CPD Allowance????

RE: CPD Allowance????

jojofruits — Fri, 24 Nov 2017 13:02:02 GMT

I cant remember offhand what I get. But they have never said no, and I've done LOADS of cpd over the last couple of years including off site courses.

I don't think I would enjoy being so undervalued

RE: CPD Allowance????

VetNurse Anon a/c — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 20:09:25 GMT

Thanks to everyone for your comments...

And to answer one of the comments listed above,

YES the vets do get CPD budget, a very good one as well X

RE: CPD Allowance????

enigmaticat-uk — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 17:10:37 GMT

I'm entitled to £200 per year but actually tend to do free webinars as I like to be able to learn at home in my PJs and the ISFM ones are pretty good (I am feline only)! I am planning to ask to lump together a few years worth to maybe do the ISFM cert in the next few years but haven't asked yet!

RE: CPD Allowance????

Meow1950 — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 14:42:21 GMT

Hey. I agree with you that more effort should be made by practices to encourage further veterinary nurse training. In my opiniom qualifying is just the beginning! Unfortunately though my practice doesn't offer a CPD allowance either :( so I will have to self fund.

Another option is a bursary? The BVNA has details of this on their site.

It sounds like you have other frustrations going on in your current practice though?

Good on you for wanting to learn more and progress in your career by the way :)

RE: CPD Allowance????

Josephine — Fri, 10 Nov 2017 14:34:19 GMT

Do the vets get a CPD allowance? How do they fulfil their CPD quota?

We get £500 and the clinic also pays for travel costs - train tickets, petrol etc.

I don't get why CPD courses are so expensive when they know we get paid a pittance!

RE: CPD Allowance????

Nicola Smith — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:53:18 GMT

From the sound of it may be time to look at moving on!!!

RE: CPD Allowance????

VetNurse Anon a/c — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:08:41 GMT

Also we never have appraisals or have had a salary increase!!

RE: CPD Allowance????

VetNurse Anon a/c — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:07:11 GMT

Hi Thanks for your messages.

I have been to them and said no. I work in a 24 hour hospital and this was for the vets now ecc cert so would have thought it would be useful to do it!

We don't get any allowance not even £10 so couldn't use it over few years for expensive courses.

They have the attitude that we don't earn the practice money so why invest in us and our learning, very frustrating when all I want is to feel valued and progress!

RE: CPD Allowance????

steph fursland — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 11:30:25 GMT

If you want to do one of the bigger courses, I would definitely go and have a chat with your employer.

They may be willing to fund the whole thing, especially if you put a business case forward (i.e. If I do the feline diploma, I will be responsible for making the practice cat friendly and I will run a CPD evening for the other staff about cat friendly handling and design posters for the waiting room, etc etc). If you are due a pay rise or appraisal, raise it with them as part of the negotiation - in the grand scheme of things, it is a small amount of money to keep hold of a good nurse (cheaper than a recruitment company's fees if you decide to move)!

If they aren't willing/able to fund the whole thing then it's totally acceptable to negotiate (If it's £1k, if they say, you can use your £200 CPD allowance, ask for it to be increased to £500, and ask for next year's in advance towards the certificate....). If there really is no prospect of them paying it, they may be willing to pay upfront and deduct it from your salary over a few months (this means they can claim back the VAT so the course is 20% cheaper, and you don't pay income tax on your payments).

RE: CPD Allowance????

bumble bee — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 10:56:19 GMT

We get £500 and 3 days but if pick something more expensive say ISFM dip and benefits practice then will be assessed on a if money available basis.

RE: CPD Allowance????

Robyn — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 08:53:47 GMT

No funding, but if there's a course that would 'benefit the practice' then I can discuss it with the PM and see about getting some/all of the funding for it.

Our locum at the weekend was telling me about VetTrust though - it's essentially a CPD funding 'charity' for those of us without any budget, perhaps in smaller practices. Well worth a look if there's something you're super keen on, apparently they haven't had many applications this last year!

RE: CPD Allowance????

VetNurse Anon a/c — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 14:08:11 GMT

Hannah can I come and work at your practice lol

The most when looking for work I have seen in terms of a CPD budget is £500 and thats if your lucky. The average tends to be £300 but the cost of these courses are so expensive it just doesnt cut it!!!! However it is a start and better than nothing like I have now!!!!

My practice invests so much in their vets, its a shame they dont for their dedicated Registered Veterinary Nurses.

My CPD record is full of free webinars as thats the only way I can get my CPD in, I have over 45 hours so I never have an issue getting my CPD and no where to look, however I want to progress and do a post grad accredited certificate and diploma so webinars just dont cut it anymore and becoming frustrated.

RE: CPD Allowance????

Sal the 1st — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 09:55:06 GMT

no cpd budget either and rely on free cpd or self fund - still possible to get cpd in but you have to look a little harder to find what might be of use. Haven't cost the practice a bean since 2010 when I started

RE: CPD Allowance????

Hannah25uk — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 09:30:23 GMT

Where I work now, full time nurses get £1000 per year/upto 5 days cpd. Part time nurses get £200 for 1 day a week, £400 for 2 days a week and so on.

RE: CPD Allowance????

Heather Bacon — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 07:20:36 GMT

In all my jobs cpd budget for nurses has been £500 each and could spend about 3 days per year going to an external cpd. I am doing the vets now certificate but have a payment plan in place to pay for the remainder.

RE: CPD Allowance????

apache — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 00:48:32 GMT

Our contracts offer £1000 to vets and £400 to nurses per year (not because we value you less, but because you are required to do 15 versus 35 hours for vets - it's in proportion). We've never yet said no to a reasonable request, with some people having more than double the official budget if it's in theirs and the practices interests.

Have you ever tried putting a business case to the practice?

(We've spent £500+ on cpd and extra resources for our SVN this year, and according to her contract she gets nothing)