The review, announced earlier this year, was recommended to RCVS Council by its Standards Committee following its exploration of the implications of new technologies for both animal health and welfare and veterinary regulation.
The main areas under consideration include the provision of 24-hour emergency cover and the interpretation and application of an animal being under the care of a veterinary surgeon.
The initial stages of this review had been drafted for Standards Committee to consider at its meeting on 9 September, where the outline timetable was also discussed.
Standards Committee Chair Melissa Donald, said: "This is set to become one of our most fundamental reviews of RCVS guidance in recent years.
"Considering the complexity of the issues in question, and their importance to animal owners and the professions alike, it is vital that we allow ourselves enough time to ensure this review is as thorough and comprehensive as possible.
"We have a clear responsibility to seek, understand and, where we can, accommodate the opinions and experiences of as many different people from within and around the professions and the public as possible. I would urge my fellow vets and vet nurses to please find some time to consider these issues very carefully over the coming weeks and months, and to send us their views."
The review will comprise several stages and is expected to take around 12 months to complete. The outline timetable, which may be subject to change, is as follows:
October 2019 – January 2020: six-week Call for Evidence, followed by independent qualitative analysis of all evidence received
February – March: Select Committee-style meetings and independent qualitative analysis of additional evidence gathered [NB this stage is subject to Standards Committee requirements, depending on the evidence gathered.]
April – June: Consider all evidence and draft any new policy
July – August: six-week public consultation on draft policy
September – October: independent review of consultation responses, and production of any proposals for change
November 2020: Finalise any proposals for change and publish any new guidance
To support and promote the various stages of the review the College is also planning a programme of stakeholder engagement, and will also provide regular updates on progress to both Council and the wider profession.
Members of the professions and the public will be able to follow the progress of the review via the RCVS website at: www.rcvs.org.uk/undercare
According to the Associations, a number of practices have been offering unpaid work, and whilst these offers may seem attractive to newly qualified vets who want to gain access to veterinary workplaces, they devalue the individuals and the veterinary profession.
Offering unpaid roles also exacerbates the problems surrounding lack of access to the profession for those who can’t afford to work for free and contradicts efforts to widen participation in the veterinary sector.
In addition, there are governance issues associated with individuals undertaking veterinary roles before they are registered with the RCVS and there are concerns around individuals undertaking voluntary roles without indemnity insurance.
The Veterinary Defence Society has advised that the Veterinary Surgeons (Practice by Students) (Amendment) Regulations 1993 allow veterinary students to carry out acts of veterinary surgery under the direction and supervision of a veterinary surgeon. After graduating as a vet, individuals are no longer classified as “veterinary students” and must either revert to only doing work which would be delegated to a lay member of staff or register with the RCVS.
Once registered with the RCVS, graduates must abide by the Code of Conduct whether they are volunteering or paid. One such requirement is that veterinary surgeons must have professional indemnity insurance. Veterinary graduates cannot register as a veterinary nurse and if they are not registered as a veterinary surgeon, they must not undertake those acts of veterinary surgery that can lawfully be delegated to RVNs.
BVA President Daniella Dos Santos said: “The Covid-19 crisis has thrown up many challenges for veterinary practices, but we make a plea to the profession not to exploit final year students and new graduates at this difficult time. These individuals are professionals and they deserve to be paid professional new graduate salaries, as we all were. There is a problem to be solved with regard to safe working, particularly in large animal and equine practice, but underpaying and undervaluing people is not the solution.
“BVA has been working with Vet Schools Council and others to champion diversity in our vet schools and the wider profession. If we only provide opportunities for those who can afford to work for free, we will be taking an enormous step backwards.”
Izzie Arthur, AVS President (pictured right), added: “We know that final year students are worried about job prospects and that these offers will be attractive, but we are deeply concerned that it devalues the skills and knowledge that have been built up throughout the degree.
"We’re asking vet practices to champion the next generation by providing paid opportunities for newly qualified (registered) vets and the support needed to get through the professional development phase so that they can become valued members of the team."
Assets coming up for sale via private treaty and online auction include:
For a full list of assets, visit: https://www.bidspotter.co.uk/en-gb/auction-catalogues/timed/gordonbrothers/catalogue-id-gordon10067
Gordon Brothers Valuations & Industrial Director, Simon Bamford said: “Gordon Brothers is pleased to be assisting the Trustees of the Animal Health Trust with the orderly closure of the 100 acre Newmarket facilities, including the sale of the large quantity of associated assets. We are expecting significant interest in the varied array of assets”
The online auction will close at 3.00pm on the 1st October 2020. Viewing is strictly by appointment only on Monday 28th and Tuesday 29th September 2020 from 9.00am to 4.00pm at AHT, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, CB8 7UU.
For further enquires on the sale or to view by appointment please contact, Josh Chivers jchivers@gordonbrothers.com
Laura Padron Vega was struck off in December 2018 after dishonestly backdating two statutory Certificates of Competence submitted to the Food Standards Agency under the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing Regulations 2015.
She was also found to have failed in her duties as an OV because she was unprepared for, and unaware of, the new regulations and did not take adequate steps to ensure that the two people for whom she had given veterinary certification were licensed to perform slaughter in accordance with the regulations.
At the outset of the restoration hearing, Ms Padron Vega admitted her guilt and made representations that she appreciated the seriousness of her actions and that there was no chance of her repeating them. She also produced a number of testimonials, including some from former veterinary colleagues, in addition to evidence that she had endeavoured to keep up-to-date with her continuing professional development while off the Register although this had been difficult due to her financial circumstances.
In considering her application for restoration, the Committee found that Ms Padron Vega had accepted the reasons for her removal from the Register and the seriousness of the findings. It found that she was unlikely to repeat the behaviour and that her conduct had been entirely acceptable since she was removed from the Register. It also considered her financial and personal circumstances, noting the difficulty she had in securing well-paid, full-time employment since her removal from the Register, and the impact that this had on her being able to keep up-to-date with her continuing professional development.
However, the Committee expressed concerns over her efforts to keep up-to-date with the knowledge and skills she would need to return to practice and said she demonstrated “no real appreciation of what she needed to put in place to demonstrate that she can return to work safely”.
In particular it found that the CPD she had undertaken was unstructured and insufficient and that therefore she had not done enough at the present time to demonstrate that she was fit to be restored to the Register, especially as she signalled that, if restored, she hoped to work in small animal practice, an area that she had not worked in for some time.
Cerys Jones, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “While the Committee did not consider that the applicant was in a position to return to practice at this point, it did consider that if the applicant applies herself to a properly structured and focused Return to Practice Plan and is able to produce evidence of how she has fulfilled the requirements of that plan, then her application could prove successful within a short time.
"The outcome of the plan for a return to practice will need to ensure the continued protection of the welfare of animals as well as the interests of clients whose animals she might be called upon to treat and, most importantly, the public interest which is founded on a belief that the veterinary certification processes are beyond question or doubt."
In order to allow Ms Padron Vega sufficient time to develop this plan, the Committee adjourned the restoration hearing for seven months (until July 2021).
Ms Jones added: “This adjournment will afford [Ms Padron Vega] an early opportunity to reflect on the concerns of the Committee… and to return with a properly supported programme for the future which will show her understanding of the problems that are likely to face her on her return to practice and her proposals to meet those inevitable difficulties.”
Mrs Cole pleaded guilty to fraud in July 2024 at Crawley Magistrates’ Court and was sentenced to eight months in prison suspended for 12 months, 20 days rehabilitation activity and a £187 victim surcharge.
The College opened its own disciplinary investigation against Mrs Cole after receiving the certificate of conviction, which related to more than £13,000 of pet insurance fraud.
It then proceeded with the hearing in Mrs Cole’s absence as she had not responded to any of the communications sent to her by the College on the matter.
Having found the charge against her proven by the certificate of conviction, the Committee then determined that the conviction amounted to serious professional misconduct.
Dr Kathryn Peaty MRCVS, chairing the committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The respondent’s conduct… was plainly dishonest and contravened a fundamental tenet of the profession.
"She abused her professional position in order to commit the offence.
"The dishonest conduct in this case related directly to the respondent’s professional life, as she was working as a veterinary nurse when she completed and submitted the fraudulent claims.
“Her conduct also constituted a breach of the trust owed to her employer and to the insurance company to which her dishonest claims were submitted.
"She put her professional colleagues at risk as their names were used on the clinical records which purportedly supported her dishonest claims.
“Her misconduct was repeated and sustained over a period of many years.
"Her modus operandi was sophisticated and premeditated.
“The respondent’s conduct clearly had the potential to bring the profession into disrepute and to undermine public trust in the profession.
"A member of the public would be rightly appalled to learn that a veterinary nurse had abused her position by submitting false claims in this way.”
The Committee found that there were no mitigating factors, and that aggravating factors included the premeditated nature of Mrs Cole’s fraud, the clear breaches of trust in respect of her colleagues, her clients and the insurance companies, the significant financial gain made from her fraud and the fact that the fraudulent activities were sustained and repeated over a period of four and a half years.
Kathryn added: “Taking into account the gravity of her misconduct, the need to maintain standards of probity in the profession, especially in relation to practice records and the submission of insurance claim documents, as well as the maintenance of public confidence in the profession, the Committee has resolved to direct the Registrar to remove the respondent’s name from the Register.
www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
The study analysed information from a random sample of 29,865 dogs that died over a one-year period, taken from a study population of 905,544 dogs from 626 clinics in the VetCompass database.
From the sample, 26,676 (91.5%) of deaths recorded in practice involved euthanasia and 2,487 (8.5%) of deaths were unassisted. However, it is unknown how many dogs die unassisted and unreported to a practice.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the findings indicated that certain types of diseases and conditions were more likely to lead to death by euthanasia than unassisted death.
by contrast,
Larger bodyweights, increasing age and certain breeds of dog were also additional risk factors for euthanasia. Rottweilers were more likely to die by euthanasia compared to Labrador Retrievers as the standard baseline breed. In contrast, breeds such as Bulldogs, Pugs and West Highland White Terriers were more likely to have unassisted deaths, and these deaths were more likely caused by traumatic injury, foreign body and heart disease.
Additional findings from the study included:
Camilla Pegram, VetCompass Epidemiologist at the RVC, and author of the paper, said: “End-of-life discussions between veterinarians and owners can be particularly difficult for both parties. This study provides benchmark data for the relative proportion of deaths that involve euthanasia and for the relative impact from demographics and disorders on euthanasia decision-making. Owners and veterinary professionals may find it easier to discuss end-of-life options, to reach a final decision and be comfortable with these decisions based on a feeling of broader support from the reported actions of others in similar situations.”
Dr Dan O’Neill, Senior Lecturer, Companion Animal Epidemiology, at the RVC, and co-author of the paper, said: "The decision for many animal owners to put a beloved dog to sleep is often the hardest decision of their life. The moment of euthanasia often lives with owners forever. Hopefully, the information from this study can at least help some owners come to terms with the responsibility of helping their dog go with dignity. Understanding that over 90% of other owners also opted for euthanasia may help anyone struggling to make this final and hardest decision.”
Dr Carol Gray, Research Associate at the University of Liverpool and co-author of the paper, said: "Decision-making around euthanasia is shared between veterinarian and owner, although it is the owner who must give consent for euthanasia. Providing this final authorisation is potentially a burden for owners. This paper will help to ease that burden by allowing veterinarians to provide reassurance that they are not the only dog owners to make a decision for euthanasia in similar circumstances.”
According to data from Propellernet, there was an even bigger rise in searches for the term 'Adopt a puppy'.
Whether people are getting a dog for companionship or because they’re around more to train them, the charity says it is concerned there may be a spike in people giving up their dog when normality resumes and reality sinks in.
In order to try and prevent that, the charity has created an online quiz for potential new dog owners to test themselves on whether they are really ready to:
Owen Sharp, Dogs Trust’s Chief Executive said: "We’re encouraging potential dog owners to carry out our new test to see if you’re Dog Ready. Are you ready to be chief pooper scooper? Are you ready to forego a lie in ever again? As well as more serious questions around vet treatment and preparing for emergencies.”
Graham Norton, owner of Labradoodle Bailey, TV presenter and Dogs Trust supporter is supporting the campaign. He said: "As a dog owner myself, I know how much joy four-legged friends bring to our lives. I’ve certainly found that my gorgeous dog, Bailey, has taken the boredom out of lockdown for me, and I’ve really enjoyed spending even more time with him than usual.
"However, whilst the thought of introducing a cute, fluffy pooch to your family right now might be appealing, I fully support Dogs Trust’s important message that ‘A Dog Is For Life, Not Just For Lockdown’. Don’t forget that you still have to walk a dog on a rainy evening, and pick up their poo in the dark!"
For more information, visit dogstrust.org.uk/dogready.
The RCVS has announced plans to celebrate veterinary nursing's Golden Jubilee in style this year.
The first nurses to qualify, 50 years ago in 1961, were known as registered animal nursing auxilliaries (RANA). The term 'veterinary nurse' was not used until over twenty years later, in 1984.
Today, veterinary nursing is thriving. The RCVS List/Register of Veterinary Nurses includes 1,715 listed veterinary nurses, and 8,101 who have gone a step further to become registered veterinary nurses (RVNs).
Liz Branscombe, RCVS Veterinary Nurses Council Chairman said: "Still often referred to as a 'young profession' - perhaps because the average age of VNs is a youthful 31- veterinary nursing has reached its half century and has achieved a great deal in a relatively short period. It is moving ever closer to recognition as a fully fledged profession.
"We should be proud of what we have achieved, but it's no time to be complacent: we plan not only to celebrate our history but also to consider what the next decades will hold for veterinary nursing."
The RCVS's plans for the year include, among other things:
The RCVS invites any of the pioneering veterinary nurses who received their qualification in the 1960s to get in touch, so they can play a part in the celebrations. Contact Lizzie Lockett, Head of Communications, on l.lockett@rcvs.org.uk.
In a 2019 BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession Survey, 89% of vets said that they would like to play a more active role in the UK sustainability agenda.
The new checklist includes four major areas for action that cover practising responsible resource use, being sustainable in your operation, using medicines responsibly, and sustaining the team. Each theme has a list of ways that these actions can be achieved.
Vet Sustain founder and director, Laura Higham said: "Veterinary professionals and members of the vet-led team are extremely well positioned to show leadership in sustainability, in their workplaces and in their communities.
"Our new checklist helps veterinary teams to put their sustainability intentions in to practice, through a number of practical steps that will ultimately support the wellbeing of our patients, ourselves and the natural world."
BVA Junior Vice President, Justine Shotton said: "We know that lots of our members are passionate about the environment, and the ‘Greener Veterinary Practice Checklist’ is a great place to start for any veterinary team wanting to work in a more environmentally friendly way.
Jo Oakden RVN BVNA President said: "Environmental Sustainability is really important to us at the BVNA; we are currently going through the process of Environmental Accreditation. Veterinary Nurses are ideally placed to get involved and drive eco-friendly changes within the veterinary practice."
For more information, visit: https://vetsustain.org/
Juliet Drummond, the veterinary nurse leader from Park Veterinary Hospital in Sheffield, has won a luxury spa weekend worth £900 in the Dechra Veterinary Products Vetivex® fluids competition.
The weekend break is for up to four guests at the health spa of her choice and Miss Drummond was picked from over 560 entrants. She said: "I am delighted to have won this prize and will be taking three members of the practice nursing staff with me to Spa 1877 in Sheffield for a well-earned treat."
Roger Brown, product manager at Dechra said: "We're delighted with the level of entries to the competition and the increased profile for Vetivex fluid therapy amongst veterinary practices. More practices are now aware that Vetivex fluids come in the most extensive range of bag sizes for treating dehydration in cattle, calves, horses, cats and dogs."
High street vouchers worth £50 also went to Mr John Davison of Davison Veterinary Surgeons and Mrs Vicki Cook of Mount Road Vets in Manchester for correctly answering questions on fluid therapy in the December and January monthly draws respectively.
A total of 16 runners-up prizes of £25 and £15 high street vouchers were also awarded in December and January as part of the three-month long competition.
At the hearing, Dr Crawford made no admissions to the charges against him which involved allegations of: failing to provide adequate and appropriate care; failing to provide adequate clinical histories to another practice in respect of several animals; failing to treat fellow veterinary professionals and other members of staff from another practice with courtesy and respect; failing to maintain adequate clinical records; failing to have in place Professional Indemnity Insurance or equivalent arrangements; and, failing to respond to reasonable requests from the RCVS.
Dr Crawford’s representative drew the Committee’s attention to the fact that Mr Crawford was 71 years old, had no previous disciplinary findings against him and had now ceased practising, including closing his practice premises and notifying his previous clients of the closure.
His representative confirmed that Mr Crawford was fully aware that if his application was accepted, he would no longer be able to practise as a veterinary surgeon or identify as a veterinary surgeon. The Committee also noted that the RCVS had consulted with the complainants who were satisfied with the case being disposed of in this way.
Dr Martin Whiting, chairing the Committee, and speaking on its behalf, said: “Having weighed the public interest in a hearing with the registrant’s interests, the Committee determined that this is not a case in which the public interest required there to be a full hearing. Protection of the welfare of animals would also not be further served by a full hearing. The Committee decided to accede to the respondent’s application.
"The Committee considered that the adjournment on undertakings served to protect the public interest, confidence in the profession and the welfare of animals.
"The Committee carefully considered the detail of the undertakings. It decided, after due consideration that it would accept the respondent’s undertakings in the terms offered and signed."
All those taking part in the survey will be entered into a draw for one of two £25 Amazon vouchers, unless you don't want to give your email address. Either way, entries to the survey, which has been approved by the RVC Ethics Committee, will be anonymised.
Ayesha said: "My survey is about acquiring knowledge from RVN perspectives on canine enrichment mediums such as kong feeders, food chews and pheromonal sprays such as DAP. There is a lot of literature out there about feline stress reducing activities but not as much about the types, why used and whether enrichment mediums are used by RVNs in veterinary practice specifically for dogs."
She added: "My survey takes a few minutes to complete and it is aimed at RVNs currently working with dogs in veterinary practice in the UK."
You can take part in the survey here: https://rvc.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/comparing-the-use-of-canine-specific-environmental-enrichm
The survey closes on 4th February 2020.
An environmental photojournalist, Mr Gekoski has won various well-known wildlife photography awards and is regularly featured in the press, most recently for his book Animosity: Human - Animal Conflict in the 21st Century.
Aaron will join BVA President James Russell, Association of Veterinary Students (AVS) Senior Vice President Izzie Arthur and two other judges nominated by the competition sponsor iM3 Veterinary Dentistry. The BVA photography competition has already had over 200 entries for this year's award since it launched in January. Split into three categories, entrants are asked to focus on images that capture the human-animal bond in day-to-day veterinary work, as well as photos of pets or wildlife taken outside of the working environment.
Submissions for each category can be taken on a phone or a high-spec camera, and should take into account responsible animal interaction and positive animal health and welfare.
The three categories are:
Aaron said: “It's a huge honour to be a judge for the BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year Award, the most prestigious photographic competition for the veterinary profession. The competition helps shine a light on the invaluable and relentless work carried out by vets around the world; work that may otherwise go unnoticed. I look forward to bringing my experience as an environmental photojournalist to the judging process."
The BVA Veterinary Photographer of the Year Award 2021 closes at 11.59 GMT on 8th March 2021. Winners will be announced in April. They will receive a £250 John Lewis voucher and their pictures exhibited by BVA.
Find out more and submit your entries at www.bva.co.uk/photo-comp
The course is open to all veterinary nursing assistants, not just those associated with Dick White Referrals or working within the county.
During the course, which begins in September, students will work in a virtual classroom for three hours a week with a DWA lecturer leading their studies and guiding their progress.
DWA principal Ali Heywood said: “This apprenticeship is designed for those providing care to animals in a veterinary care environment and combines the skills, knowledge and behaviours that are required to complete the apprenticeship.
“The aim is to provide practical competence and an underpinning of knowledge that’s relevant to the role of a veterinary carer in a modern veterinary practice and it provides a terrific alternative for those students who do not have access to other qualifications.
“This is already a successful course that we moved on-line to support employers and 100 per cent of our apprentices passed with a distinction this year.
“Successful applicants will need to attend online lectures for three hours a week. They will all be led by our team, which is highly-experienced and successful in the delivery of veterinary care training.
“This online delivery is part of the 20% ‘off the job’ training that must be completed on the course, with the remainder of the apprenticeship based on completion of practical assessments and an e-portfolio.”
Subjects covered on the course will be legislation and safe working practice, animal health and welfare, animal environment and accommodation, introduction to patient care, introduction to animal anatomy and physiology and veterinary care support.
A minimum of 600 hours of veterinary experience is expected for a student to gain the required veterinary care experience and develop the practical competence to successfully achieve the award’s outcomes.
As a result, all students must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week, although part-time options can be considered on a case-by-case basis. An L1 in English and Maths are expected as a minimum, with the expectation that those holding L1 will work towards L2 during the VCS course.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the course or signing up can email Ali at ali.heywood@dwr.co.uk.
Photo: Jess A’Court, Dick White Academy’s first L2 apprentice to complete and pass the new L2 apprenticeship standard.
Linnaeus was founded in 2014 from Willows Veterinary Centre and Referral Service and a team of 120. It was acquired in 2018 by Mars Veterinary Health and has continued to grow, now employing around 3,500 staff.
The referral practices joining Linnaeus are Anderson Moores near Winchester, Dick White Referrals near Cambridge, North West Veterinary Referrals and Eye Vet in Runcorn and Veterinary Specialists Scotland in Livingston.
Linnaeus says the practices will retain their existing branding and will initially continue with business as usual, with all staff transferring to Linnaeus after completion.
Bart Johnson, CEO of Linnaeus, said: “We are delighted to welcome our new colleagues and these fantastic and highly-respected referral practices into the Linnaeus family and to grow our offering further, taking another step towards making an even better world for pets.”
Alejandro Bernal, President, Mars Veterinary Health International, part of Mars Petcare which owns Linnaeus, said: “Pet care has been an important part of Mars for over 80 years and this strategic acquisition reaffirms our commitment both to the pet care industry and veterinary profession.
For more information, visit www.linnaeusgroup.co.uk.
Carbodote Prime is the first activated charcoal product for cats and dogs to contain a cathartic, which speeds up intestinal transit time so that bound toxins are expelled more quickly.
Carbodote Repeat is for those situations where repeated administration of plain activated charcoal is needed due to the type of the toxin involved.
Carbodote Repeat can be administered to the patient every 4-6 hours over 24-48 hours.
Both products are presented as a ready-mixed, easy to swallow gel formulation, for less mess and reduced risk of aspiration.
TVM says the 60ml ‘dial and dispense’ syringes make administration easy for both veterinary staff and pet owners.
For more information, visit www.tvm-uk.com/carbodote or contact your Territory Manager.
Following issues with the implementation and associated costs of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons' database (iMIS), independent IT specialists TFX Consulting Ltd have reported on both the implementation project and the long-term suitability of the database for the College's needs.
The TFX iMIS Report highlights inadequacies in the procurement process for the IT system, especially with regard to the drafting of the original brief. The Report suggests that this led to differing expectations from the College and ASI, the company licensing and assisting with the implementation of the software, in terms of the detail and complexity of the project.
Although TFX says it believes the iMIS system to be suitable for the finance functionality required, it is critical of its ability to support some other RCVS data structures, and considers it is a poor fit for the complex registration and education functions of the College. The Report writers note that the RCVS continues to fulfil its statutory duties in terms of fee collection and the maintenance of registration records.
The key recommendations of the Report are that the RCVS continues to work with the iMIS database in the immediate future, particularly with regard to core functions, but that a new partner is sought for ongoing support of the system. Thereafter, the Report recommends that a plan is put in place to migrate away from the system over a period of two to three years, as part of a natural upgrade path for RCVS IT systems.
As part of this programme, TFX recommends that a detailed analysis exercise is required, with the objective of more completely defining the College's complex requirements.
This is the second of two reports prepared by TFX; the first reviewed the College's technology more generally. The Technology Report provided valuable advice in areas of network security, staged replacement of legacy hardware and a coherent software and licensing programme, with associated staff training.
The TFX iMIS Report can be downloaded from http://www.rcvs.org.uk/TFX
The TFX Technology Report will not be published, as it concerns issues relating to security of the College's IT infrastructure.
RCVS President Jerry Davies said: "We are grateful to TFX Consulting, and Ben Murray in particular, for the depth and clarity of both of their reports. It has been very useful to have independent scrutiny of the iMIS project and our IT systems as a whole.
"Lessons can be - and have been - learned. For example, new project management protocols have been introduced by the College, and the instigation of an Audit and Risk Committee has been agreed".
Council accepted the findings of the Report at its recent meeting, and the new Chief Executive and Secretary, Nick Stace, will consider how the recommendations are best implemented, when he takes up his post in September 2012.
Stelfonta is licensed for the treatment of non-resectable, non-metastatic (WHO staging1) subcutaneous mast cell tumours (MCTs) located at or distal to the elbow or the hock, and non-resectable, non-metastatic cutaneous MCTs in dogs. Tumours must be less than or equal to 8cm3 in volume and must be accessible to intratumoural injection.
The company says that a single intratumoural treatment has been seen to destroy the tumour completely in 75% of observed cases.
The active ingredient in Stelfonta is tigilanol tiglate, a compound extracted from Fontainea picrosperma, a shrub found in the Australian rain forest. According to the company, it works largely through specific protein kinase c (PKC) activation, in which it locally stimulates the immune system, resulting in destruction of the tumour and the tumour’s blood supply, followed by rapid healing of the site with minimal scarring.
Virbac says that generally, dogs do not require sedation or local or general anaesthesia during treatment.
Dr Neil Mottram MRCVS, Technical Product Manager at Virbac said: "Stelfonta is an innovative yet simple treatment which provides a high tumour elimination rate, rapid healing and a speedy return to a good quality of life for the pet. In the cases studied, the tumour was destroyed in seven days and full wound healing observed in 96.5% of cases, with no significant adverse effects on the dog.
“The effects of Stelfonta really do need to be seen to be believed."
Reference
The survey covers things like, owner engagement and compliance, the role of senior pet clinics and the type of educational resources that are most helpful.
One person will be picked at random from those who take part to receive a £50 Amazon voucher.
The survey can be completed here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/V78G9C8
The deadline is 5.00 pm on Thursday 30 September and Animalcare says the results will be published in October 2021.
The materials include a 15-minute video in which Sarah (pictured right) gives her advice on the medical management of hyperthyroid cases. She also introduces Thiamacare, Animalcare's high strength (10mg/ml) thiamazole oral solution, launched by the company last year.
Sarah has also helped to produce an in-clinic infographic which offers practical tips on handling hyperthyroid cats in order to minimise stress, as low-stress handling is known to help benefit treatment outcomes. The infographic also contains tips for owners on transporting cats, gives advice to practices on how to make waiting rooms and consult rooms cat-friendly and suggests considerations for blood-sampling and therapeutic assistance.
The materials are all available free of charge from www.the-pac.co.uk
James Beaumont, Brand Manager, said: ‘’Hyperthyroid cats can be challenging to treat and to handle. We hope the educational resources we have developed with Dr Caney will support practice teams in strengthening the management of these cases, ensuring higher welfare for affected cats and supporting the human-companion animal bond.”
For more information, email: animalcare@animalcare.co.uk or telephone 01904 487687.
Until now, the treatment has only been available in 20 and 40 pack sizes. The new two-tube pack option offers clients a pre-packaged treatment course for one ear.
Dechra Brand Manager Carol Morgan said: “The introduction of a pre-packaged Osurnia treatment course provides a convenient solution to veterinarians treating otitis. Osurnia comes in pre-measured, single-dose tubes of the gel with a soft flexible applicator tip that ensures the dog receives the right dose, every time, all while minimising discomfort for the patient.
"The patented gel formulation provides reassurance that the solution is less likely to be dislodged from the patient’s ear, prolonging the contact of the active medicines directly at the infection site1.
"A treatment plan using Osurnia means that vets can help ensure compliance of treatment. The application of the second dose provides an additional opportunity to assess the patient to ensure it is responding as planned."
Osurnia two-tube packs are available from wholesalers. For more information, visit: www.dechra.com.
The materials include eye-catching waiting room bunting, wall displays, posters, leaflets and leaflet holders which offer hints and tips on how to look after pets while fireworks are going off.
Ceva is also launching a series of eight three-minute fireworks videos which offer advice to owners about how they can 'Help take the fear out of fireworks' and more information about Adaptil and Feliway. The videos are presented by Emma Carr, training and charity key account manager at Ceva Animal Health and are available to download via Vimeo and Ceva’s social media tool kit.
Veterinary practices are being encouraged to use the new materials to take part in Ceva’s annual fireworks waiting room display competition, which offers a £200 voucher for the overall best display and luxury chocolate hampers for 10 runners up (hint: entrants get additional credit if they build a display den and plug in an Adaptil Calm Home Diffuser nearby).
Practices taking part in the competition can post pictures of their dens and waiting room displays on Ceva Animal Health UK's Facebook page in October.
Abigail King, senior behaviour product manager at Ceva Animal Health, said: "The extensive marketing support we are putting behind Adaptil and Feliway in the run up to the fireworks season will help educate pet owners on the measures that can be put in place to help their pets with firework fears, while highlighting the benefits of our products."
For further information, or to request the new waiting room material, contact your local account manager or email: cevauk@ceva.com.
Mr Wilson faced two charges. The first was that in October 2017, he provided inaccurate information to an insurer in respect of a Labrador he treated by saying that the dog was presented to him with a lame left foreleg on 13 June 2017, when in fact the dog was presented for treatment on 7 June 2017 and that his conduct was therefore dishonest and misleading.
The second charge was that between 17 January 2017 and 17 January 2018 he failed to have any arrangements in place for Professional Indemnity Insurance (a requirement of the Code of Professional Conduct) and then, that between 8 January and 5 December 2019, he failed to respond to reasonable requests from the RCVS regarding his Professional Indemnity Insurance.
Prior to the hearing, Mr Wilson made an application to the Committee to adjourn the hearing subject to the Committee accepting his undertakings to remove himself from the Register and never to apply to be restored.
Mr Wilson’s legal representative at the hearing submitted to the Disciplinary Committee that granting the application would be in the public interest on the basis that Mr Wilson was 68 years of age and had now retired from the profession and closed his practice, that he had dedicated his entire working life to veterinary practice, had a previously long and unblemished career with no other complaints, and that he was well-regarded by clients and professional colleagues.
The application was not opposed by the RCVS whose representative informed the Committee that, relating to the charge of dishonesty, the College had taken into account that the insurance claim form was not submitted by Mr Wilson himself, and that there is no evidence of any financial motivation behind the charge nor any allegation of harm to an animal.
Taking into account the submissions from Mr Wilson’s representatives and from the RCVS, as well as precedent cases for such applications, the Committee decided that Mr Wilson’s voluntary undertakings went well beyond any sanction that could be imposed by the Committee and considered that the application would protect the public interest, confidence in the profession, and the welfare of animals.
Professor Alistair Barr FRCVS, chairing the Disciplinary Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “The Committee decided that this is not a case in which the public interest or the welfare of animals demands that there be a full hearing, with determinations made by the Disciplinary Committee. Taking into account proportionality, and weighing in the balance the public interest, the interests of justice, the need to protect the welfare of animals, as well as the interests of both parties, the Committee decided to accede to the respondent’s application.”
The full findings of the Disciplinary Committee can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/disciplinary
Mrs Mullen faced four charges against her.
The first was that she failed to provide information to her clients about her practice OOH provision.
She was also charged with discharging a Labrador, called Cleo, that was unfit to be discharged following spay surgery, with an inadequate abdominal dressing and inadequate information given to the dog's owners regarding complications from surgery, the risk of post-operative haemorrhage and arrangements for out-of-hours care, as well as failing to make adequate clinical records.
The third charge alleged that she had failed to obtain informed consent for anaesthesia/ surgery performed on an English Bulldog, called Boycie, from his owners, failed to ensure the dog had adequate monitoring whilst recovering from anaesthesia, failed to offer an adequate range of overnight care for the dog, left the dog alone overnight when it was not in a fit condition to be left, failed to provide information to its owners on post-operative care at home and out-of-hours emergency arrangements, and failed to make adequate clinical records relating to its treatment.
Finally, she was charged with failing to have Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) or equivalent arrangements in place or failing to provide details of it, failing to respond to requests regarding her continuing professional development records and failing to respond adequately to reasonable requests from the College for details and documents regarding her treatment of the two dogs.
Mrs Mullen indicated to the RCVS before the hearing that she would not be engaging with the disciplinary process.
The Disciplinary Committee therefore granted the RCVS permission to proceed in her absence on the basis that Mrs Mullen had made it clear that her absence from proceedings was deliberate and voluntary, that there was no indication she would attend any future hearing if it was adjourned and that the charges were of sufficient seriousness that it was in the interests of animal welfare to proceed with them.
The Committee heard evidence from a number of witnesses including the animals’ owners, an expert veterinary witness and College staff.
In the evidence, the Committee heard that the Labrador had died while undergoing treatment at another veterinary practice from complications arising from blood loss following Mrs Mullen’s surgery.
The Committee also heard that the English Bulldog had suffered brain damage and had lost its sight due to post-operative hypoxia, although it had otherwise recovered.
Having heard all the evidence, the Committee found all the charges against Mrs Mullen proven.
The Committee then went on to consider whether the proven charges amounted to serious professional misconduct.
In doing so it considered the aggravating factors, including that there was actual injury to animals, that the misconduct was sustained and repeated over a period of time, that the conduct directly contravened advice issued by the RCVS, and the blatant disregard of the RCVS’s regulatory role.
It also considered that Mrs Mullen had previously been suspended from the Register by the Disciplinary Committee for two months in April 2017 for failing to have Professional Indemnity Insurance arrangements in place.
It considered that there were no mitigating factors in the case and accordingly found serious professional misconduct in relation to all the proven charges.
The Committee then considered what the most appropriate sanction would be.
Judith Way, chairing the Committee and speaking on its behalf, said: “Animal welfare lies at the heart of the veterinary profession.
"The Committee considers that [Mrs Mullen’s] treatment of Cleo and Boycie constitutes a breach of this fundamental tenet of the profession.
"Other serious findings of disgraceful conduct against [Mrs Mullen] are her failure to provide informed consent, failure to provide details about out-of-hours cover, failure to have in place Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII), continuing professional development (CPD), and failure to respond to the College’s request for information.”
The Committee considered that the conduct was so serious that the only means of protecting animal health and welfare and public confidence in the profession was to direct the Registrar to remove Mrs Mullen’s name from the Register of Veterinary Surgeons.
Judith added: “The Committee considers that [Mrs Mullen] has displayed a persistent lack of insight into the seriousness of her actions or their consequences.
"The Committee considers that [Mrs Mullen’s] conduct raises serious clinical concerns, shows disregard of obligations in relation to out-of-hours care, indicates deficiencies in making decisions, demonstrates an obstructive attitude to her regulator and creates a potential risk to patients.
"She has not engaged with the regulator, she has not demonstrated insight into her misconduct, has learned nothing from her previous suspension in relation to PII, and has done nothing to remediate her disgraceful conduct.
"There is no evidence that [Mrs Mullen} has complied with any of her obligations in relation to CPD."
“In the view of the Committee, if [Mrs Mullen] were permitted to remain on the Register, there would be a serious risk of harm to animals. She has demonstrated a reckless disregard for the obligations of a registered veterinary surgeon.”
Mrs Mullen has 28 days from being informed of the Committee’s decision to lodge an appeal with the Privy Council.
After the contamination was first identified, sales of the product in Australia were stopped immediately and Bova initiated an investigation.
The British Horseracing Authority then conducted its own analysis of samples of the UK product, discovering that it too was contaminated with testosterone.
However, Bova says the levels of testosterone in the end product were confirmed to be 400-700 pg/ml, which is less than one millionth of the internationally accepted standard for impurities (1 picogram being equal to one billionth of a milligram).
Nick Bova, managing Director of Bova UK, said: "We have consulted veterinary pharmacologists and sports medicine specialists who have given their opinion that these levels are within accepted standards and could neither have a clinical effect nor result in a positive blood or urine test for testosterone in competition horses.
"The levels of testosterone within the product are inconsequential compared to endogenous production in mares and geldings as well as stallions and higher levels are found frequently in feed and water sources; testosterone being a common compound produced by humans and animals from multiple organs."
The source of the contamination was traced to the excipient used in the product, which was used by Bova Aus and Bova UK. Both companies have now switched their supplier of this excipient. Bova says all testing done on the new supplier has shown no traces of testosterone, even with the new extra sensitive method of analysis which is capable of reaching picogram levels.
Nick added: "Whilst we hope to reassure you that the use of long acting injectable omeprazole will not have had adverse implications for your patients or clients we can also reassure you that we are not complacent about the presence of impurities in any of our products, particularly an impurity that is of such significance to equestrian sport.
"Although the level of impurities is well within the accepted international standard, we have changed the supplier of the excipient in question. We have established an analytical method capable of testing down to picogram levels, which has been used to test the end product to ensure there are no further concerns with future batches.
"We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this issue may have caused. Many vets and horse owners now rely on long acting injectable omeprazole for horses that do not respond to oral treatment and we can reassure anyone who has used the product in recent months, or has product that they are due to use, that they can do so safely.
"However, we would draw attention to the recent statement from the BHA that they do not wish the product to be used in horses in training currently."
Visit www.bova.co.uk for further information.