Author Archives: Leanne Egland

RCVS sending annual renewal for veterinary surgeons by email

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) will be sending the annual renewal notice for veterinary surgeons by email and is asking members of the profession to make sure their details are up-to-date beforehand.

In previous years the RCVS have sent renewal notices to veterinary surgeons by post, however, from now on key communications about renewing registrations will be made by email, except where the College does not hold an email address for an individual.

Nicola South, Customer Experience Manager and Head of Registration at the RCVS says: ‘The move towards electronic communications has been requested by the profession for some time and is also more environmentally friendly for the College.

As with previous years, veterinary surgeons should use the online My Account login area to pay their annual renewal fee and make declarations from 15th February onwards, and will still be accepting BACS transfers, cheques and pre-arranged Direct Debits.’

Any member of the profession who wish to continue to receive the annual renewal notice by post should contact the RCVS Registration Department before Monday 1st February on 020 7202 0707 or registration@rcvs.org.uk

Veterinary surgeons who wish to set up a Direct Debit can download a mandate form here. This will need to be sent to the RCVS Finance Department by Friday 22nd January.

Golden Jubilee Award for veterinary nurses relaunched for 2016

The relaunch comes after Veterinary Nurses Council agreed some significant changes to the award process and criteria at its October 2015 meeting. This included restricting the award to veterinary nurses only and making the award criteria more focused on leadership.

Liz Cox, Chair of VN Council, explained: ‘We agreed changes to this award in order to both encourage more nominations and to ensure that those who are nominated are people who are pushing forward the profession, whether that be clinically, politically or in terms of raising public awareness of what we do.

‘Nominees for the award must be people who are proactive and passionate in campaigning on behalf of the profession and who are taking on an ambassadorial role for it- for example, speaking about current issues and initiatives at congress, events or with local or national media.

‘The award was founded in 2011 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our first training course for veterinary nurses and its first winner was Jean Turner, a member of the profession since 1971. Subsequent winners have been Sue Badger (2012), Hayley Walters (2014) and Dot Creighton this year.

Speaking about leadership roles within the profession, Dot Creighton added: ‘We are in a great position to identify those natural leaders who are clearly motivational and not only feel passionate about their own career and work, but also of their whole profession. It is these veterinary nurses that need to be supported and encouraged to consider the wider positive impact they can have on the whole profession.

‘Although nominations must be veterinary nurses, the primary nominator can be either a veterinary surgeon or veterinary nurse and the two supporting nominators can be laypeople.’

The deadline for returning nomination forms is Friday 29th January 2016 and nominations will be judged by a panel comprising of members of VN Council.

The award will be made at RCVS Day – their Annual General Meeting and Awards Day in July 2016. The winner will also be given a speaking opportunity at that year’s BVNA Congress in October.

Nomination forms, which include further details about the criteria and other requirements, are available to download.

Call for Candidates: RCVS and VN 2016 Council elections

Nominations are now invited from all veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who are eligible to stand for RCVS and VN Council. Six seats will be contested for RCVS Council while two places are available on VN Council. Successful candidates are expected to serve four-year terms and will take up their places at RCVS Day in July 2016.

Candidates for either Council will need to complete a nomination form, submit a short biography and personal statement and supply a high resolution digital photo. Each candidate will also need to have two nominators. For RCVS Council candidates, these should be veterinary surgeons who are on the RCVS Register but are not current RCVS Council members; for VN Council candidates, the nominators must be registered veterinary nurses who are not currently on VN Council.

Gordon Hockey, RCVS Registrar says: ‘We are looking for committed and motivated veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses who are dedicated to their respective professions and who, through the Councils and their various committees and sub-committees, wish to have direct input in decisions relating to how the College sets and advances standards of education and professional conduct.

The election period will start around mid-March and run until 5pm on Friday 29th April 2016. Nomination forms, guidance notes and frequently asked questions for RCVS Council and VN Council are available.

Prospective candidates for either Councils are also invited to a ‘Meet the RCVS Day’ at their offices in Belgravia House on Tuesday 15 December 2015, where you will have the opportunity to find out more about the role of the College and RCVS and VN Councils.

Hip-hip-hooray celebrations at London Vet Show

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Kennel Club joined together for a celebration at the London Vet Show on 19th November to mark 50 years since the launch of the scheme to screen for hip dysplasia in dogs.

BVA President Sean Wensley said: ‘Hundreds of thousands of dogs have benefited from the scheme, which helps breeders identify those dogs with the healthiest hips so that the best possible choices can be made as part of a responsible breeding programme.’

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said ‘In the fifty years since its development, many responsible breeders have utilised the scheme to screen for hip dysplasia in dogs, which has had a tremendously positive effect on dog health overall. The Scheme allows breeders to make responsible breeding choices, which will go a long way to protecting and maintaining dog health in years to come, and the Kennel Club and BVA are both proud of what the scheme has so far achieved.’

The Hip Dysplasia Scheme was the first of four Canine Health Schemes, now operated by BVA and the KC, these include health schemes for hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, inherited eye diseases and chiari-malformation/syringomyelia.

Celebrations were held at the Kennel Club stand and included celebratory words from BVA President Sean Wensley, treats and a ‘hip-hip-hooray’ for the Canine Health Schemes from everyone present.

BVA and KC celebrate 50 years since the launch of the Hip Dysplasia Scheme at the London Vet Show 2015

Mind Matters Initiative trials mental health awareness courses

Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) is trialing a series of mental health awareness courses for members of the veterinary practice team. It aims to make a real different to those in the veterinary team struggling with mental health issues.

The training aims to help individuals better understand the signs and symptoms of mental ill-health and know how to communicate with people they are concerned about. The courses provide basic information about how to manage important first conversations, understand how to point people to relevant sources of professional help, and tips on stress management and staying well.

‘The courses are open to all members of the veterinary practice team, or veterinary surgeons or nurses working in other environments’ explains Lizzie Lockett, MMI Project Director.

‘We would ideally like two people from each participating workplace to attend, with one being a senior person within the organisation, as we wish to ensure that those attending are able to cascade information across the organisation effectively when they return, and are well supported themselves. However, it’s appreciated that in some practices this may not be possible, so it should not be seen as a barrier to attending.’

For more information and to reserve your place, please visit www.rcvs.org.uk/mindmattersevents

DEFRA launches consultation on RCVS governance reform

DEFRA has launched a consultation on reforming the governance arrangements of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). This follows a period of discussion between DEFRA and the RCVS on how the College might best modernise its Council.

Consultation of the College’s governance began in 2009, with a formal consultation of the profession and a series of recommendations to Council made by the RCVS Veterinary Legislation Group.

Any reform should meet the unique requirements of the RCVS as a Royal College that regulates and the criteria already agreed by the College: Council’s decision-making role would be strengthened, for instance, by increasing the number of Council meetings per year. This would reduce or remove the need for a separate Operational Board in order that the CEO reports directly to Council. The reforms would follow the government’s five principles of better regulation, by being proportionate, consistent, accountable, transparent and targeted.

Discussions with DEFRA revealed an appetite for reforming RCVS governance. In light of this the College is determined to take the lead on proposing how such reforms might work, and from March 2015 worked with DEFRA to develop the consultation document.

The published consultation gives the public and profession the opportunity to have their say on what reforms would best prepare the College for the future. It discusses the appropriate size and composition of Council, including the proportion of elected members, how veterinary schools should be represented, increasing lay membership, and ensuring appropriate veterinary nurse representation. It also examines how flexibility can be built into the reforms in case of future changes, such as the possibility of new categories of associate.

RCVS President Bradley Viner said ‘I am delighted that DEFRA is consulting on RCVS governance and the minister has the full backing of RCVS Council in so doing. This consultation is an opportunity to hear the voice of the profession and the public about an appropriate structure and oversight of the RCVS, reflecting the uniqueness of being a Royal College that regulates. Consulting on this important issue is in keeping with our desire to become first rate in what we do, building on other measures to modernise and improve the workings of the College.’

Remember, remember to prepare your pet for 5th November!

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is encouraging pet owners to start preparing pets now to prevent possible upset from fireworks, as dogs, cats and other pets are often particularly sensitive to noise causing the time around 5th November to be traumatic and distressing for many.

Some pets show obvious signs of stress, such as panting, drooling and attempts to escape, but there are also more subtle signs that owners should be aware of including restlessness. Cats often hide while rabbits may keep very still and thump the ground with their back feet.

Five top tips for 5th November

1. Prepare a den for your pet around two weeks before bonfire night and give them praise when they are relaxed there, so they come to view it as a safe retreat.
2. Use pheromone products next to the den and around the home. These are scents that we can’t smell but reduce a pet’s stress.
3. Provide background noise and close curtains and windows on nights when fireworks are expected.
4. Remain calm yourself. Never punish your pet.
5. Move small pets, such as rabbits and guinea pigs, to a quiet place indoors when fireworks are expected, and give lots of bedding to mask the sounds.

If your pet is severely distressed by fireworks or other noises, BVA encourages pet owners to visit their vet to discuss treatment options. Firework phobia can be effectively treated with behaviour-modification techniques, which can achieve long-term success with professional input and owner commitment and patience.

Sean Wensley, President of BVA, said: ‘Bonfire night is a fun time for adults and children, but many animals are extremely frightened of the loud noises and flashes that accompany fireworks. It’s important that owners recognise the signs of stress and follow professional advice on how to reduce them. Owners often ask vets for help in the days around bonfire night; there is good advice that we can give at this time, but there is even more than can be done to help pets if some measures were taken sooner. So we would encourage pet owners to visit their veterinary practice as soon as possible.’

Annual Renewal Fee For Veterinary Nurses Now Due

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has contacted all registered veterinary nurses to remind them that their annual renewal fee for 2015-16 is due for payment by 1 November. The annual renewal fee is £61, and if a veterinary nurse does not pay the fee by the end of the year they will be removed from the Register.

All veterinary nurses also need to confirm their Register details, confirm their compliance with the RCVS continuing professional development requirement of 45 hours over a three-year period and declare any convictions, cautions and/or adverse findings.

Around 3,500 veterinary nurses have been contacted by post because RCVS does not hold a valid email address for them.

Nicola South, Customer Experience Manager and Head of Registration at the RCVS, says: “This year we decided to act on the feedback received from members in previous years that they would rather receive their annual renewal notice and other correspondence by email, which is more environmentally friendly.

We would also encourage any veterinary nurses who have received the annual renewal fee form by post to share their personal email address with us so that we can contact them by this method in the future.”

Payment by debit or credit card can be made online via the ‘My Account’ area of the RCVS website.

Vet Futures: ‘Where are all the veterinary nurses?’

Veterinary Surgeon and Veterinary Nursing lecturer, Laura Kidd has written a blog for the joint Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and British Veterinary Association (BVA) Vet Futures project, addressing how we can increase the number of veterinary nurses entering and staying within the profession.

In the blog, Laura argues that, despite year-on-year increases in the number of veterinary demand and that, furthermore, there is a trend towards people leaving the profession relatively early, with the average age being just over 30. Poor pay, stress, not feeling rewarded or valued and perceived lack of career progression all contribute to people leaving the professions, although she welcomed initiatives from the BVNA, BVA, RCVS and others to increase the status of the profession, create more diverse career opportunities and improve the profession’s mental well-being.

Laura suggests that training more veterinary nurses will be the key to increasing the number of qualified members of the profession in the immediate future. In order to do this she believes that more practices need to be supported to become RCVS approved Training Practices offering clinical training and work experience for student veterinary nurses and that an alternative training pathway for veterinary nurses may need to be looked at.

She adds: ‘The entry requirements for the VN Diploma are relatively low, yet the qualification is academically demanding, the volume and depth of knowledge is considerable for the level and qualification and the requirements to demonstrate critical reflection through academic writing can be challenging.’

In response to her proposal, this month’s poll will ask visitors ‘Is there a need for another VN training option?’ To read the blog, leave a comment and take part in the poll, visit www.vetfutures.org.uk/discuss

Online petition launched to protect the title ‘veterinary nurse’

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), the regulatory body for veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in the UK, has launched an online petition calling on parliament to protect the title ‘veterinary nurse’ in law.

It asks for a change in law to protect animal welfare by ensuring that only those individuals who hold relevant qualifications and are on the RCVS Register of Veterinary Nurses may call themselves ‘veterinary nurse.’ Currently, anyone may call themselves a veterinary nurse, even if they have no qualifications or experience and are not registered.

Liz Cox, the Chair of VN Council, said “We believe that the fact that anybody can call themselves a veterinary nurse is unacceptable. It means that there is potential for the public to be misled and for animal health and welfare to be compromised. Therefore we would urge veterinary nurses, veterinary surgeons and animal owners to sign this petition. With 10,000 signatures the Government is obliged to respond formally and take a stance on the issue, with 100,000 signatures the issue would be considered for a formal parliamentary debate.”

Those who with to sign the petition can do so on the UK Government and Parliament Petition website. The deadline for the petition is 14th February 2016.