The guide is aimed at established practices, new start-ups and those who may be thinking about setting up a practice.
It includes practical information, videos and first hand advice from independent practice leaders who are members of Vetsure and who've successfully navigated the challenges of practice ownership and management.
In the book, Diane Storer of Cockburn Vets offers tips for recruiting and building a collaborative team, whilst Julie Hutton of Hilltop Vets shares her thoughts on leadership and addressing practice challenges.
Other contributors to the guide include Vicki Farbon of Scott Veterinary Clinic, Kate Hornby of Wild Side Vets, Emily Nightingale of Nightingale Vets and Simon Hayes of Creature Comforts, who draw from their diverse experiences of founding and operating independent practices.
Ashley Gray, Managing Director of Vetsure said: “The insights from successful independent practice owners and Vetsure network members included in the guide offer lessons from real experiences beyond generic business courses."
He added: “The Vetsure network aims to support and champion independent veterinary practices by sharing knowledge and expertise, facilitating learning from fresh perspectives and ideas, and fostering genuine collaboration,”
https://www.vetsurevet.com/guide-to-success
The model for the forecast was developed by the College with the Institute of Employment Studies using data from the RCVS Registers, the 2019 and 2024 Surveys of the Professions, Office for National Statistics data for projected economic growth and the PDSA’s Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Reports.
However, the model does not take account of the impact of the increasing costs of veterinary care on pet ownership trends, the full effect of which may not yet have been felt.
The main predictions of the model are:
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS Chief Executive Officer, said: “In 2021, there were clear concerns about there being a workforce crisis within the veterinary professions, and while that certainly seemed to be the case, and is likely to continue to be so in the short-term, according to this model the future picture for the professions looks much better in most areas of veterinary practice.
“We are aware that there may be some concerns about the implications of the model, particularly concerning the potential oversupply of veterinary nurses.
"While we stand by the robustness of the data, demography is not destiny, and with the planned enhancement of the veterinary nurse role, and the likelihood of suppressed demand due to prior shortages, it is likely that the number of veterinary nursing roles will expand to encompass the number of veterinary nurses available to work in it.
“Finally, we are aware that there are also some limitations to the model in its current form, for example, in terms of regional data.
"This is a work in progress, and we will continue to update and improve the model as and when new data allows.”
The workforce modelling report is available to download from www.rcvs.org.uk/publications
It is the first time BVRA has recognised an external veterinary group’s own receptionist training programme as adequate enough to award AVR status.
The AVR status is normally only awarded after the completion of the BVRA’s Level 3 Certificate for Veterinary Receptionists and other approved BVRA training - usually completed over a 1-2 year training period.
CVS’ Level 4 Endorsed Certificate in Veterinary Client Care is for its experienced receptionists with at least one year’s experience.
The training covers a wide range of skills and knowledge including; client care, finance, preventative healthcare, bereavement support, self-leadership and working with others.
Philip Webb, Learning Partner at CVS who helped to design its Level 4 Endorsed Certificate in Veterinary Client Care, said: “We value our receptionists highly.
"Being eligible for Associate Veterinary Receptionist will be of huge benefit to them. It will give them the status and recognition they deserve and will give them access to many AVR benefits - including ongoing access to additional CPD and professional and industry developments."
The Elekta Infinity linear accelerator is the only one of its kind for pets in England.
CVS says it allowing the centre to offer “cutting edge” image-guided radiation treatments for cancer in cats and dogs – meaning fewer, shorter sessions, fewer side effects and the best possible chance of improved outcomes for the animal.
Delphine Holopherne-Doran, Clinical Director at Bristol Vet Specialists, said: “Our new hospital is now at the forefront of cancer care in animals.
"We have invested in this state-of-the-art technology to bring cancer treatment in pets to the next level.
“Our unique linear accelerator allows us to offer advanced image-guided treatments - for example intensity-modulated or stereotactic radiation therapy.
"The advantage of these treatments is that high dose rates of focused beams are delivered with high precision over a shortened treatment course, with greater safety for the patient’s healthy tissue.
“It has now drawn many tumours into the realm of treatability, it is improving the quality of life for patients, and it is making it easier for owners to manage their pet’s treatment and aftercare.”
Still, the installation of the linear accelerator will probably have cost the same again, and then you've got the running costs.
That's not an inconsiderable cost per patient.
Megan beat more than 100 nominees to win the Land-based and Environment Learner (LBEL) prize and achieve an overall distinction in her qualification towards becoming a registered veterinary nurse.
Megan joined the referral hospital in 2021 as a patient care assistant before deciding to train as a veterinary nurse.
She now aspires to complete the International Society of Feline Medicine Diploma and to become a clinical coach and help future student vet nurses through their qualifications.
Megan said: “I felt honoured to be nominated for the award so to win and be recognised by the wider veterinary profession is amazing."
The research, conducted with the Blue Cross, analysed data from over 2,000 UK dog owners and identified perceptual barriers to welfare reforms.
The study revealed that many owners normalise health issues associated with brachycephalic conformations, including breathing difficulties, eye conditions, and skin infections.
One in seven owners of extreme brachycephalic dogs said that 'nothing' could dissuade them from owning these breeds, particularly those with a strong preference for flat faces and those that did not believe brachycephaly reduced a dog’s lifespan.
Owners of extreme brachycephalic dogs, such as French Bulldogs, found the perceived trait of 'laziness' to be highly desirable, despite the fact that an inability to exercise is often a symptom of brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS).
The researchers propose a series of interventions to overcome these barriers and make campaigning more effective, including:
Dr. Rowena Packer, lead researcher, said: "Future strategies to tackle the brachycephalic crisis must do more than presenting purely health-based data in generic public locations, and instead, positively offering possible alternate breeds, myth-busting false beliefs and leveraging human stories of brachycephalic owners to have greater impact.
"Additionally, specifically targeting these messages on social media and puppy-selling platforms may increase their efficacy.”
Reference
The procedure has already been performed in the US and Germany, where it is reported to have had a success rate of 70-80% in around 250 cases, many of which were show jumpers, eventers and dressage horses.
The team at Liphook, led by European Specialist Rachel Tucker (pictured), has now performed the procedure on six horses.
Rachel said: “Enlargement of the articular process joints of the lower neck is a relatively common finding in horses, but occasionally this can cause compression and irritation of the spinal nerves.
"The foraminotomy procedure means horses experiencing nerve pain can be made comfortable and have a good chance of returning to ridden work and a competition career.
“The surgery is minimally invasive but it is a very delicate procedure to perform because you are working very close to the spinal cord.
"Due to the location, the surgery is performed down a single portal under direct visualisation using a camera, guided by ultrasound and X-ray.
"What has been remarkable so far has been the rapid recovery of the horses, who have been home and out in a small paddock within a few days of surgery with some showing rapid signs of improved comfort and movement.
“We are very pleased with how the procedures at Liphook went.
"Our patients are continuing to recover well and we are looking forward to following their progress in the future.
The theme for the 2025 conference is how to make veterinary work sustainable, creating teams that can reliably work at their best, feel positive about work, and feel supported and valued by their team.
Keynote speaker, Amanda Oates BA (hons), MSc Strategic HRD, C.C.I.P.D. (pictured) will be talking about the concept of restorative veterinary practice, and how it relies on establishing a restorative workplace culture.
There will be three streams at the conference.
In the first stream, VetLed founder and Training Director, Dan Tipney will be joined by guest speakers to help delegates understand how they can make a difference to the way they work using human factors tools and techniques proven in human medicine and other safety-critical professions.
In the second stream, VetLed’s Community Lead, Hannah Godfrey, will be joined by human behaviour expert Katie Ford to help delegates understand themselves as humans, to acknowledge and accommodate their own needs and the needs of others, and to work better as a team.
The third stream will be hosted by VetLed Managing Director, Cat Auden, and a Chartered Psychologist, Ergonomist, and Human Factors Specialist. In this stream, delegates who are already familiar with human factors concepts will be encouraged to think big, share ideas, and shape the veterinary profession.
Tickets: £190.80
https://www.vetled.co.uk/conference
The company has updated its waiting room board kit for veterinary staff to create a visual reminder of the importance of prompt diagnosis and management of dental disease and a tailored dental home care regime.
There is also a Pet Dental Health Month social media pack which includes imagery, videos and copy to use on your practice social media channels and client-facing waiting room screens.
Dental charts are also available to help explain dental aftercare in post-op appointments.
Will Peel, Marketing Manager at Animalcare said: "We know that veterinary staff recognise the importance of oral health, so we’ve created this range of materials specifically to support veterinary practices and to help people better understand how they can maintain good dental health in their pets.’
www.animalcare.co.uk/dentalhealthmonth
Jess, who works as an ECC locum in the North of England, launched the new service to provide sustainable travel options, with a particular focus on creating holidays for time-poor professionals and their families, organising combined leisure and volunteering trips, eco and adventure holidays off the beaten track, and business travel around conferences and events.
The company operates through Not Just Travel to offer holiday deals and discounts exclusively to veterinary professionals.
Jess said: “Having worked in the industry myself, I know the demands staff are under.
"They are incredibly busy but desperately need a well-earned break.
"We take the stress out of the booking process for them, by offering them specifically tailored options to meet their needs and allow them to reset and recharge.”
In addition, VetSetters have partnered with the charity VetLife, donating £5 from each booking in order to support the charity’s work in protecting the mental wellbeing of staff in the industry.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/384018824510499/
However, when asked by VetNurse.co.uk which audience - veterinary professionals, it's staff or the public - it was referring to, or what threats to safety and wellbeing were posed by X, the College refused point blank to answer.
So the real motivation remains unclear.
On the one hand, it could be a ridiculously over-sensitive move to protect its unknown audience from opinions that its staff find objectionable.
On the other hand, it could perfectly well be argued that short form social media reduces every discussion or debate to "I'm effing right and you're effing wrong", which is not appropriate for a scientific profession.
Equally, one could also argue that engaging in polarised debate is not terribly good for one's wellbeing.
Or one could just argue that it's a terrible platform owned by a strangely meddlesome and interfering American.
However, given the College's strange refusal to expand on the reasons for its withdrawal, the first explanation seems more likely.
But who knows?
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/news/rcvs-statement-on-x-formerly-twitter/
Veterinary advice and care has, of course, always been contextual, but the term has gained greater traction due to the cost of living crisis and the Competition and Markets Authority investigation.
At Congress, there will be several "Big Issue" panel discussions on this subject, with speakers exploring how the profession can play a role in building a better understanding between vets and clients on the topic of vet fees.
On the afternoon of day two, delegates will be able to hear an update on the CMA review and what to expect from it over the next few months from Martin Coleman, Panel Chair and Panel Inquiry Chair of the CMA.
On the final day (Saturday 22nd), the Big Issues module will bring discussions from the RCVS on the latest under care guidelines, an update on Schedule 3, and a look at the future of the regulation changes.
The day will end with a panel discussion on the ethical challenges that professionals face in practice, and the impact that they can have on individuals within the practice team
Advance tickets available at: https://www.bsavacongress.com until 5th February.
The patented system is made from lightweight carbon fibre and can be installed and removed from the back of the car in minutes.
The makers point to research carried out by Hartpury University in 2018 which concluded that allowing dogs to repeatedly jump clear from vehicles with high boot compartments may be inadvisable1, suggesting that it could contribute to ligament and joint injury.
In addition the system would logically be helpful for owners of older, less mobile dogs, or perhaps those recovering from surgery.
Prices start at £1995.
https://www.doganddrive.co.uk
For the study, which was funded by the charity Songbird Survival, researchers collected the nests of 103 blue and great tits, and tested them for the presence of 20 insecticides.
Fipronil, imidacloprid and permethrin were the main culprits, detected in 100%, 89.1% and 89.1% of the samples respectively.
Overall, a higher number of either dead offspring or unhatched eggs was found in nests containing a higher number of insecticides, higher total concentration of insecticides or a higher concentration of fipronil, imidacloprid or permethrin, which the authors say suggests contact exposure of eggs to insecticides in nest lining may lead to mortality and lower reproductive success.
The BVA responded by calling for more research and encouraging vets to work with clients to ensure responsible use of parasiticides.
BVA President Elizabeth Mullineaux said: “Parasiticides play an important role in preventing and treating parasites in animals, which if left unaddressed can lead to bigger health and welfare issues in both animals and people.
"But it’s important they are used responsibly, and this work from the University of Sussex and SongBird Survival highlights the need for more research into how parasiticides affect the environment and wildlife and the associated risks.
“Rather than blanket use, we strongly encourage vets and owners to take a risk-based approach to prescribing or recommending these medicines, reflecting an animal’s exposure to parasites."
The course offers practical tips and is also designed to help veterinary professionals understand their obligations under the Code of Professional Conduct when discussing costs with clients.
RCVS CEO Lizzie Lockett said: “Discussions around the costs of veterinary treatment are not always easy and can sometimes give rise to misunderstandings or lack of clarity between clients and veterinary teams.
"We recognise the challenges these conversations present and the pressures veterinary professionals face.
“Meanwhile, the ongoing Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation has highlighted that animal owners are not always satisfied with the level of information they receive in order to make an informed choice about treatment options.
This course supports the development of veterinary surgeons’ and veterinary nurses’ communication skills so that they can discuss treatment costs more transparently with their clients, helping to reduce potential misunderstandings and build trust.”
The course takes 45 minutes to complete and features an interactive scenario as well as expert video advice from experienced veterinary surgeons.
https://academy.rcvs.org.uk
The group, which opened in 2021, is also securing sites in Newcastle and Halesowen for a further two practices which are due to open in 2026.
Harrison Family Vets says at least £350,000 will be invested in each of the new practices which will be staffed by a team of six initially.
Operations director, Kristie Faulkner said: “In less than four years we’ve opened seven extremely successful practices and quickly established a reputation for being a great place to work.
"We’ve built a team where everyone’s individual strengths and personality traits contribute to what we do, in a family-orientated environment.
“We take pride in creating very modern and well-equipped surgeries that are designed around the pets we treat, and we push the boundaries of what’s possible when it comes to pet care.
"In addition, all our team members are also trained, or currently in training for, the Fear Free Accreditation, to significantly reduce fear, stress and anxiety for both pets and their owners, which means every pet’s visit to Harrison Family Vets is as positive as possible.
“Crucially, we also offer pet owners far more affordable pet care than the large corporate chains and our total wellness plan is one of the best value offerings on the market.
"When this is combined with our exceptional team and pioneering practices, it’s not unusual for us to have hundreds of pet owners registering with us in new locations before we even open.
“We’re now looking forward to embarking on our next phase of growth and making our unique offering available to even more veterinary professionals and pet owners throughout the country.
"We would urge anyone interested in joining us in Stoke, Sheffield or Darlington, as well as Newcastle or Halesowen, which will launch in the next phase of openings, to contact us now.”
https://www.harrisonfamilyvets.co.uk/
The practice is now accepting dental referrals, including for dental, oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Hannah said: “I am proud to join the Fitzpatrick Referrals team to extend their referral offering to include this very important aspect of small animal veterinary treatment.
"Working alongside a world-class team with state-of-the-art facilities is a fantastic opportunity.”
https://www.fitzpatrickreferrals.co.uk/services/dentistry/
Miss Miles and her co-defendants mistakenly believed that the animals, which included a lamb, hens, piglets, goats, a calf, dogs and a pig, were in poor condition.
They went to steal the animals from their owners' properties after dark, dressed in dark clothing; some in balaclavas.
Miss Miles was sentenced to a community order for a period of 18 months rehabilitation activity requirement and 100 hours unpaid work rehabilitation, to pay £250 compensation, an £85 victim surcharge, and £400 in costs.
The Committee found that the facts of the case were proved on admission by Miss Miles and on the basis that they accepted the copy of the Certificate of Conviction.
Deciding on Miss Miles’ fitness to practise, the Committee considered the evidence before it and the advice of the Legal Assessor.
It also considered the transcript of remarks of the sentencing judge, as well as the fact that the events which led to the convictions occurred while Miss Miles was a registered veterinary nurse with the RCVS.
In terms of mitigating factors, the Committee considered that there was no financial gain associated with Miss Miles’ actions.
In terms of aggravating factors, it noted the risk of injury to animals, that Miss Miles’ behaviour was pre-meditated, that individuals had been targeted in their own homes after dark, the stress and emotional harm to the owners, and that there had been repeated criminal offending.
The Committee also considered Miss Miles’ motivations in respect of animal welfare in coming to its decision.
However, it assessed the offences to be serious, taking into account their nature and circumstances.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee was aware that breaches of the Code do not in themselves mean that the respondent is unfit to practise by reason of the conviction.
"However, the Committee took into account the nature and circumstances of the conviction and also considered the wider public interest.
"The Committee was satisfied that the respondent’s behaviour which led to the conviction created a real risk of harm to the animals in question, as was clear from the basis upon which the respondent was sentenced.
“Further, the behaviour which led to the conviction for the repeated offences in the circumstances in question brings the veterinary nursing profession into disrepute.
"To find otherwise would undermine public confidence in the profession and fail to uphold proper standards of conduct and behaviour.
“Accordingly, the Committee found that the conviction, set out in the charge, renders the respondent unfit to practise.”
When determining an appropriate sanction, the Committee considered the same aggravating factors it had evaluated when assessing fitness to practice. However, further mitigating factors, in addition to the fact that Miss Miles had no financial gain, included:
The Committee considered the testimonials and character references which attested to Miss Miles’ exemplary practice, integrity, professionalism, compassionate approach to animals, commitment to animal welfare, work in educating others in animal welfare, and commitment to campaigning for animal welfare.
However, it was noted that Miss Miles gave the impression to the Committee that while she accepted that it was wrong to commit the criminal offences, she also believed that her intention to protect the animals’ welfare was a justification.
Speaking on the sanction, Paul Morris said: “The Committee was of the view that the conviction was particularly serious, in that it involved offences of dishonesty on a repeated basis.
"The Committee also took into account that the respondent has invoked her beliefs to undermine an aspect of the sentencing judge’s remarks and has used those beliefs to justify her actions at the time before this Committee.
“However, the risk of re-offending is low and, as already stated, the Committee accepts the respondent’s assertion that she does not intend to break the law again, and the Committee is assured in this regard by the lack of repetition in the last six years.
"There was insight shown by the respondent into the effect of her conviction on public trust and confidence in the profession.
"The Committee weighed the demands of the public interest, as well as the previously stated mitigating and aggravating factors.
"In all the circumstances of this particular case, the Committee concluded that both a reprimand and a warning as to future conduct is sufficient and proportionate to meet the need to maintain public confidence in the profession and uphold proper standards.”
The Committee went on to consider an order of suspension but decided that this would serve no useful purpose in light of the low risk of repetition of criminal offending, the nature of which was unconnected to her daily role as an RVN.
It could see no identifiable risk to animals now and in the future.
The Committee decided that to impose a suspension would be punitive and disproportionate.
The reprimand and warning sanction imposed on the respondent will remain on her RCVS record indefinitely and will be taken into consideration should there be any future misconduct.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings/
The bursary gives Louise a £2,000 CPD allowance for having demonstrated her commitment to making a difference and furthering Louise’s legacy of sharing learning.
Louise said: “I'm absolutely over the moon to have been awarded the Louise O'Dwyer bursary - and am incredibly grateful for the support and opportunity provided by Vets Now.
"I have worked in practice for some 26 years now and was lucky enough to attend several of Louise's emergency and critical care nursing lectures at a variety of veterinary conferences over the years.
"Her lectures were inspiring and full of humour.”
“I intend to use the bursary to undertake the Post Graduate Certificate in Advanced Practice in Veterinary Nursing (PgCert APVN) through the University of Glasgow.
"I am incredibly excited to embark on this new learning journey - and hope that I can share these skills with other RVNs, and encourage others to keep following their dreams within the veterinary nursing profession, just as Louise did.”
Applications for next year’s Louise O’Dwyer bursary will open in spring 2025.
The company points to research which shows that osteoarthritis can affect up to 40% of dogs 1,2 and managing the disease requires a multi-faceted 1,3, life-long, approach.
Animalcare says its osteoarthritis diary gives practices a practical, client-friendly tool to engage pet owners in their dog’s care journey, promoting adherence to treatment plans and enhancing communication between vets and pet owners.
Pet owners are asked to record three everyday activities to monitor their dog's progress, for example, its ability to get into the car, go upstairs or get up after sleeping, on a scale of 1-4.
This will allow all members of the veterinary team to understand how the patient is responding to treatment.
Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare said: “This OA Diary is intended to enhance the veterinary practice’s ability to offer comprehensive, contextualised care, without increasing their workload.
"The diary supports both initial treatment plans and long-term management strategies, giving veterinary staff confidence that their patients are receiving the ongoing care they need at home.”
https://www.animalcare.co.uk/oa_diary/
References
Starting in 2022 ‘The context, consequence and prevention of veterinary workplace injuries: a qualitative and quantitative study in the UK’ study aims to explore the context, consequences and behaviours surrounding veterinary workplace injuries - to improve the safety of the profession.
The first phase of the research was a cross-sectional survey of 740 broadly representative veterinary professionals.
Initial analysis, published in Occupational Medicine1, explored how injuries and their context are perceived by veterinary profession.
Themes identified during this phase of analysis were:
CVS says the veterinary industry should take note of the discrepancy of perception of what constitutes work-related injury in its practices and reporting protocols.
Practices may need an individualised approach to minimise their workplace injuries: some may need to work on revisiting their ideas around acceptable risk, whilst others may be good at minimising work-related harm, but have a complex or blame-associated reporting system which needs to be simplified.
Dr. John Tulloch, Lecturer and European Specialist in Veterinary Public Health, at the University of Liverpool who is leading the research, said: “Injuries that occur within veterinary practice can tragically at times be life-changing and are often avoidable.
"The objectives of this study are to understand how veterinary professionals define injuries and to understand what injuries they do or do not deem reportable.
"The results of this stage of the research have been both startling and complex.
"They highlight a profession in drastic need of cultural change and personal attitudes, with respect to injury prevention and mitigation.”
Dr. Imogen Schofield, Director of Clinical Research at CVS, said: “Using these findings, we will be able to develop and strengthen injury prevention measures through safety policy, education, and training.
"We anticipate that this project will result in safer workplaces within the wider veterinary community and, indirectly, in improved animal treatment through a fitter, healthier and safer profession.”
CVS says the research will lead to the development of open access educational tools aimed at promoting injury awareness and prevention.
The tools will focus on understanding why reporting injuries is important, how to develop a culture of accountability without blame, and when to seek medical attention and take time off work.
They will also investigate how to encourage clients to be safety ambassadors, and how to empower colleagues in challenging situations regarding restraint, aggressive patients and equine safety.
In addition, they will look at improving cat handling via International Society of Feline Medicine training and Cat Friendly Clinic accreditation, facilitating a rise in usage of hard hats in equine, and raising awareness of the risks associated with sharps plus sharp bin provision.
Reference:
The company has created the X-Pert Radiation Safety Centre, with free downloadable toolkits for both small animal and equine practice, including positioning guides, top tips, chemical restraint protocols, and a series of case studies with equine and small animal clinics, including Pennard Vets.
Dr Victoria Johnson, CEO and radiologist (pictured), said: “Radiation safety breaches represent a significant health and safety incident and a risk to the health of veterinary team members and their patients.
"Despite this, we know that breaches are not uncommon in clinical practice.
"To help meet the challenge of improving safety in busy practice workflows, VET.CT has created a comprehensive suite of practical resources to support veterinary teams in applying best practice to ensure the health of their personnel and patients.
"We have also partnered with clinics from around the world, including GP, equine and specialist hospitals, to provide some great case studies of how the principles can be applied in practice.”
Victoria added: “Good radiation safety practice also encourages habits that lead to better diagnostics.
"We know that taking extra care to ensure good patient preparation, positioning and optimising settings results in fewer exposures and higher quality diagnostic images for more accurate interpretation.
"This all contributes to improved efficiency, patient management and outcomes, greater satisfaction, and of course, happier owners.”
The X-Pert radiation safety resources for small animal practice: https://uk.vet-ct.com/welcome-to-x-pert
The X-Pert radiation safety resources for equine practice here: https://uk.vet-ct.com/welcome-to-x-pert-equine
Each charge related to fraudulent pet insurance claims that Mr Johnston had made for the treatment of animals when he was in practice in Banbridge, County Down, two of which were fictitious, and where he had arranged for the insurance claims to be diverted and paid into a personal bank account, rather than the practice’s bank account.
At an initial hearing, which concluded on April 2022, Mr Johnston had admitted all the charges against him as well as admitting that his conduct was dishonest and amounted to serious professional misconduct.
The Committee was satisfied that his conduct amounted to serious professional misconduct, with Committee Chair Paul Morris saying: “The Committee has no hesitation in concluding that the respondent’s dishonest conduct will have severely undermined the confidence of the public in the veterinary profession and, further, that his conduct fell far short of the standards and conduct properly to be expected of a member of the veterinary profession.
"The Committee is satisfied that this conduct by the respondent brought the profession into disrepute.”
The proceedings were then adjourned to allow a psychiatric report and other mitigation to be prepared.
At its resumed hearing in November 2022 the Committee considered what sanction to impose in relation to Dr Johnston’s actions.
At this point, the Committee decided to postpone its decision on sanction for a period of two years on the condition that Dr Johnston enter into undertakings to the Committee including refraining from any form of gambling, subjecting himself to a close regime of support and supervision, and repaying some of the sums he had defrauded.
The hearing reconvened in October 2024 to decide on an appropriate sanction.
The Committee noted that Mr Johnston had complied with the undertakings and provided the Committee with the interim reports required of him.
He also continued with the therapeutic interventions and programmes specified, as well as implemented measures designed to minimise the risk of a relapse into gambling.
The Committee also noted that reports from the gambling support services, to which Mr Johnston had signed up, all spoke positively about his involvements and confirmed the progress he had achieved in managing his addiction.
The Committee also took into account a psychiatric report as well as evidence under oath from Mr Johnston’s wife who confirmed his compliance with the undertakings.
As a result, the Committee was satisfied that the prospects of a repeat of the conduct which led to the charges laid against Dr Johnston were now greatly reduced.
The Committee said it was less impressed with the evidence provided by Mr Johnston.
While he had largely complied with the letter of the undertakings he gave in 2022, it remained troubled by his apparent unwillingness or inability, on account of lack of effort, to fulfil the assurances previously given that he was in the process of changing his name to Johnston, from Fegan, on official documentation in order to be consistent with his legal name, when he had not done so.
The only formal name change in place was on the RCVS Register, and he had failed to alter his name on his driver’s licence, on his registration with the Veterinary Council of Ireland, his passport, bank accounts, and one of his email addresses.
As a result, the Committee did not find Dr Johnston to be an entirely satisfactory witness.
Paul Morris, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Having made the progress that he has over the period since the commission of the charges found proved in 2019, the Committee considers that the imposition of a sanction of suspension on top of the period of postponement would be excessive, in the particular circumstances of this case.
“For the same reasons, as stated above, it is considered that it would be excessive now to impose a sanction of removal from the register.
“That process of reasoning has driven the Committee to the conclusion that the sanction of a reprimand and warning as to future conduct is what the facts and circumstances of this case call for.
"That is because the respondent can be under no illusion about the outcome were he to appear again before this Committee.
"A failure to take advantage of the exceptional course adopted by this Committee on this occasion would be regarded as a serious aggravating factor were he to appear before the Committee at any time in the future.”
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/concerns/disciplinary-hearings
The multicentre observational study described 382 placements of catheters across 19 different institutions, recording the placement techniques and tracking resulting complications to determine the associated risk factors.
The majority of the data was collected by veterinary nurses across the country.
The risk factors identified included the number of insertion attempts, whether a second subsequent placement was required, the frequency that the catheter was flushed and if the flush solution was compound sodium lactate.
In addition to identifying the risk factors, the study also found that complications occurred in just over one-quarter of placements, with limb swelling and phlebitis being the most common (11.5%).
The second most common complication observed was PIVC dislodgement/patient interference (7.9%).
As a result of these findings, the researchers are calling for more vigilant monitoring of patients with a PIVC in situ, particularly if they have experienced any of the factors that increase their risk of complications.
Eleanor said: “PIVCs are placed every day in almost all veterinary practices, yet there is little evidence to inform how best to place and manage them.
"I am passionate about providing the best care for cats and dogs, and it was fantastic to work with like-minded nurses and vets who wanted to gather the evidence that we can use to improve the care of our patients.
"I look forward to continuing this area of research, and believe veterinary nurses are best placed to undertake this work as it is part our of daily working lives."
Dr Christopher Scudder, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Internal Medicine at the Royal Veterinary College and senior author in the study, said: “The hope is that this study will stimulate more research about PIVCs, and that sufficient evidence will be developed to help reduce complications associated with these routinely placed devices.”
Open to all in the veterinary profession, the event offers up to ten hours of CPD, and covers a range of topics such as orthopaedics, ECC, medicine, wellbeing, and education.
There will also be practical sessions to attend on both days on transfusions, CPR, and physio.
Speakers include:
There's a commercial exhibition, and social events including the Ceilidh at the annual BSAVA PetSavers Gala Dinner on Friday evening.
Prices start at £85 +VAT for a day pass, with early bird rates offered to both BSAVA members and non-members until 27th July.
Additional discounts are available when sending the whole practice team.
https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavaalba23/en/page/home