The company says the sessions will help veterinary staff learn more about the condition - which affects up to 20% of dogs in the UK annually1 - the causes and consequences of osteoarthritis pain, the main predisposing risk factors and the impact of chronic pain on central sensitisation.
The CPD will look at what steps practices can take to mitigate animal suffering and increase long-term owner compliance and will encourage practices to look at their current osteoarthritis management strategy.
Kai Crawshaw, Brand Manager at Animalcare, said: "Canine osteoarthritis is a growing concern for UK vets – latest figures suggest that over two million dogs are suffering, based on current population figures.
"Managing these cases can be challenging, but through this lunch and learn session, we aim to support veterinary staff and help them to expand their knowledge and implement an improved approach for managing canine osteoarthritis.’
www.animalcare.co.uk/lunch-and-learn
Reference
The new, four storey, architecturally-designed clinic is full of natural light and includes calming and spacious staff breakout areas.
By combining a beautiful work environment with seamless technology, the company believes it can transform working conditions and job satisfaction for vet teams.
On the tech side, the Creature Comforts has created a proprietary app which allows triage to be handled online and for staff to work flexibly.
The company says the app also reduces the administrative burden, a contributory factor for staff burnout.
Creature Comforts says most clients subscribe at a cost of £20 per pet per month, giving them unlimited consultations, instant bookings and live chat via the app (as well as annual vaccinations and discounted routine treatments).
This should mean animals are seen more frequently, and conditions can be identified and treated earlier.
Memberships will be capped to control vet team caseload and to ensure a good customer experience.
The company is also addressing Competition and Markets Authority concerns, with prices for routine treatments listed on its website, upfront estimates for procedures, and a business model hinged on unlimited access to expertise (i.e. consultations, instant in-app bookings and live chat) at no extra cost for subscribed members.
Creature Comforts says its vet team benefits from a share of their clinic’s profits, above industry-standard pay, compensated overtime, a well-balanced staffing ratio, manageable working hours and scheduled breaks.
Dr Russell Welsh, COO and co-founder of Creature Comforts, said: “It’s an incredible feeling to see a plan come together in a sector that’s so ripe for transformation.
"We want to bring the passion, joy and fun back to our profession, and this is an opportunity to do things differently and vastly better, with a fresh and carefully-considered business model founded on the principles of health and happiness.
"This is vet care as it should be."
https://www.creaturecomforts.co.uk
The training sessions are taking place both online and in person and places will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Upcoming training dates are as follows:
https://www.vetmindmatters.org/training/
The 2021 Nursing Programme, which was launched in January, is a new course that provides CVS employees with over 150 hours of foundation training and is open to all registered veterinary nurses across the company's practices.
The programme offers a range of courses and is designed to help nurses complete their mandatory CPD requirements, while providing learning and development opportunities for colleagues to further their careers.
CVS says it has capped the cost of the course so it remains accessible to all its nurses.
The company added that it plans to introduce an intermediate course in 2022, and an advanced some time thereafter, so that it can meet the CPD requirements of all of its nurses, at any stage in their career.
Lucy Turner, Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer at CVS Group (pictured right), said: “At CVS, we place our people at the heart of we do and are always searching for ways in which we can be the veterinary company that people most want to work for.
"This foundational programme, which is available almost entirely online, is a way in which we can support, nurture and build on the extensive talent we have across our Group and we greatly look forward to hearing feedback from the nurses who take part in the programme’s first year.”
The Registrar and Secretary of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Jane Hern, has announced that she will be standing down at the end of the year.
After 15 years in the job, Jane says she has been pleased to oversee a number of significant reforms and new initiatives in her time leading the organisation, but has decided that it is time to move on and pursue other interests.
The College says it is now embarking on a comprehensive review of its governance, committee and management structures, during which the Officers and Council will consider how best the executive should be led in future.
Jane said: "I have greatly enjoyed my time with the College and the Trust. Working with a profession held in such high regard by the public has been a real pleasure. I wish veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and all my colleagues all the very best for the future."
The President, Dr Jerry Davies said: "The Royal College has been very fortunate in having the benefit of Jane's wisdom and guidance for so many years, and we wish her every success in the future."
The association says that the day of lectures is mainly targeted at those who are starting on their path of ophthalmology, but old hands may also learn a few new tricks.
Topics will include how to get the most from the ophthalmic examination, diagnostics and what options there are for career growth in our specialty.
There will be live panel discussions to give attendees the opportunity to ask any questions they have.
Tickets costs £100+VAT for BrAVO members, £60+VAT for nurses and interns, and £40+VAT for students.
The deadline for registration is Tuesday 16th March at 5:00pm.
To book your ticket, visit: https://www.eventbee.com/v/bravo-spring-meeting-2021/event?eid=164693974#/tickets
The study, which was led by the College's VetCompass programme, found that British bulldog ownership has increased from 0.35% of all puppies born in 2009 to 0.60% in 2013.
At the same time, the study found that British bulldogs suffer more than other breeds from a number of conditions associated with their aesthetic characteristics, including: skin fold dermatitis (7.8%), prolapsed gland of the third eyelid or 'cherry eye' (6.8%), interdigital cysts (3.7%), entropion or inward turning of the eyelid (3.6%), and corneal ulceration (3.1%).
Worse still, only 3.5% of the 1,621 British bulldogs analysed in the study were diagnosed with brachycephalic obstructive airway syndrome (BOAS), despite an earlier study reporting that 84.8% of tested Bulldogs are affected by BOAS to some extent, with 44.0% exhibiting clinically relevant disease2.
This, say the researchers, suggests owners consider breathing problems such as snoring as normal and are not therefore taking their dogs for needed check-ups.
Other findings included:
12.7% of British bulldogs suffer from ear infections, 8.8% from skin infections and 8.7% from obesity
Males are more likely than females to develop skin infection, interdigital cysts, atopic dermatitis and aggression, whereas females are more likely to develop dental disease and obesity.
The average adult bodyweight for a British bulldog is 26kg.
The average lifespan of bulldogs is 7.2 years.
The most common causes of death are heart disease (11.8%), cancer (10.9%) and brain disorder (9.1%).
The RVC says that the results of the study will support initiatives by the Kennel Club and the UK Bulldog Breed Club to improve breeding and also help owners and vets prioritise tackling the leading issues British bulldogs face.
Dr Dan O’Neill, VetCompass epidemiologist at the RVC and Chairman of the Brachycephalic Working Group, said: "The UK has seen unprecedented increases in the popularity of certain short-faced breeds over the past decade. This has led to a series of well-documented welfare issues relating to how these dogs are bred and sold for the UK pet-owning market, high levels of dumping of unwanted dogs into the UK charities and health problems that are intrinsically linked to the extreme body shape of these dogs.
"This new study gives firm evidence for the first time on the true levels of popularity and also of disease diagnosed in the wider population of bulldogs in the UK. This information can help to move the conversation on welfare from 'what are the issues' to 'how do we deal with these issues'. Reliable evidence is pivotal to good decision-making."
Dr Rowena Packer, BBSRC Research Fellow at RVC, said: "The bulldog is an iconic breed but concerns over the health problems allegedly facing these popular dogs have mounted in the past decade. It is extremely valuable to have solid data on the health problems facing this breed, confirming a number of inherent breed predispositions that need to be tackled.
This data supports current initiatives encouraging breed reform, particularly regarding health problems inherently related to their looks, and the need for selection for healthier body shapes. For example, skin fold dermatitis was common in bulldogs and is associated with the desired wrinkled face in this breed – this calls into question the justification of this and other such breed traits that put dogs at risk of potentially avoidable disease."
Steve Dean, Chairman of the Kennel Club Charitable Trust said: "The Kennel Club has put into place a number of crucial measures over the years to monitor, protect and improve bulldog health and to provide the many responsible breeders with the tools they need to do the same, but this paper highlights there is still work to be done."
The study is published open access in PLOS ONE.
References:
The Pitpat was designed in Cambridge, launched in 2016 and is now the leading dog activity monitor on the market, with over 50,000 sold.
I was invited to review the Pitpat by one of the company's non-executive directors, Myra Forster-van Hijfte FRCVS, a European and RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine who was also one of the angel investors.
I wasn't convinced that this was something every dog owner would want to use regularly. You'd have to be a bit obsessed to be routinely reviewing the activity levels of a perfectly fit young dog. But I think there is real potential for it to add value to veterinary nurses' obesity clinics and also to measure a response to treatment for things like osteoarthritis (OA). As such, it is perhaps something for practices to consider buying for themselves, and then loaning it out to the owners of dogs on a weight loss programme or which are getting treatment for OA.
Myra said: "PitPat gives an objective measurement of the actual activity the dog has done and the app gives the owner tailored advice (based on breed, age and sex of the dog) on how much exercise their dog should be doing and an estimate of daily calories their dog has burnt. This will help owners keep their dogs fit and healthy and in the correct body condition.
"PitPat is useful in weight management clinics by improving owner engagement through the associated weight app. Encouraging exercise also provides the owner with a positive contribution towards weight management.
"Monitoring activity pre- and post treatment, for instance dogs with osteoarthritis on NSAID's, provides vet and owner with an objective measure of whether treatment is effective or not."
You can watch the full review here. If you're interested in technology that is designed to make life easier, do subscribe to the channel!
For more information about Pitpat, visit: https://www.pitpat.com/. Veterinary practices that want to buy a Pitpat for use with their clients will get a trade discount. Contact the company for more details.
The new standards framework sets out the professional values, knowledge, skills and behaviours that are required of awarding organisations and higher education (HE) institutions that provide the curricula, the centres that deliver the courses and their affiliated training practices, as part of the College’s accreditation and re-accreditation processes.
The new framework focuses on six main standards, which apply to awarding organisations/HE institutions, the centres and training practices. The standards are: learning culture; governance and quality; student empowerment; educators and assessors; curricula and assessment; and effective clinical learning.
Julie Dugmore, RCVS Director of Veterinary Nursing, said: "In our previous set of standards there were separate policies and documents for training practices, the centres and the awarding organisations/HE institutions. This now brings all those disparate policies into a unified whole.
"The new standards also place a greater focus on innovation and different types of learning. The previous standards very much assumed that the learning would be done on a face-to-face basis, but we know that, increasingly, student veterinary nurses may be getting the majority of the contact time with their educational institution online and that many institutions have brought in blended learning programmes. These standards recognise this fact and that there are many different ways to learn.
"A greater focus on the student experience is another thing that has really been bolstered in these new standards. For example, we would now be looking for evidence that educational institutions and training practices are providing the support needed for student veterinary nurses to look after their mental health and wellbeing, and that academic and pastoral support is provided to prepare them for independent, reflective practice.
"The new standard will be formally brought into force in January - although for those institutions and organisations that are currently going through the accreditation or re-accreditation process, they can opt to still be assessed via the previous set of standards."
The new standards were drawn-up by a working group comprising VN Council members Alison Carr, Andrea Jefferies and Kathy Kissick, as well as Julie Dugmore.
Veterinary nursing educators were invited to a consultation day in July when they were introduced to the new standards and invited to give feedback.
Kathy Kissick said: "As a former Head of Veterinary Nursing at Myerscough College, I am very glad that we have finally been able to realise and build in the importance of student empowerment into these standards – recognising that veterinary nursing education and training is not just something being done for our students, but something they have a voice and role in shaping.
"Allowing greater choice in the methods and means by which veterinary nursing education is delivered is also a passion of mine and, again, this is something these new standards fully recognise and allow for."
A handbook containing the new accreditation standards will be published on the RCVS website in due course. In the meantime, the documentation is available to download at: https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/vn-council/vn-council-meetings/13-november-2019/
DogStem has been shown to be effective, reducing pain and lameness and improving mobility and quality of life for three months to over twelve months following a single injection1,2.
In a prospective, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of DogStem, results showed that2:
TVM highlights how DogStem simplifies the process and reduces the cost of using stem cell therapy in practice because unlike previous therapies, it does not require require a surgical harvesting procedure to be carried out under general anaesthetic.
Helen Harrison, DogStem Technical Vet and Product Manager said: "Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases seen in veterinary practices and is challenging to manage.
"Conventional medical treatments typically address the symptoms rather than the underlying pathological processes.
"At the same time, local treatment options that slow progression of osteoarthritis have been limited and surgical interventions aren’t always possible or may be unrewarding.
"We’re delighted to be able to offer vets DogStem®, a stem cell product with a strong evidence base across numerous mobility and quality of life parameters.’
DogStem can be ordered from NVS, or direct from: www.dogstem.co.uk
References
The new guidance will remove the absolute requirement for veterinary surgeons to perform a physical examination before prescribing POM medicines, making it instead a matter for professional judgement.
However, the proposed new guidance also imposes a requirement for veterinary surgeons who do NOT physically examine the animal prior to prescribing to provide a 24/7 follow-up service which includes a physical examination.
Furthermore, the new guidance will state that: "Where the veterinary surgeon is not able to provide this service [the physical exam] themselves, they should arrange for another veterinary service provider to do so. This arrangement should be made before veterinary services are offered and confirmed in writing as part of the conditions of service agreed by the client."
This requirement to provide a physical 24/7 follow-up would appear to safeguard animal welfare and protect against the risk of online-only businesses (in the UK or abroad) with lower overheads cherry-picking the job of prescribing medicines.
It should also protect against veterinary surgeons feeling pressured to prescribe inappropriately, because the new, stricter requirements will make it easier for them to decline to do so.
However, the BVA doesn't agree with the new proposals. It feels that remote prescribing should be delivered under the auspices of a Veterinary Client-Patient-Relationship (VCPR), which, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, requires a physical examination.
BVA President Malcolm Morley, said: “The changes to ‘under care’ guidance are a watershed moment, so it’s positive to see that they have evolved in response to feedback from the profession. New technology presents exciting opportunities to enhance existing veterinary services and has benefits for practices as well as clients and their animals.
"However, BVA has been very clear that we believe remote prescribing can only be safely delivered where a vet-client-patient relationship has been established.
"This is an internationally recognised concept, and we are disappointed that the RCVS has decided not to embrace it.
“Having voted to implement these changes, it is incumbent upon the RCVS and the profession to scrutinise how they play out.
"At BVA we plan to develop advice and resources to support our members and help them comply with the new guidance and realise any benefits of remote veterinary service provision.’
“It is now vital that a timeframe for a review is quickly put in place, so any negative impacts on animal welfare or the sustainability of veterinary services can be dealt with swiftly.”
Council voted by a majority of 20 to 3 in favour of the changes, which it then decided should come into force between 1st June and 23rd December 2023, subject to a review at the next meeting.
Discuss the propose changes here
Nutritional researcher Brian Zanghi from the Purina Institute will also share some of his work, which has focused on nutrient-enriched ‘water supplements’ and the impact on voluntary water intake.1
Purina says various studies have shown an association between increased water intake and improved outcomes in cases of feline lower urinary tract conditions.2,3 Encouraging water intake may also benefit cats with renal disease or chronic constipation, as well as older animals with osteoarthritis who might be less keen to make repeated trips to their water bowls.
Libby Sheridan, MVB, MRCVS, Purina Veterinary Technical Affairs Manager, UK & Ireland, said: "The importance of good hydration is often under estimated and there are so many factors that can influence intake – from the position of the water bowl, to materials used in the bowl construction and even the level of fill. Deciding when and how to promote increased intake can be difficult and we hope this session will help vets and vet nurses to make those decisions.”
The lecture programme will include a review of clinical evidence, discussion of the benefits of increasing water intake and practical case-based advice from Sarah and Andy. The event will be recorded for registrants who cannot attend on the day and registrations are accepted until the event starts on the evening of 9th December.
Registration is now open at https://www.bigmarker.com/closerstill-media/You-can-lead-a-cat-to-water-but-how-do-you-make-them-drink. All registrants will be entered into a prize draw to win one of ten goody bags which will include a premium water bottle.
For more information, contact the Purina Veterinary Nutrition Team on 0800 212161.
The Action Plan presents what the College is doing to tackle the issue and explains how collaboration, culture change, career development and leadership, among other things, could help with workforce shortages by improving retention of current members of the professions, encouraging more people to join, and making it easier for those who have left the professions to return.
The report lists seven main areas to be addressed:
The full list of actions, with context about what has fed into ambitions, can be found in the Action Plan which is downloadable at www.rcvs.org.uk/publications.
Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS, Junior Vice-President and Chair of the RCVS Advancement of the Professions Committee, said: “This is a very complex, broad and multi-faceted area of concern so the Action Plan has been a long time in the making to ensure that we adequately capture what needs doing and how, in order to enable us to work collaboratively with all veterinary organisations going forward.
"This is not a finished list, but gives all within the veterinary sector the ability to look at the key areas of work that need to be done and prioritise the ones that most suit their organisational needs."
The plan covers mortgage or rent payments of up to £2000 per month for up to a year if you are unable to work because of illness or injury.
In addition, policyholders, their partners and children under the age of 18 are given access to a 24/7 GP service, available via video or phone consultations.
VetYou says there no health or financial questionnaires involved, and whilst permanent conditions and those present within the last two years are not covered, Home Protection will start to cover pre-existing conditions when you have been symptom, medication and treatment free for two years.
There are 12 types of higher risk sports and hobbies Home Protector wont cover cover and Home Protector can’t cover semi-professional or professional sports.
Matthew Dobbs, one of the founders of VetYou (pictured), said: “As practising vets, we know the pain of trying to cover rent and mortgage payments when we are unable to work.
"But as busy professionals we often don’t find the time to get the cover we need.
"So we worked with Future Proof to bring this exclusive product to the profession."
https://vetyou.co.uk/home-mortgage/home-protector
The company says the series will help practices set-up, post content and measure the effectiveness of their social media channels.
There are three introductory videos titled: ‘What are the benefits and why is social media key to my practice?’, ‘Measurement, maintenance and management’ and ‘Planning’.
The first video covers a back-to-basics introduction to social media channels, including Facebook and Instagram. The second video explains how to measure the success of social channels and how to manage posts and content. The final video covers the importance of planning and the use of content calendars to highlight events and awareness days, as well as helpful tools and features such as Facebook Live.
The four how-to guides explain:
The social media videos and how-to guides are part of PetNatter, Boehringer Ingelheim’s free veterinary resource, designed to help veterinary practices stay in touch with owners and help them care for their pets. Originally launched in mid-July, PetNatter provides veterinary practices with professionally crafted social media, newsletter and website content.
Grace Tonner, territory manager at Boehringer Ingelheim said: “Social media plays a big part in our social lives and it is an increasingly important channel in business communities too, which has the potential to help practices maintain and develop vital relationships with pet owners.
"While most vet practices recognise that social media should play an important role in starting and maintaining communications with clients and potential clients, particularly during challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, finding the time, resource and skills to be effective with social media can be challenging.
"Our brilliant series of short, easy-to-understand social media videos and how-to guides provides veterinary professionals with the essential knowledge, tools and confidence to make vet practice social media a hit. Using the videos and guides will enable vet practices to get their social media up and running in just 15 minutes.”
For further information on the social media videos and how-to guides contact your local Boehringer Ingelheim territory manager or visit petnatter.co.uk/how-to.
The tips, put together by Tessa Plagis (communication advisor at St. Anna Advies), Alan Robinson (director of VetDynamics) and Rebecca Robinson (coach at VetDynamics and senior clinician in veterinary anaesthesia at the AHT), are being shared to set the scene for Congress 2023, where international experts will be exploring how time management at organisational, systems, teams and an individual levels can lead to drastic improvements in performance, job satisfaction and wellbeing.
The Association points to the demands on the profession caused by the fact that veterinary professionals have been saying 'yes' to everything for years: yes to more clients, more patients and more overtime.
This, says BSAVA, is taking its toll: experienced practitioners and recent graduates are leaving the profession, and many more are suffering mental and physical health issues associated with sustained high stress.
Tessa Plagis, communication advisor at St. Anna Advies, said: “We are at a tipping point and can’t keep doing what we’ve always done. If we want sustainable veterinary businesses going forward we need to change the structure of how we work.”
Tessa says the issues are both organisational and individual: “Many veterinary professionals struggle to give boundaries.
"We are people pleasers and tend to say ‘yes’, even if that means compromising other important aspects of lives, such as family.
"This set against a background of too few vets, which means that there’s nobody to help us out when there’s too much to-do.”
To find out more about time management, book your ticket for BSAVA Congress at: https://www.bsavaevents.com/bsavacongress2023/en/page/home, and in the meantime, here are Tessa, Alan and Rebecca's time management tips.
Tessa's tips
Alan's tips
Rebecca's tips
The PIC decision marked the conclusion of its investigation into a concern that was raised formally last November involving allegations of bullying at Professor Argyle’s workplace, the University of Edinburgh.
Professor Argyle, who had previously decided to step aside from his JVP and Council duties until the concern was investigated and concluded, said: “Despite this outcome from the PIC discussions, I have now made the challenging decision to stand down from my position at the RCVS. This is to ensure there is no further distraction to the College’s important work and activities and that whoever becomes the next JVP has the full support of Council and RCVS members.
"It is also to reduce the toll this situation has taken on my family, colleagues and students, and on me personally. I am proud and privileged to have served on RCVS Council for nearly ten years and wish it well as it navigates the next chapter in its history."
RCVS President Mandisa Greene said: “I appreciate that this has been an exceptionally difficult situation and very upsetting for all involved.
"I understand why David has taken the difficult decision to stand down from RCVS Council and would like to thank him for his many years of service to the RCVS since joining Council in 2012.
"I would also like to reassure colleagues once again that, throughout, the College has remained firmly committed to following due, proper and fair process in all its regulatory activities."
Following Professor Argyle’s decision to step down, the process for electing a new JVP for the current presidential year will commence.
As Professor Argyle was a Veterinary Schools Council appointee on RCVS Council, it will be for that body to elect a replacement Council member.
Further details will be announced in due course.
Asked why the CMA had decided to launch the review, its Senior Director for Consumer Protection told BBC R4's Today programme this morning that: "the costs of many vet services are rising higher than the cost of inflation, and it can be really hard to find out how much it's going to cost you, both for routine treatments or if something goes wrong and you need to find emergency care for your pet."
George added: "There's many other [veterinary] services and costs that people cannot have predicted and they can find themselves unexpectedly facing some really high bills, and when other household bills are going up very steeply at the moment we want to do everything we can to make sure that people can predict how much it is going to cost to see a vet, both for routine stuff but also for things if there's a crisis."
The authority is also looking at whether there is enough transparency over practice ownership.
With the percentage of independent practices falling from 89% in 2013 to 45% by 2021, the authority says people may not be clear if their vet is part of a group which owns other vet practices in their area or that the services which are being sold to them (such as diagnostic tests or treatments at a specialist animal hospital) are provided by that group.
This, it says, could impact pet owners’ choices and reduce the incentives of local vet practices to compete.
The CMA is now asking veterinary professionals, people who supply veterinary products and services and pet owners to take part in the review by completing an online questionnaire: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-respond-to-the-veterinary-services-market-for-pets-review
In particular, it wants to hear practitioners' experiences of:
The questionnaire will remain open for six weeks.
The CMA will outline the issues it identifies and announce its next steps early in 2024.
Joii has announced that its free vet nurse consultations and £20 consultations with veterinary surgeons will now be available 24 hours a day. The out-of-hours service will be delivered by eight UK-trained vets based overseas in countries such as Australia, to ensure its UK-based staff continue to enjoy a healthy work-life balance with no interruptions from nighttime working.
Meanwhile FirstVet has announced that for the next six weeks, all consultations via its platform will be free of charge. Appointments will be available for five hours per day, from 12:00pm to 5:00pm.
Veterinary practices that wish to provide their own online consultations have a couple of options to consider: The Virtual Vet Group, and VetHelpDirect.
Reporting into Chief Veterinary Officer Paul Higgs, Tara will focus on the development of the role of veterinary nurses in CVS.
The role of CVNO at CVS was previously held for a two year term.
CVS says this appointment of a permanent CVNO is to ensure greater continuity in veterinary nurse representation during an important phase of the company's development.
Paul said: “I am excited to welcome Tara into this role to ensure we continue to champion the role of veterinary nurses in CVS and in the profession as a whole.
“Those that know Tara will recognise she is passionate about the role of RVNs and is well positioned to support and influence the importance of the work they do across our company.”
“I am excited to be working alongside Tara as we engage with our teams and continue to foster the right environment to empower nurses and deliver fantastic clinical care in our practices.”
Tara began veterinary work in Norfolk 23 years ago and she joined CVS Group in 2008 as Head Nurse at a practice in Oxford.
She was one of the first CVS Clinical Directors to come from a nursing background and has since moved on to become Regional Director of practices in Norfolk and Suffolk.
Five time European champion and British record-holding athlete, Laura Muir MRCVS, will be in conversation with Gudrun Ravetz and Rob Pope for a keynote session at the virtual event. The line-up also includes Bake-Off star, Rosie Brandreth-Poynter, alongside a number of other expert session leaders for personal development, baking, exercise, crafts and social elements.
The day long programme will start with a run, meditation or yoga. The plenary sessions and workshops include topics such as change management, establishing a ‘new normal', and how to build wellbeing into daily life.
Wellvet co-founder Ru Tipney said: "We're delighted to host an event which brings together so many amazing people to lead valuable - and potentially life-changing sessions - for delegates. We have content for everyone, from student sessions to workshops designed for practice managers and owners."
To include a social aspect, the virtual conference platform provides opportunities for networking and connecting with fellow delegates during and after the event. Ru said: "The vibe we've had at the last two WellVet events has been pretty special. WellVet works because of the mutual encouragement, openness and support of delegates. We're delighted to have found a platform to give a rich social experience alongside all the great content."
The content and networking functions are available for a year after the event and the organisers are keen to stress there's no need to sit through the whole day in one go. Delegates are invited to dip in and out, revisit sessions, and connect with others afterwards. Tickets are subsidised at £40 for a full delegate pass and £10 for students and new graduates.
For more information and to buy tickets, visit: www.wellvet.co.uk
The new division has been granted a ManSA license by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD).
Glesni Owen, Head of Veterinary Sales, said: “Veterinary professionals across the world increasingly prescribing CBD products to their patients for a variety of health conditions including osteoarthritis, epilepsy, pain management and a variety of other behavioural issues.
“Research into the use of CBD is advancing daily which provides veterinary professionals with an increased knowledge base to help clients make informed decisions about treating their pets.”
Pets Choice have been working closely with veterinary professionals in the United States where CBD therapy is far more widely prescribed, collating and sharing the latest supporting evidence and guidance for vets here in the UK to feel comfortable discussing it with their clients.
Glesni said: “We have developed a CPD-accredited educational webinar and also recorded a podcast with the Vet Times, interviewing highly-respected US-based veterinarian Jeffrey Powers, who has extensive experience prescribing CBD to his patients.”
https://petschoice-2.wistia.com/medias/cn1g7dr2rc
For further information, contact specials@petschoice.co.uk or 01934 831000.
The session, which will be led by Catherine Oxtoby, will introduce VDS's VetSafe tool, designed both to help prevent a blame and shame culture, and to reduce clinical errors.
It will also provide an opportunity for delegates to share the challenges faced by RVNs with the VDS, and suggest how the organisation can develop and improve what it does for veterinary nurses.
The session will start at 12.00 noon for an early informal lunch (provided by VDS!) and discussion, finishing at 2pm.
To register for the event, visit: https://r1.dotmailer-surveys.com/a22wqh55-253ynf4e.
Danny Chambers MRCVS had a disappointing night after seeing the Liberal Democrat share of the vote in North Cornwall decrease by 5.8%, leaving him trailing 14,752 votes behind the Conservative candidate Scott Mann who scored 30,671.
Meanwhile Ian Fleming MRCVS, who stood as an independent candidate for the Halesowen and Rowley Regis constituency, got 190 votes. The winning Conservative candidate, James Morris, gained 25,607 votes.
Many people will no doubt feel that the overall Conservative majority of 80 seats is a disastrous result; people who simply cannot bear Boris and fear what he'll do with a majority; people who saw a land of milk and honey and free broadband and publicly-owned railways that run on time and an A&E waiting time of less than 30 seconds and guillotines for the rich, only to have their hopes dashed. They must be gutted.
Equally it can be argued that this is the best possible result for the country. A decisive vote. Now, finally, we can all move on from 3 years of interminable debate about whether we're staying or going or having another referendum or cancelling the whole thing and going down the pub instead. Now the government can concentrate on implementing brexit. Perhaps the country can at last unite around that purpose.
Boris may not prove the disaster that some people think. He's not hard right. Quite the reverse. And having won all those safe Labour seats, he'll have to deliver for them. He has a good sense of humour ("Let's get breakfast done."), but that does not make him a fool or a charlatan. On the contrary, wit requires brainpower. And as for the accusations of being a liar, perhaps people will come to understand that flowery use of language does not itself make someone dishonest. Perhaps people will learn to stop interpreting his words so literally.
Time will tell, but there is cause for optimism this morning. Whichever side of the fence you sit, we must all be glad of one thing ... no more arguing about whether or not we're leaving.
The veterinary group is stumping up more than £100,000 for the initiative, which will enable 20 vets and nurses, and 56 new grads from across the group to work with the Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS) and other overseas animal charities.
The grants are for £1,500 and those taking part will also get up to one week of paid time off work whilst they volunteer.
VetPartners CEO Jo Malone said: “We wanted to support colleagues to have a fantastic experience while improving their skills in a different environment.
"It will give people a chance to use their clinical skills to give back to charities which are doing great work.
“If you’re working in a veterinary practice in Europe, you have support from team members around you and great facilities and equipment compared to the more challenging conditions working for a charity overseas.
"Working in these more challenging environments while they are volunteering will help build resilience, as our team members are unlikely to have experienced anything like this before.
“Charities like the World Veterinary Service are working ethically to help animals that may or may not have ever had veterinary care, and are doing a great job so we are delighted to support them.”