It is hoped the survey will capture the experiences that vet nurses have had reporting ADRs, as well as identifying barriers to the current process which could be used to improve the ease with which ADRs are reported in the future.
PhD student Heather Davies (pictured right), who is leading the research project, said: "The survey is an important opportunity to gain insights into the issues that vet nurses face when dealing with ADRs.
"We want to make the process easier in order to improve the safety of veterinary medicines, and ultimately, we need the help of professionals on the front line in order to do that."
She added: "The survey is relatively short and can be completed anonymously.
"We’re really keen to gather as many of your experiences as possible so we’d like to encourage veterinary professionals to complete it."
The research is being carried out as part of a PhD project funded by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) in collaboration with the Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET), based at the university.
The survey is now open and you can take part here: https://liverpool.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/adrs-vet
Any questions about the survey can be addressed directly to the researchers: Heather Davies (PhD student): H.H.Davies@liverpool.ac.uk and/or Dr David Killick (Supervisor): David.Killick@liverpool.ac.uk.
Abbeydale says this was a particularly special achievement because it was its first full inspection as a training provider.
Sam Morgan RVN, a director alongside Kirsty Gwynne RVN, said: "The inspectors were particularly impressed by our ambitious curriculum which reflects current industry practice, our ability to link on and off-the-job training, and how senior leaders and tutors support apprentices to understand career pathways.
“We are proud that our hard work has been recognised in this way.
"It is a team effort here at Abbeydale and it is a combination of all our tutors, learners, employers, clinical coaches, and governance boards’ input to ensure our provision is fit for purpose.”
The full Ofsted report can be read at www.reports.ofsted.gov.uk
To find out more about Abbeydale Vet Nurse Training visit www.vetnursetraining.co.uk
Photo: R-L Kirsty Gwynne RVN and Sam Morgan RVN.
The oral corticosteroid powder formulation was previously only available in 180g tubs.
Severe equine asthma, which was previously known as Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) or Heaves, can lead to airway neutrophil influx and excessive mucus production. Although it is generally managed by environmental measures to suppose triggering factors, it can be combined with corticosteroid therapy to control airway inflammation in more severe cases.
Alana McGlade BVMedSci BVM BVS MRCVS, Equine Business Manager, said: "Severe equine asthma is the most common cause of chronic coughing in mature horses. Attributed to a hypersensitivity to inhaled allergens and dust, clinical signs - such as inflammation of the airways - can be alleviated by Equisolon’s active ingredient prednisolone.
"Prednisolone has been shown to have positive effects on clinical signs, endoscopic evaluation, arterial blood gases and pulmonary function when used in conjunction with environmental changes to reduce a horse’s exposure to potential triggers.
"Previously, vets would have had to measure out the powder but the sachets make dosing more convenient. The sachets come in a box of 10, so each pack will treat one 300 kg horse for 10 days or one 600 kg horse for 5 days. As the sachets are pre-measured, horses get exactly the dose they need.”
Equisolon oral powder contains 33.3 mg/g of prednisolone and should be administered at 1 mg prednisolone per kg of body weight per day. Treatment can be repeated at 24 hour intervals during 10 consecutive days.
For more information visit www.dechra.co.uk
The clinic will assess cats and dogs under six months old where a heart murmur has been detected.
Willows will then recommend a course of action and, if required, carry out keyhole surgery.
Chris Linney, head of cardiology at Willows, said: "This is the first specialist-led, congenital heart disease clinic in the country and will use some of the latest and most advanced equipment available in the veterinary world. As well as advanced ultrasound, we also have state-of-the-art CT available for assessment of complex cases.
"With the support of the 24/7 hospital service and other specialist disciplines here at Willows, it means we can offer excellent care to our patients, their owners and referring vets.
"All young animals with murmurs may benefit from the clinic, but those that are always recommended to undergo assessment are puppies with murmurs grade three (out of six) and over, and kittens with murmurs grade four (out of six) and over.
"By reviewing these animals at a younger age, we hope to be able to put care plans in place that can improve their long-term health.
"We will also offer a precise diagnosis, outlook and prognosis on the cause of the heart murmur and, where needed, carry out minimally-invasive keyhole surgery.
"Often, the earlier these are performed the better the outlook for the patient."
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net.
The clinic will offer referrals in orthopaedics, internal medicine, soft tissue surgery, neurology and advanced imaging from a team which includes Rory Bell, an RCVS and European Recognised Specialist in Internal Medicine, and Jonathan Bell, an EBVS and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery.
The practice says it has some of the most advanced equipment in Europe, including a Siemens 128 slice CT scanner and a Siemens 1.5T Aera MRI scanner. The clinic also has three environmentally-controlled theatres, with CT and MRI scanning capabilities.
Dr Stuart Cooke BVetMed CertSAS MRCVS, one of Swift Referrals founders said: “We’re delighted to launch Swift Referrals, and would like to thank everyone who helped us get here. We are proud to be able to say that we house some of the most advanced equipment in the continent, from the very best advanced imaging machines, to specialist treatment and aftercare rooms. We also have some of the most skilled veterinary experts operating in them, day in and day out. Our clinicians are leaders in their field of expertise, with years of experience and very advanced training."
For more information: www.swiftreferrals.co.uk/.
The university says that new resource, which is aimed at qualified and student nurses, will provide fresh perspectives on the interactions between nursing care, animal health and patient behaviour and how the overlap between these things can improve patient welfare and clinical outcomes.
Topics covered include clinical skills, patient handling and behaviour, wound management and bandaging, animal welfare and inpatient care. Content includes video tutorials, downloadable fact sheets and interactive quizzes.
The Royal (Dick) School’s Welfare and Anaesthesia Nurse Hayley Walters, who teaches final year vet students, said: “Knowledge and compassionate veterinary nurses improve patient welfare, so we want to share some of our educational and animal welfare expertise with a global audience.
"This new resource will help to promote the role of the veterinary nurse as a para-professional who is an essential part of the veterinary team."
For more information or to register, visit: https://www.ed.ac.uk/vet/jeanne-marchig-centre/cpd/vnos
To apply for the VTS, you have to have to have been working in your speciality for a minimum of three years, and demonstrate 40-plus hours of RACE-approved CPD.
Before you can sit the exam, you also need to show that you already meet the required standards.
Emily said: “For the application itself, I had to demonstrate mastery of more than 40 advanced nursing skills, signed off by a neurology specialist, and submit three exam questions.
“I submitted more than 60 case logs demonstrating my nursing care in a variety of different patients and disease processes, and four of these logs I further expanded into 10-page case reports where I discussed the nursing care and disease process in more detail.
“Then, after submitting my application, there was a nerve-wracking wait for the results, but last December I received the news I had been accepted and I was invited to sit the examination in Philadelphia, USA, in June.
“The examination was four hours long and consisted of 200 questions in my specialty, and I’m really delighted I passed.
“Neurology is an area that can be quite niche and daunting to those unfamiliar with it, and I hope to use my new qualification to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with other professionals to help them feel more confident and comfortable with these patients.
“Personally, I find nursing neurologic patients extremely rewarding, as there is so much we can do as RVNs which has a direct impact on patient comfort, client understanding and, ultimately, on the clinical outcome.”
The dog, called Pepe, needed urgent treatment to repair the cornea before it ruptured, so the team at Davies decided to use a new xenograft derived from a pig cornea, rather than waiting to see if an allograft became available.
The xenograft, which was developed in China, is aseptically prepared, sterilised and freeze-dried so it can be stored for months or years if necessary before use.
According to Davies, the graft had been used in China and the USA, where the early results had been promising. Now, following Pepe's successful treatment, Davies is now using the procedure in more cases over here in the UK.
For more information, visit: https://vetspecialists.co.uk/services/ophthalmology/
Cognitive aids are visual prompts that aim to reduce human error in critical processes by providing a supportive framework that ensures tasks are performed and communicated appropriately. They are designed for use whilst a task is being undertaken and enable individuals to concentrate on problem-solving and decision-making.
The BSAVA Cognitive Aids for Anaesthesia in Small Animal Practice, written by veterinary anaesthesia specialist Matt McMillan, includes both routine checklists, such as pre-anaesthetic assessment, equipment checks and postoperative handover, and crisis checklists for potential complications that may be encountered during surgery, such as hypotension, bradycardia and haemorrhage.
The guide also includes downloadable forms, which can be used in practice to ensure safety checks are completed and help improve clinical outcomes (available from www.bsavalibrary.com).
Ian Self, Principal Clinical Anaesthetist at the University of Cambridge Department for Veterinary Medicine said: "This handbook should be viewed as a ‘second pair of eyes’ throughout a procedure, especially if an anaesthetised patient deteriorates; consider it as having an experienced anaesthetist looking over your shoulder offering words of advice… I am very happy to endorse this exciting new BSAVA resource."
The BSAVA Cognitive Aids for Anaesthesia in Small Animal Practice is now available from the BSAVA website (www.bsava.com/shop) or by phone on 01452 726700 (£25; BSAVA members: £15).
The new distribution service uses Invatech's Patient Medication Record (PMR) system, called Titan, which was accredited by the NHS a little over a year ago. Titan has now been developed further to support the company's Home Pharmacy service, and integrate with MWI.
The company says the new system offers practices a seamless workflow between prescribing, dispensing and logistics systems.
Tariq Muhammad, CEO of Invatech Health, said: "“The use of PMR systems for the veterinary market has been very light touch until now. Knowing that that we can bring the same level of efficiency and workflow to a new market presents an opportunity to support animal health in the same way that we do for human health."
Alan White, Commercial Director at MWI Animal Health, said: “The Covid pandemic has presented many challenges to veterinary professionals in the UK. Travel restrictions and social distancing measures make it difficult for animal owners to collect the medications and treatments they need from veterinary practices.”
“We are excited to be able to work with Invatech to provide an innovative solution to this problem, where vets can send the medications needed directly to their client. Working in partnership with veterinary practices and Invatech means we can move animal health forward together.”
For more information, visit: https://www.invatechhealth.com/
The new Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) Kite App is the result of a collaboration with The Kite Programme. It offers a series of bespoke microlearning modules - known as 'kites' - about mental health and wellbeing.
Microlearning is a type of learning which delivers content in bite-size modules. It usually combines a mixture of interactive activities, images and videos, which can be worked through in as little as five minutes.
The first ‘Kites’ available on the app will cover subjects like breathing activities, mindfulness, time management and physical activity for mental health.
New modules will be added over the weeks and months ahead, in response to feedback from users.
Angharad Belcher, RCVS Director for Advancement of the Professions, said: “Veterinary professionals undertake vital work for animal health and welfare, but the intensity and pressure of their work can take its toll on mental health and wellbeing. Sadly, research shows that compared to the general population, veterinary professionals are more likely to experience mental health distress, including depression and anxiety.
“We recognise how hard it can be for veterinary professionals to fit wellbeing activities into their busy workdays and understand that everyone’s mental health needs are different. By collaborating with The Kite Program, we wanted to create a wellbeing platform that was accessible, flexible and had a range of activities to meet a variety of mental health and wellbeing needs. This app will be another useful tool for the professions, and we are pleased to be able to offer it free of charge.
“We are really looking forward to hearing feedback from the professions about the platform and creating more modules based on their wants and needs.”
The College highlights that users cannot input any personal information into the app and the only data it will hold is a record of active users.
To register for the app, visit: https://www.vetmindmatters.org/mmi-app.
The app will also be demoed at BEVA Congress 2021 (5th-7th September, Birmingham ICC).
A range of experts will be giving lectures and seminars covering nutrition, weight management, dermatology and behaviour.
Day one kicks off with a talk from nutritionist, Cecilia Veillaverde, followed by sessions on Feline Behaviour by Behavioural Medicine Specialist Sarah Heath. The day finishes with a presentation about dermatology by RCVS recognised specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, Dr Stephen Shaw.
The second and third days will focus solely on weight management, with speakers including Professor of Small Animal Medicine at the University of Liverpool, Alex German, Internal Medicine specialist Grant Petrie, Honorary Lecturer in Small Animal Behaviour, Jon Bowen and Weight Management Specialist from the University of Liverpool, Georgia Woods RVN (pictured right). Royal Canin’s Weight Management Specialist, Caroline Burke RVN will wrap up the course with a communication skills workshop.
Erin Carr, Veterinary Marketing Executive at Royal Canin, said: "The Pet Health Counsellor and Weight Management Congress is perfect place to meet colleagues and industry peers, but also an opportunity to hear from leading experts on a range of topics.
"As this is a special year for the course, those who have already attended the Pet Health Counsellor course can attend again or opt to attend the last two days for the Weight Management Congress."
The course is limited to only 60 spaces so booking is essential.
For more information and to register, visit: https://vetportal.royalcanin.co.uk/news/book-your-place-on-the-pet-health-counsellor-and-weight-management-congress-now/
The charity says that it had already been suffering a period of 'dire financial constraints' and the economic effects of coronavirus are now having a direct effect on funding.
The charity's Trustees and Executive Committee is still trying to find emergency funding to try and save the organisation, failing which it will close on the 31st March.
The announcement came in the form of a written statement by the then Home Secretary Sajid Javid to the House of Commons on 23rd July, which said: "The Government is happy to accept all of the MAC’s recommendations on the composition of the SOL and the necessary amendments will be made in the Autumn Immigration Rules changes."
Being on the shortage occupation list means that employers do not need to advertise jobs for veterinary surgeons in the UK for 28 days before advertising abroad (the Resident Labour Market Test). In addition, there are lower visa fees and it provides exemption from the minimum income threshold.
RCVS President Niall Connell said: "Both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and the British Veterinary Association worked together to ensure this outcome, which will see a lowering of the immigration barriers, for example, in terms of visa requirements, for overseas veterinary surgeons who wish to live and work in the UK.
"We also considered this a vital piece of preparation for the UK leaving the EU, as around half of those registering as veterinary surgeons with the RCVS in a given year are non-UK EU nationals and we would not want to see this vital supply of veterinary talent immediately dry up should ‘freedom of movement’ end when the UK leaves the EU.
"We thank Mr Javid for accepting the Committee’s proposals and congratulate his successor Priti Patel on her appointment and look forward to the decision being implemented. The new Prime Minister pledged on the steps of Downing Street to do more to promote the welfare of animals, and having veterinary surgeons on the Shortage Occupation List will help in our mission to uphold animal health and welfare and ensure that vital veterinary work can continue to get done, whatever happens with the relationship between the UK and the EU."
British shoppers are not losing sleep over the quality of their meat, milk and eggs - at least as far as animal medicines are concerned. They know farmers and their vets do a good job, and trust them to use medicines responsibly, for the health of food producing animals. They do not feel the need to actively seek information about their use. While one fifth have no concerns at all about how their food is produced, factory hygiene and animals' living conditions are at the top of consumers' lists of priorities as far as food production from farm animals is concerned.
These were the conclusions of a recent survey, commissioned by the National Office of Animal Health (NOAH), which examined consumer attitudes toward animal medicines. A total of 1,000 adults, from a range of socio-economic groups across Great Britain, took part.
The survey found that animal medicines and vaccinations are of little concern to consumers, although there is a relatively high level of awareness among shoppers that they are used.
In total, 58% of consumers are aware that farm animals are vaccinated; 58% are aware that farm animals are treated with medicines; and 50% of consumers are aware that farm animals are given preventative medicines. Just 24% of those surveyed were not aware of any medicine use.
The research indicated that, for some shoppers, this lack of awareness was related to a general lack of interest in how food is produced. They make their purchase decisions based mainly on price and appearance.
For those shoppers who do have concerns, hygiene standards in food processing factories and animal living conditions on farms are the most important. Hygiene in factories is the primary concern cited by 22% of respondents, compared with just 4% citing animal vaccinations as their primary concern.
"These results are very encouraging for farmers, vets and the animal health industry alike: they indicate shoppers know they are using medicines responsibly and show a high level of trust by consumers in farmers, veterinarians and animal medicines. They also show that consumers are aware of the need for the careful and responsible use of animal medicines," said Phil Sketchley, Chief Executive of NOAH. "Consumers are reassured by the regulations that exist and the measures that farmers and the animal health industry take".
A study published in Current Biology has demonstrated that there are remarkable similarities in the way that dog and human brains respond to sound, and that dog brains, like those of people, are also sensitive to acoustic emotional cues.
Lead by Attila Andics, researchers from MTA-ELTE Comparative Ethology Research Group in Hungary trained 11 dogs to lay motionless in an fMRI brain scanner. This made it possible to run the same neuroimaging experiment on both dog and human participants - something that had never been done before. They captured both dogs' and humans' brain activities while the subjects listened to nearly 200 dog and human sounds, ranging from whining or crying to playful barking or laughing.
The resultant scans showed that dog and human brains include voice areas in similar locations. Not surprisingly, the voice area of dogs responds more strongly to other dogs while that of humans responds more strongly to other humans.
The researchers also noted striking similarities in the ways the dog and human brains process emotionally loaded sounds. In both species, an area near the primary auditory cortex lit up more with happy sounds than unhappy ones. Andics says the researchers were most struck by the common response to emotion across species.
There were some differences, too: in dogs, 48% of all sound-sensitive brain regions respond more strongly to sounds other than voices. That's in contrast to humans, in which only 3% of sound-sensitive brain regions show greater response to nonvocal versus vocal sounds.
The researchers say that the findings suggest that voice areas evolved at least 100 million years ago, the age of the last common ancestor of humans and dogs. It also offers new insight into humans' unique connection with our best friends in the animal kingdom and helps to explain the behavioural and neural mechanisms that made this alliance so effective for tens of thousands of years.
Andics said: "This method offers a totally new way of investigating neural processing in dogs. At last we begin to understand how our best friend is looking at us and navigating in our social environment."
Photograph: Borbala Ferenczy. Dogs at the MR Research Centre (Budapest).
The Clinical Supervisor course is designed to help RVNs to guide their students in developing the professional behaviours and Day One Skills they need to join the Register.
The course is also designed to complement any existing training that a VN who is a Clinical Supervisor has received from the college or university for which they are supervising the SVN.
RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing Julie Dugmore said: “This course will help you undertake your role as a coach and assessor, ensuring your student has achieved the RCVS requirements by the time they have completed the practical elements of their training.
“It comprises modules that include the role and functions of a Clinical Supervisor, the types of professional behaviours SVNs need to develop and understanding of the Day One Skills in which they need to become competent.
"In addition, it will enhance the training Clinical Supervisors will receive from the relevant educational institution by promoting understanding of the RCVS requirements.”
www.rcvs.org.uk/vndayonecompetences
The awards were announced during a virtual evening event last Saturday called 'This Is Us 2020', which started with a presentation by Dr Jane Goodall DBE, followed by the award presentation by the BVNA’s Junior Vice President, Jo Oakden.
Christine Robinson won the St Francis Award, which is given to the nurse who has gone above and beyond for their team, for their patients and for the veterinary nursing profession over the past 12 months.
Christine said: "I am delighted to have won this award, and very surprised! In my very long and diverse career, I have never won an award at all. It’s been lovely to have been acknowledged by others and seen as a role model, and for my nursing to be recognised."
Bethany Scott won the Help in the Community Award, which is for a nurse who has gone above and beyond to help animal owners and/or their clinical teams during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Bethany said: “I am absolutely shocked and I really wasn’t expecting this! Thank you to those who nominated me and congratulations to everyone else.”
Last but by no means least, Courtney Scales won the VNJ Writer of the Year Award for writing articles which have encouraged positive change, discussions or improved clinical standards in practice.
Courtney said: "This has made my entire year! I am just super super proud, having presented the topic at Congress last year and then going on to write the articles. I really think I have changed quite a few nurses’ perceptions, protocols and patience, and it’s just so exciting."
Jo Oakden said: “It was fantastic to see all the worthy nominees and finalists for our new BVNA awards and Hills and Blue Cross awards.
"The high standards, dedication and resilience of our profession was demonstrated with all of our nominees and winners of the awards, showing they can adapt and overcome to be champions in our profession to help educate and inspire those within and outside of our profession.
"It was a huge honour to be able to present these awards and still keep the celebratory feel in these unusual times. A huge congratulations to all our winners.”
Hear hear!
The SPVS Salary Survey provides a benchmark of remuneration levels in the profession, including basic earnings, bonuses, dividends, overtime, accommodation, car allowances and pensions.
The main survey findings will be published in a report which will be shared with anyone who takes part and gives their email address at the end of the survey.
SPVS members will be given the full results with additional commentary and analysis.
The Association says all responses are treated as strictly anonymous and totally confidential, and thanks everyone in advance who decides to take part.
To take part, visit: https://spvs.org.uk/salary-survey-2021.
If you have any questions about the survey, email office@spvs.org.uk.
The campaign comes after the Association carried out a survey of 1000 of its members which found that 79% had been affected or diagnosed with a chronic illness or condition, such as migraine, anxiety and depression, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, or the menopause.
During the campaign, there will be four webinars:
All webinars are free to attend.
At the end of the campaign, the BVNA will invite veterinary practices to make use of a new digital tool kit, designed to support practices to develop protocols that help veterinary nurses suffering with a chronic illness or condition.
Alex Taylor BVNA Junior Vice President said: "This campaign means a great deal to myself and the rest of the Council Members who are part of the BVNA chronic illness campaign task and finish group. Every one of us has had to deal with our own challenges as working as a veterinary nurse with a chronic illness or condition - we know how it feels and we want to help and make a real difference to people’s lives.
"As well as offering support to affected nurses, we also wanted to reach out to their colleagues, line managers and employers. We felt that having empathetic, supportive and well-informed colleagues is a key part of helping those affected by chronic illness to thrive in the workplace.
"Everyone deserves to be given the chance to reach their full potential in their job role and having a chronic illness should not be a barrier to achieving this. This campaign will not only raise awareness, but provide essential resources to those who need it, which after seeing the results of our recent survey, is very much needed."
Recordings of the webinars, the CIC toolkit, podcasts and further information will all be available to download from the BVNA website: https://bvna.org.uk
Veterinary Insights gets its data from over 400 practices using Vet Viewer, its benchmarking software which practices use to monitor business metrics.
Apparently, the figures show that while overall turnover has bounced back relatively robustly, sales in certain areas are still lagging, reflecting changed routines in the ‘new normal’. For example, with many practices requesting clients wait in the car park, there has been a sustained drop in the sale of products typically sold in the waiting room, with sales of pet food falling by 44% during early lockdown, and still down by 25% compared with February’s figures.
The company says there are also significant business stresses that may not be captured in current revenue data.
Alexander Arpino, Managing Director of Veterinary Insights, said: “Anecdotally, we’re hearing that vets are increasingly hard-pressed for time, with logistical difficulties arising from social distancing. Consults are taking longer, and there’s an additional headache for receptionists as payments have to be collected afterwards over the phone. While there are some quick fixes, for example using a telemedicine app such as LinkyVet that sets payment expectations up front, there is no doubt that it’s difficult to make all this extra time investment sustainable in the long run.”
Paradoxically, while consults may be taking up more of vets’ time, some clients feel that they are getting less value for money as there is little face-to-face interaction with the vet. Alexander added: "One of the biggest challenges in the current environment is preserving and fostering those positive relationships with clients that are the cornerstone of companion animal practice.
"Ultimately, we want to bring clients back into the consult room, but only as and when it’s safe to do so. Otherwise, the question is: How can we make adjustments to maintain a high level of client satisfaction, without putting undue stress on vets?"
Veterinary Insights says its software can help practices navigate these challenges by presenting up to 24 months of historical data extracted from practice management systems, enabling businesses to draw comparisons with past performance.
For more information, visit www.vetviewer.co.uk.
Flimabend is diluted into water and replaces the flock’s drinking water for a set period during the day.
The new 20g pack includes a post-prescription leaflet to help veterinary surgeons support clients in calculating the correct dose, based on the bodyweight of their flock. It also includes a measuring scoop to ensure accurate administration.
Flimabend is effective against the three key intestinal worms affecting chickens – Ascaridia (roundworm); Capillaria (hairworm) and Heterakis gallinarum, which can be a vector for Blackhead disease. No egg withdrawal period is required.
Charlotte Read, Krka's Key Account Manager – Farm said: “Poultry-rearing is on the increase in the UK, both at a commercial level and among the public. Recent figures suggest that more than one million UK households keep chickens, with the majority of domestic flocks comprising five laying hens and a cockerel1.
"A regular worming routine is, of course, essential for optimal flock health and ensuring ease of use in a worming product is the most effective way of ensuring compliance, especially among those keeping backyard chickens.
“As one of the first water-based worming products available for small flocks, Flimabend now offers an innovative presentation of Flubendazole which we believe offers a new level of convenience and flexibility.”
Krka is currently offering virtual ‘lunch and learns’ on the worming of backyard chickens. Contact your Krka Account Manager for more details.
Reference
The new pathway shows the opportunity to progress through either clinical or team leadership and how nurses can move into management roles.
Behind each level in the pathway there's a curriculum of learning which starts at the stage of being newly qualified and then moves into three clinical activity levels.
Level 3 nurses for example, would regularly undertake advanced Schedule 3 nursing procedures - such as tail amputations and mass removals, as well as diagnostics - such as MRI and ultrasound.
Beyond this, there are opportunities to become a CVS clinical or team lead, with the former leading a defined area of clinical practice and the latter responsible for line managing some of the nursing team.
In CVS multi-disciplinary hospitals and practices there will also be a new role of Nurse Manager, who will be responsible for the management of a larger team.
Tara Ryan, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer, said: “There are so many good reasons to provide structure and clarity around nursing careers.
“The nursing career progression will enhance the role of the RVN in our practices and ensure we utilise the skills of our nurses.
"It should give more confidence to vets when delegating to nurses and it will enable nurses to do more for clients whether that be consulting or procedures.
“Most importantly it will support nurses in taking the direction in their career that they want to take.
"There are multiple different options for nurses to progress within CVS – whether it be in practice, procurement, client services or learning, education and development. It means nurses can truly have a life-long career at CVS.”
Mr Wood pleaded guilty to three charges of making indecent images of children at Portsmouth Magistrate’s Court in December 2017. Following his conviction, Mr Wood was given a community sentence, fined and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for five years.
Mr Wood’s application for restoration was based on the argument that he was professionally competent to be restored to the Register, that he had strong mitigation for his original conviction (for which he had demonstrated remorse), that he had a low chance of reoffending, had engaged proactively with the Probation Service and rehabilitative courses, and that had completed his community service.
In considering Mr Wood’s application, the Disciplinary Committee took into account a number of factors including Mr Wood’s acceptance of the Committee’s original findings, the seriousness of the original findings, protection of the public, the future welfare of animals in his care should he be restored, the length of time off the Register, his conduct since removal from the Register, efforts by Mr Wood to keep up-to-date with his continuing professional development (CPD), the impact of removal from the Register on Mr Wood and public support for his restoration.
However, on balance, the Committee decided that Mr Wood was not currently fit to be restored to the Register.
Ian Arundale, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: "In essence, the Committee decided that the facts of the charge justifying removal from the Register and the underlying criminal behaviour were too serious for Mr Wood to be restored at this time. It concluded that because Mr Wood continued to be subject to a sexual harm prevention order, notification requirements for sexual offenders and because he remained on the Barring List by the Disclosure and Barring service until January 2023, he was not fit to be restored to the Register at this time.
"The Committee accepted that Mr Wood had made significant efforts to rehabilitate himself but it was not persuaded that he was fit to be restored to the Register because ancillary orders relating to the underlying criminal offences remained in force. The Committee noted that at the time those orders were made Mr Wood was described as having an addiction and although the Committee accepted that there was a low risk of future reoffending, it decided that because the orders were still in place for public protection reasons, Mr Wood was not fit to be restored to the Register."
The full report of Mr Wood’s restoration hearing can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The service is being led by Isuru Gajanayake, a board-certified specialist in veterinary nutrition. He said: “Since launching our clinical nutrition service last year, we have seen a number of cases in which patients have been either dehydrated or malnourished, sometimes both.
“Working alongside our other services in a truly multidisciplinary approach, we have been able to offer suitable treatment to support a significant number of dogs and cats.
“With the launch of the parenteral nutrition service, we can now expand this offering and, in doing so, become one of only a very few referral centres across the UK to provide this as a specialist service.
“Patients who are given parenteral nutrition will be hospitalised in our advanced intensive care unit to ensure they can be monitored closely by our specialist emergency and critical care (ECC) team, who provide exceptional expertise in critical care and treatment for every patient when they need it most.
Isuru added that the addition of the clinical nutrition and parenteral nutrition services at Willows ensures that there is a much greater emphasis on nutrition and hydration for all patients at the centre, whatever their underlying illness.
For more information, visit www.willows.uk.net or search for Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service on Facebook.