influenced and progressed the equine veterinary profession for the better.”
Each of the nominated 60 faces will be highlighted on the website and on BEVA’s social media channels. Profile details will include career paths, workplaces and personal contributions to the equine veterinary profession.
Lucy added: "We have already started the list with Colonel John Hickman, Sue Dyson and Peter Rossdale. But there are hundreds of exceptional, deserving individuals who have made a huge difference to the equine veterinary profession and are worthy of our 60 Faces roll call."
The deadline for nominations is Friday 16th April 2021. All nominations are anonymous.
Susan Little, pictured left, talks about ‘Low Stress Management of the Diabetic Cat’, Professor Ian Ramsey gives his: ‘Top Ten Tips on Diabetes on a Budget’, and Grant Petrie presents: ‘Patients in Lockdown’: principles to manage diabetes remotely.
John Helps, Senior Veterinary Advisor at MSD Animal Health said: “Pet diabetes continues to be of increasing importance in the UK. Research has shown that up to 20% of diabetic pets die, or are euthanised, within a year of diagnosis1. No-one wants to these figures rise further because of the recent challenges so the topics covered are all particularly relevant to veterinary practice teams at this time.”
To watch the presentation, use this memorable link: https://onlinexperiences.com/Launch/QReg/ShowUUID=ADB18692-C804-40FD-B8C3-5D97C7DBC333&LangLocaleID=1033.
Further information for veterinary professionals from: https://www.msd-animal-health-hub.co.uk/ahp/caninsulin/tools.
For pet owners, the Caninsulin website offers more information about diabetes: www.caninsulin.co.uk.
The new formula also contains crataegus, L-carnitine and magnesium taurate, and is designed to be used alongside all heart medications.
Alongside the launch of the new product, Vita has also created an infographic highlighting the common signs of heart disease in dogs.
https://vitaanimalhealth.com/common-signs-of-heart-disease
https://vitaanimalhealth.com/product/omnicardio-plus