Of particular note is the guidance that prescriptions should no longer be written in mg/kg, as it may lead to errors when the dose is calculated.
The Standards and Advice update also answers questions about:
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/features/prescribing-pom-vs-joint-guidance-from-the-rcvs-and-vmd/
As well as raising awareness of suicide and mental health, Maria Mylne, Mary Hall, Callum McRoberts and Kirsty's partner Chris Burn are raising money for two charities: Vetlife and The Canmore Trust.
The Canmore Trust was set up by the parents of another vet who took his own life, and works with individuals, communities, practices, workplaces, schools, colleges and universities that have been affected by suicide, as well as trying to prevent suicide.
The four vets will set off from Land’s End on September 23rd and will arrive in John O’Groats on October 18th.
On the way, they will be stopping off at Bristol, Harper Adams and Keele, Liverpool, University of Central Lancashire, Edinburgh and Glasgow vet schools to speak to students about suicide prevention.
Kirsty was a trusted and respected colleague and vet, and her death had a devastating impact on her partner and colleagues who are fundraising in her memory.
Maria said: “We want to share a message of hope that suicide is not inevitable, and just because somebody has experienced suicidal thoughts, does not mean they will feel this way forever.
"Together we can break the cycle of suicide and keep building suicide safer communities in practice.”
Chris said: “Kirsty was my rock. If you wanted something organised or something fixed, Kirsty was your woman.
"We don't want anybody else to go through the pain we have.
"We want everybody to know that no matter what your mind may tell you, the world is better with you here, in this world.”
www.justgiving.com/team/lejogawareness
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559943272380
https://www.instagram.com/lejog_awareness2024
https://thecanmoretrust.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/the_canmore_trust
lejogawareness@gmail.com
https://www.vetlife.org.uk
In his opening address Matthew, an elected member of VN Council since 2016, said: “In the position of Chair, I will continue to keep my fellow nurses very much at heart, whatever the species, environment and role they are working in.
“Veterinary nursing is not an easy profession. When I talk to nurses, they often highlight their biggest frustration with the profession is the extensive lack of understanding about our role and what we can and are very capable of doing. Achieving more clarity on our role as veterinary nurses, at all levels is my priority, as I know resolving this could in turn improve several other chronic issues in our profession.”
In another first at the RCVS AGM, Mandisa Green became the first black woman to be invested as the RCVS President.
She said: "When the College was founded in 1844, it would have been unthinkable that a woman, let alone a black woman, would become President of the institution one day. I am immensely proud of this achievement and, while it clearly demonstrates progress, there is still plenty to do in widening access to our professions.”
She said she hoped to use her position as President to act as a role model to young people from under-represented groups, to encourage them to consider careers in veterinary surgery, and to support those already in the profession.
“As recent weeks and the Black Lives Matter movement have highlighted, there is more to be done, and we are committed to doing the work necessary. It is essential that we support all members of the veterinary team to work in an environment that is free from discrimination and racism.”
MsRCVS Sean Cleary and Richard Thomas, and accountant Jane Platt have opened their first practice, Burford Lane Vets in Cheshire, and now plan to open 10 more practices over the next five years, two in Spring 2022
Burford Lane Vets is headed up by Pieter De Villiers MRCVS, who has become an equity owner, supported by a team of nine vets, nurses and receptionists.
Sean said: “Our vets benefit from our many years of clinical, financial, human resources and procurement experience and have the opportunity to add the finishing touches to a state-of-the-art practice, where no expense has been spared on the fit out and equipment.
"Everything from finding a property, negotiating the lease, fitting out the practice and health and safety is taken care of.
"It means our equity partners can enjoy being fantastic vets and reap the financial rewards that brings, and we are here to support the practice and take care of all the administration, procurement, marketing and everything else that goes into running a successful business."
Sean added: “We have benefited from the shift in the industry that saw veterinary groups acquired by large corporate businesses.
"However, this has inadvertently made it difficult for the next generation of vets to follow the traditional route of buying into a practice as they progress from a junior role to partner, as corporate interest has pushed the values of practices to unaffordable levels for most vets.
"We want to bridge that gap and give a leg up to vets who want to be masters of their own destinies, without the difficulty of starting from scratch or having to find a huge initial investment.”
Sean says he thinks there are a great many vets who would like to launch their own practice.
However, starting from scratch is fraught with risk, expense, and complexity.
Sean added: “Our innovative model helps great vets set up in business as leaders of their own practice and our unique offering is already attracting interest from high-calibre individuals.
"We would encourage any colleagues out there who feel they would like to join us in our new venture to get in touch via our website.”
Sean concluded: “The business acumen we have built up over our many years of working in the industry enables us to provide practical support, mentorship and guidance for vets through every step of the process, and that’s something we’re passionate about.
"The directors will be working across all practices to provide support whenever it’s needed. We are in it for the long haul, not just the initial set up stage, and we will become a part of every practice that opens.
“We take a real pride in being the solution to fix the broken practice ownership model and North Star Vets will empower ambitious vets to enjoy a better and more successful future, which in turn will translate into the standard of care our clients enjoy.”
The free app is designed to help to track changes and improvements in a dog’s health during treatment.
The app uses questionnaires to monitor clinical signs and quality of life and includes reminders for when checkups with routine blood tests should be carried out, which Dechra says are recommended at 10 days, 4 weeks, 12 weeks and every 3 months thereafter.
The app also sends pet owners daily reminders to administer medication to their dog.
Sarah Musgrave, companion animal brand manager at Dechra, said: “Continuous and consistent monitoring is key to finding the right Vetoryl dose for a dog with Cushing’s and restoring its health.
"The new Cushing’s syndrome treatment and monitoring app is a useful tool to help owners quickly and easily record and track any medical and lifestyle changes in dogs being treated with Vetoryl, which can then be shared with their vet during check-ups.”
To download the app, search for 'Cushing's monitoring' on either Apple's App Store or the Google Play Store.
Julia, who is a leading exponent of the Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response (BAER) screening test, will also support the small animal referral hospital’s neurology, ophthalmology and dermatology teams with enhanced diagnostics.
Julia was a neurology technician at the Animal Health Trust for 31 years, until it closed in July 2020. With colleagues there she helped to develop and implement BAER testing as a screening process in animals at risk of congenital deafness. Davies says this is now recognised as the gold standard in deafness testing by organisations such as The Kennel Club and various breed clubs in the UK.
Julia said: “I am so happy to be starting a new chapter at Davies. It is really exciting to be establishing the Hearing Assessment Clinic here and continuing to provide this important service both to previous clients and new ones. I am also looking forward to developing a successful, constructive working relationship with my new colleagues."
Tim Richardson, Managing Director of Davies said: "We are delighted to welcome Julia to the team at Davies. As one of the UK’s leaders in this highly specialised field she enables us to offer hearing screening, hearing tests and electrodiagnostics across the relevant disciplines, at the very highest level."
For further information visit www.vetspecialists.co.uk
According to the RVC, recent studies estimate dental disease affects up to 18% of the UK's rabbits and breeds with lop ears and short skulls (brachycephaly) have long been suspected of being more at risk.
To investigate whether there is any truth to that suspicion, a team of RVC researchers led by Maria Jackson RVN, Research Assistant in Rabbit Health and Welfare, and Dr Charlotte Burn, Associate Professor in Animal Welfare and Behaviour Science, set out to explore whether these physical features are linked to dental problems.
The study involved visual dental checks of 435 volunteered pedigree rabbits from 49 breeds at British Rabbit Council shows and breeders’ studs across the UK.
The researchers assessed tooth and mouth health using an otoscope, while also recording ear type, head shape (on a purpose-made visual scale), body size, age and sex.
The findings revealed that:
In conclusion, the study concluded that diet, environment and regular dental checks might be more important in the development of dental disease.
The researchers also concluded that any breeding decisions should be based on veterinary assessment of dental health, including otoscope or radiography examinations rather than relying solely on visual inspection of the teeth or a rabbit’s conformation.
Maria said: “Our findings add to the evidence that suggests lop ears and a brachycephalic head shape are less important in the development of dental issues in rabbits than was once thought.
"It’s clear that all rabbits, not just those with a non-wild conformation, can be affected by dental problems.
“The importance of feeding good-quality hay or grass and supplementing the diet with extruded pellets, not muesli, cannot be overstated, as diet may well be more important than conformation in the development of dental disease.
"Likewise, providing regular veterinary dental check-ups to rabbits is crucial to facilitate early dental disease detection and give case-specific dietary and treatment recommendations to slow disease progression and support the welfare of rabbits.”
Reference
Photo: depositphotos.com
The panel is an international coalition of experts who come from different professional backgrounds but who all specialise in some form in the mental wellbeing of cats.
The purpose of the panel is to help those working and caring for cats in all the various settings to understand their behavioural, emotional and cognitive capabilities and needs in order to be able to promote their mental wellbeing and ultimately protect their welfare.
Such settings include people’s homes, in catteries, in veterinary clinics, and in homing centres and on the streets. Through the sharing of initiatives and information in a confidential space, iCatCare says this will be a collaborative effort that will advance the accepted understanding and common practices in a way that would be impossible to do individually.
CEO, Claire Bessant (pictured right) said: "By working together, gaining input from great people and enabling all those who work with cats to grow their expertise, iCatCare can deliver on its mission to create a world in which each cat’s life experience will be as good as it can be’. For more information about the Feline Wellbeing Panel, visit: https://icatcare.org/about/our-expert-panel
SRUC, which is the biggest provider of veterinary nursing, livestock husbandry and animal care training in Scotland, says it will offer a core veterinary programme to address existing shortages in veterinary provision, in areas such as rural veterinary practice, food production, food safety and animal and public health.
The College is first establishing a working group to progress the plans for the school. The group will be chaired by Professor Sir Pete Downes, former Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Dundee.
Sir Pete will be joined by Sheila Voas, Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland, former NFUS President Nigel Miller, SRUC Board member Jane Craigie, and Dr Kate Richards, who is a non-executive director on the SAC Commercial Board and currently the junior vice president of the RCVS, in line to become President in July.
Professor Caroline Argo, currently Dean of SRUC’s North Faculty, will lead the project for SRUC.
A report from BiGGAR Economics has found that the vet school could add £26 million GVA and 242 jobs to Scotland by 2030.
Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, said: “We are an ambitious institution with a bold vision for the future. This is a ground-breaking model to expand access to educational opportunities and broaden the range of potential students who would not ordinarily be able to attend a vet school. It will also help solve existing skills shortages across Scotland.
“We see a key role of the new vet school in sustaining primary agriculture and hence food and drink productivity, with the welfare of both livestock and companion animals at its heart. The school will produce champions for best-in-class animal welfare in support of these industries, which will help improve productivity, effectiveness, and sustainability.”
“Building on the excellent new facilities we have already announced for Aberdeen and Inverness, there is a lot of work still to be done, but we are ready to seize the opportunity.”
The awards highlight the special bond between pets and their owners, and brave stories from animals across the UK.
This year, Vets Now has partnered with StreetVet for the awards, donating £1 to the charity for each entry received.
The winner will receive a £500 voucher to spend on a pet friendly getaway at PetsPyjamas, a bespoke ‘Pet of the Year’ trophy and a personalised bundle of vet-recommended pet treats.
Owners can nominate their own pets, or members of the veterinary profession can nominate pets they know or have treated.
The awards will be open for nominations until 6th May 2024.
https://www.vets-now.com/pet-of-the-year
The two surveys, for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses respectively, ask the professions a wide range of both quantitative and qualitative questions, covering everything from what they do in a typical working day, to career aspirations, to levels of mental and physical wellbeing.
The surveys are confidential and anonymous.
Lizzie Lockett, RCVS CEO, said: “Our Surveys of the Professions are not just a useful and interesting snapshot of the veterinary professions at a particular moment in time, but are really consequential in terms of what we do with the results.
"For example, information from the previous surveys were used to inform our current Strategic Plan, including our mission to be a compassionate regulator, ongoing support for the Mind Matters Initiative, and a focus on workforce-related issues.
"In a similar spirit, this year’s results will inform the forthcoming RCVS Strategic Plan.
“Of course, the quality of the results of the surveys really depends on hearing from as many of you as possible – so we would like veterinary professionals from all parts of the UK as well as our overseas members, from all backgrounds, of all ages and working on all different disciplines to feed into all areas of the surveys and help us with our research.
"Please don’t miss out on having your say, and a huge thank you for taking the time to support this important work.”
The deadline for completing the survey is on or before Friday 16 February 2024.
One of the most significant changes has been the introduction of video consultations which have allowed clinicians to continue to see patients in need whilst maintaining social distancing.
At the start of lockdown, Davies split many of its service teams into two, which alternate weekly between consulting remotely from home and operating on-site.
The practice says that continual communication between the two teams has enabled the efficient triage of referred cases, whilst the ongoing management of less urgent cases is discussed with clients and referring vets until the patient can be seen on site.
Davies says the new system has been particularly effective for its orthopaedics service, which has seen an increasing demand for video consultations.
Jan Janovec, European Specialist in Small Animal Surgery and Head of orthopaedics said: "Every challenge is an opportunity. The current adverse circumstances are forcing us to re-evaluate the ways we have traditionally worked, and I believe that this “audit” will result in new and better ways of delivering care to our patients.
“Despite lockdown cats continue to explore outdoors and get injured and dogs continue to chase squirrels and birds! Puppies and small dogs continue to get sat on or stepped on by their family members and so they keep us busy mending broken legs, fixing dislocated joints, and so on.”
Once lockdown has ended Jan says that he and his team intend to review what they have learnt and re-evaluate all aspects of the orthopaedic service process to make the clinician, client, patient and referring vet interactions even better.
Linnaeus says the team will focus on three priorities: student and patient care assistant experience, the professional development of nurses, and a preceptorship (Post-Registration Programme) to support the transition from ‘day one’ to ‘year one’ nurses in the company's referral hospitals.
Andrea Jeffery, Chief Nursing Officer at Linnaeus said: "We want to ensure Linnaeus has a veterinary nursing population which is supported and developed in order to reach its full potential in its ability to deliver best patient care.
"To help achieve this, we aspire to enable the patient care and nursing team to achieve success through supportive, well managed training programmes, which our newly-established central support team will help to deliver.
"This will ensure the structure of our nursing teams can help each individual meet their personal goals, with clear progression opportunities.
As part of the support team, Student Experience Managers Trish Scorer and Lucy Middlecote will be responsible for developing a standardised and supportive training approach for Student Veterinary Nurses, Patient Care Assistants and those clinical supervisors and mentors who support them.
Meanwhile, Post-Registration Programme Managers Sam Thompson and Sophie Venables are responsible for supporting early career nurses to develop their skills in referral nursing and will support the development of ‘day one’ RVN post-registration training within the group’s referral practices.
Lastly, professional Development Managers Claire Roberts (primary care) and Vicky Ford-Fennah (referral) have been given responsibility for supporting nurses who join the group, along with the co-ordination, development and implementation of professional development for RVNs and patient care assistants who want to progress their skills and knowledge in specific areas of patient care.
The aim of the survey is to provide a better understanding of the views, experiences and challenges faced by disabled and chronically ill people within the veterinary profession and provide an insight into how the profession and educational institutions can be more inclusive.
You do not have to be disabled or chronically ill to complete the survey, which will take you around 20 minutes to complete.
Claire Hodgson, director and co-founder of BVCIS, said: “Working in the veterinary professions with a chronic illness or disability can be hugely challenging, but there is currently a knowledge gap in terms of understanding exactly where the problems lie.
“A 2019 RCVS survey of the professions found that around 6.7% of vets and 7.4% of RVNs have a disability or medical condition that limits work that they can do, but the true figures are likely to be much higher.
"No reliable data for veterinary students currently exists.
“The purpose of this survey is to close that knowledge gap and help us understand how we can better support disabled and chronically ill people in the workplace and education to create a more inclusive working culture.\
“Those living with disability and chronic illness are often hugely resourceful and fantastic problem solvers because of the day-to-day challenges they have had to learn to overcome.
"They have a great deal to contribute to the sector, and it is important that they feel valued and respected and have access to the tools they need to thrive.
“Diversity makes the workforce stronger, so we are calling on as many different people as possible from across the veterinary community to complete our survey so that, together, we can help create a more inclusive workplace for all.”
The survey will be circulated by email to all RCVS registered veterinary nurses and student veterinary nurses in the near future.
Details will be circulated to students via their educational institutions.
The RCVS says all survey responses will be completely confidential, and results will only be analysed and reported at a level that does not allow identification of individuals in any way.
Completed surveys will not be seen by anyone at the RCVS or BVCIS – the IES will send through a report with key research findings to both the RCVS and BVCIS after the survey has closed.
The clinic will be led by Oscar Bautista MRCVS (pictured), a European Specialist in Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia.
It will offer an individualised approach for patients with chronic pain (such as osteoarthritis, neck, back and facial pain) and those suffering nerve or muscular pathologies, cancer pain, neuropathic pain or pain associated with certain neurological conditions.
Treatments may include adjustments to medications, acupuncture, lifestyle modifications or referrals to other Specialists and therapists.
Oscar said: “Many cats and dogs will experience pain - especially as many animals are now living longer. And we are aware that some cases can be very challenging to diagnose and treat, when both the local vet and owner have attempted various different therapies and are getting desperate.
“These difficult cases need to be thoroughly investigated to ensure that the cause of pain is properly identified and the right treatment provided - as instigating early management can help to reduce and regulate pain.
“So we are very pleased to be able to open our new Pain Management Clinic. With our specialist facilities and equipment - along with our depth knowledge multidisciplinary approach - we hope that it will provide an essential service for cat and dog owners in the Northwest.”
https://www.mvsvets.co.uk
Visitors to the company's stand will be invited to make a donation.
Anyone not attending the show, but who nevertheless wants to support this charity's work, will be able to do so via social media.
VetCT says it is hoping to raise a total of £6000 to fund the training of local veterinary teams in wildlife medicine.
Head of Communications, Liz Barton said: “We are learning so much about the far-reaching and important work of WVI through our charity partnership - how they are helping to preserve biodiversity and support the conservation of species, which is absolutely key to global sustainability.
"Education is core to everything we do at VetCT, and we are excited to be raising funds that will be used to support local vets and nurses to undergo comprehensive training in wildlife medicine, enabling the dissemination of knowledge and expertise to support conservation projects globally.”
Olivia Walter, Executive Director of WVI, said: “We are incredibly excited at the prospect of launching our education initiative with the support of VetCT and LVS delegates.
"Training local veterinary teams to provide exceptional care to wildlife is vital to the longevity and success of conservation projects.
"In addition to raising funds and awareness of our work, the direct clinical support from the VetCT experts is helping us to continue providing much needed veterinary input to conservation efforts around the world.”
WVI representatives, including Matthew Rendle RVN and Dr Asumah of the Wildlife Division, Forestry Department, Government of Ghana, will be on VetCT stand D44 at 12:30-1:30pm on Friday 17th November.
The charity will also be on Millpledge Veterinary stand J60, which also supports the work of WVI.
Sheldon is managing director of RVC Veterinary Practices Ltd and principal at Acorn House Veterinary Hospital in Bedford. He has been with the practice for 14 years. A graduate of Cambridge University he has a particular interest and a GP Certificate in ophthalmology. He has been a member of the BSAVA Board for the past five years and a volunteer since graduation.
Sheldon says that during his Presidency he will focus on shaping Congress 2022 into the ultimate veterinary get-together as the country begins its release from the challenges and constraints of the pandemic. He said: "With more than 3,300 registrations, the turnout for and particularly the engagement with BSAVA Virtual Congress 2021 was phenomenal, given the challenges the profession is currently facing as a result of the pandemic.
“We intend to build on this for BSAVA Congress 2022, by deploying a cleverly blended format to retain the high degree of accessibility and flexibility that delegates have so enjoyed this year. We will be releasing further details on BSAVA Congress 2022 in the early summer.”
Sheldon says he will also be focusing on BSAVA’s support for the small animal veterinary community as it emerges from the pandemic.
"The profession has shown incredible resilience and dynamism in responding to the changing demands of our patients but we need to be careful that this is not at the expense of our own wellbeing. BSAVA’s community support, practical education and science resources and leadership are all there to support the profession as it pivots to a new way of working.”
BSAVA Virtual Congress 2021 content is accessible for another 6 weeks. Visit https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2021/en/page/home.
Virbac highlights research which shows that 90% of all dogs over one year are affected by dental issues, including plaque, tartar, gingivitis and halitosis1, but small breed dogs are 5 times more likely to have dental issues than large breeds2.
The new formulation of Veterinary HPM Small & Toy range contains Ascophyllum Nodosum, which Virbac says has been scientifically proven activity on four aspects of oral and dental health: calculus index, volatile sulphur compound concentration, plaque index and gingival bleeding index3.
Virbac points to research which shows that after being absorbed in the small intestine and then secreted into the oral cavity via saliva, Ascophyllum Nodosum inhibits some pathways involved in plaque or calculus development4.
Nutrition-wise, Virbac says the new diet offers 33% less carbohydrate and 34% more protein, on average, compared to other brands sold in veterinary practices5.
90% of the protein included in the diets is also from animal protein.
The updated range also features 2 new kibble sizes (10.5mm & 7.5mm), for smaller mouths.
References
Phovia is a two-part FLE system consisting of a chromophore gel that is applied to the affected skin and a blue light LED lamp.
When used together they produce light of varying wavelengths that penetrates the skin to different depths, which Vetoquinol says helps to control bacteria and reduce inflammation on the surface of the skin and stimulates regeneration in the epidermal and dermal layers.
The unit is portable, and applications take four minutes once a week.
After diagnosis and subsequent recommendation by a veterinary surgeon, any trained member of the clinical team can use Phovia.
For the study, which was led by Dr. Andrea Marchegiani, nine female dogs that had undergone unilateral or bilateral mastectomy for mammary neoplasia had half their wounds treated with FLE, whilst the other half served as the control and received no FLE.
To assess the potential benefits of FLE in reducing infection risk, swabs were taken for culture and sensitivity three, five and seven days after surgery.
The swabs from all FLE-managed wound portions showed no bacterial growth, in contrast to the control wounds, in which three dogs had positive culture results.
Andrea said: “For many reasons healing of surgical wounds can become challenging, especially after removal of mammary gland lumps.
"Veterinary clinicians have to face the three-fold challenge of meeting owner expectations of prompt and trouble-free wound healing, recognising those wounds in which healing may be prolonged or impaired and also following the principles of antibiotic stewardship.”
The study concluded that the research underscores the value of Phovia as a significant adjunct to conventional postoperative care in veterinary medicine, offering the dual benefits of reducing potential infection risks and lessening the home care burden for pet owners.
FLE’s application could potentially replace certain topical treatments and improve overall compliance by simplifying the administration of home therapies, thereby relieving pet owners of some responsibilities associated with postoperative care.
https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/14/8/1250
Jonathan Hill (UK Country Manager) said: “I’m delighted to announce that TVM UK is changing its name to Dômes Pharma.
"This will align with the other operating companies within the group.
"TVM UK has always been owned by the Dômes Pharma group, and since the start of our journey in the UK market we have been synonymous with expertise and outstanding levels of customer service in selected speciality segments of the animal health market and this won’t change.”
“Under the Dômes Pharma name we will continue to build and grow on this very strong foundation.
"I’m looking forward to working with the entire Dômes Pharma team as we increase our presence as a leading specialty pharmaceutical company, bringing our ethos to new speciality segments with innovative products and solutions for vets in the UK.
"Dômes Pharma remains a family-owned business, and the culture of the company really reflects this and we live by our values of kindness, boldness and responsibility.”https://www.domespharma.com https://www.tvm-uk.com
At the roundtable, Liz Barton MRCVS, Head of Communications at Vet.CT, spoke about the application of AI in clinical practice, including in preventative medicine, diagnostics, treatment and prognostics.
Liz highlighted how the use of AI tools in clinical practice for tasks such as pattern recognition had led to many unforeseen and unexpected benefits, for example by picking up things that humans may not.
Dr P-J Noble, Senior Lecturer in Small Animal Science at the University of Liverpool, explained how AI tools had proven useful in processing, assessing and annotating qualitative data gathered through the university's Small Animal Veterinary Surveillance Network (SAVSNET) once they were programmed to recognise certain patterns, saving lots of research time and costs.
Dr Chris Trace MRCVS, Head of Digital Learning at the University of Surrey, spoke about AI use in higher education and how it has already started to be used beneficially both as a teaching and learning aid, as well as for assessment and feedback.
In the afternoon session, groups of delegates were asked to discuss practical questions over AI use in the veterinary professions and how it might be regulated.
There were discussions on how to help vet and VN students make the most of AI in learning and assessment, responsible use of AI in clinical settings, the risks of not using AI, how veterinary professionals can work with animal owners and keepers to ensure the safe and productive use of AI, and whether AI-led devices should be regulated.
Lizzie said: “This was a really positive and exciting event that involved a heady mix of trepidation over the risks and implications of AI now and into the future, and optimism over the beneficial impact it could have for education, diagnosis, treatment and patient outcomes.
"The discussions have certainly given us at the College a lot of food for thought on how we can put in place guardrails and guidelines on the appropriate use of AI in the veterinary sector.
“This is an area of technology that is evolving so rapidly that it would not be effective for us to put in place specific guidance for the use of AI tools, but instead we will be looking at how we can regulate the use of AI in the round and ensure our principles are sufficiently future-proofed to keep up with the pace of change.
“Any regulation will start with first principles, such as transparency and honesty around the use of AI in veterinary practice, the minimisation of potential risks, and the continuing importance of professional accountability for decision-making, even where such decisions may have been heavily influenced by the use of AI tools and AI-generated data.”
The input gathered from the roundtable will now be considered by a range of RCVS committees over the coming months.
A full report of the event will be published this summer.
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
The consultation is open to veterinary surgeons, nurses, students, and the public.
One of the main - and most controversial - proposals in the consultation, which was unveiled by RCVS President Sue Patterson at BVA Live last week, is that the elected councils would be replaced by an independent merit-and-skills appointment-based system.
Sue discussed the main benefits of an appointment-based system at BVA Live:
Other proposed changes include:
The good governance proposals are part of the College’s overall legislative reform agenda in which it is seeking to replace the 1966 Veterinary Surgeons Act with new and more modern, flexible and forward-looking legislation, which would expand the regulatory remit of the College to encompass veterinary practice premises and paraprofessionals, while empowering veterinary nurses and creating a new fitness to practise system.
Sue said: “The current governance structure of the RCVS is set by the VSA and updating our governance systems is a vital prerequisite to getting new primary legislation, as the outdated and out-of-step nature of our current arrangements will be clear to see.
“Governance may not be the most exciting topic, but it is the foundation on which all other aspects of the College’s work rests.
"As a professional regulator with animal health and welfare at our heart, the RCVS has a duty to ensure that our arrangements best serve the public on whose behalf we are entrusted to regulate and uphold veterinary standards, while still maintaining veterinary input in all our decision-making processes.
“We believe these good governance proposals help us meet this mission, ensuring that we are bringing our governance in line with regulatory norms, while still recognising our unique role as a dual regulator and royal college.
"The proposals would also help us get the best talent with the right skillsets and experience to serve on RCVS Council, VN Council and our committees, drawing on both laypeople and the broad sweep of the veterinary professions.
“We acknowledge that there has been some disquiet over the fact that, under these proposals, we would no longer be holding the annual elections to either RCVS Council or VN Council.
"However, we believe that an independent, fair and skills-based appointment process would be a superior way of selecting the membership of RCVS Council and VN Council than the elections which, unfortunately, the vast majority of the veterinary professions do not currently engage in, and which risk creating the impression that the RCVS is some sort of representative organisation.
“We look forward to hearing the considered views of the professions and public regarding our good governance proposals and will carefully review the feedback we receive.”
Belinda Andrews-Jones RVN, current Chair of VN Council, added: “In many ways VN Council is ahead of the curve in terms of governance reform with a smaller number of members and two independently-appointed veterinary nurse members – of which I am one – as well as appointed lay members.
“I can personally vouch for the robust nature of the application and independent appointment process for VN Council and how it took into account what I had to offer to the role in terms of my skills, my knowledge and my experience.
“I would like to thank my fellow members of VN Council, including my elected peers, for their positive engagement with the good governance proposals and their recognition that these reforms aren’t about reducing scrutiny of the College or the amount of challenge to its decisions, but about improving outcomes for the public, their animals and the professions at large.”
The good governance recommendations have been drawn up on the basis of the Law Commission’s 2014 Report ‘Regulation of Health and Social Care Professionals’, the recommendations from which were adopted by the UK government as being the ‘regulatory norm’.
The College says any future appointment processes for RCVS Council and VN Council would also be based on the Professional Standards Authority’s appointment principles of merit, fairness, transparency and openness and having a process that inspires confidence.
The deadline for completing the consultation is Monday 22 July 2024.
https://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-views/our-consultations/ensuring-good-governance/
The College will also be presenting the proposals at a Zoom webinar called being chaired by Sue between 7pm and 8pm tomorrow evening, Tuesday 11 June 2024: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ensuring-good-governance-tickets-920243973497
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 event, which took place in Manchester in October last year, saw veterinary mental health researchers from across Europe come together to share their insights into a variety of areas of veterinary mental health including moral injury, suicide and suicide prevention, the impact of racism, veterinary nurse mental health, and workplace stressors for autistic veterinary professionals.
There were 77 attendees, including a mix of academic researchers and veterinary professionals.
Talks included an address from Dr Leah Quinlivan on ‘Evidence-based care for people who have self-harmed: risk prediction, psychosocial assessments and aftercare’, presentations of research into the impact of racism on the mental health of veterinary professionals and the impact of moral injury on wellbeing.
Angharad Belcher, Director for the Advancement of the Professions and of the Mind Matters Initiative gave a talk about the work of MMI, including its newly published 5-year strategy and evaluation documents.
She said: “The fourth Mind Matters Mental Health Research Symposium was a massively inspiring and insightful day.
"The field of veterinary mental health research is still relatively small so it remains of utmost importance that we continue to band together to share our knowledge on this subject, so that we can continue to learn and grow together and put these important learnings into practice.
“For us, it is vital that these new ground-breaking research projects are made available to all who want to learn more about helping to improve the mental health and wellbeing of those working within the veterinary professions.
"There is some truly fantastic work going on which provides us with hope that we can all continue to work together towards a brighter future.
“There is no doubt that there is a long way to go, but improvement starts with education and research so I would urge anybody who is interested in what is being done to help improve and support the mental health of those working within the veterinary professions, and who is keen to help us keep these vital conversations going, to have a look through the report or access videos of the talks.”
https://vetmindmatters.org/resources/videos-from-the-day-mind-matters-initiative-research-symposium-2023
https://vetmindmatters.org/resources/report-mind-matters-initiative-research-symposium-2023