My views

I am standing for RCVS council in 2024. I believe that the RCVS needs to refocus on its key roles in ensuring standards of veterinary care and less about create rules that don't address a current need.  

The RCVS have created 'red-tape' without an evidence base and need to go a long way to meet their ambition of being considered a compassionate regulator.

The delivery of the 'under-care' guidance was a shambles and has caused more confusion and concern without creating any practical control over telemedicine provision within the UK. 

The RCVS need mechanisms that control the vanity projects of committee chairs and presidents who want to leave a legacy behind. Consultations are designed to limit engagement and create the answers that support their supporters. The solution is to enforce a process of regulatory impact assessments on any change in regulation or guidance. This should independently assess the impact of change on practioners on business and on animal welfare. 

The creation of structured career pathways is an essential part of the retention puzzle. There are currently discipline specific pathways to advanced practioner and specialist status available to the profession. 

The creation of pathways beyond the middle tier in general practice is notably absent and therefore the development of primary care specialisms is a postive step. However, specialisation is tough. Its definitions compare it to a level 8 qualification, similar to a PhD. Models exist in other countries that could be considered useful in developing a UK approach however:

 These are often available in countries without a middle tier, and are not equivelent in training, skills or outcomes compared to existing UK specialisms

OR

The retain a model of residency training comparable to EBVS specialisms that are unachievable to the majority.

My experience of specialist training across all disciplines across Europe gives me the ability to input into this process and ensure the college develops a respected and meaningful specialism in primary care. Without that, there will be confusion in the profession and the public, or worse the perception that primary care specialisation is inferior. An outcomes that helps no-one

I have many years of experience representing and serving the profession at a variety of levels. I have the skills to negotiate change and standing up for what I believe is right.

CURRENT ROLES 

Director of Education, European Board of Veterinary Specialisation

Member, Veterinary Advisory Commitee, Horserace Betting Levy Board

Chair, HBLB Codes of Conduct Committee

Member, Veterinary Products Committee, Veterinary Medicines Directorate

Trustee, British College of Veterinary Specialists / Veterinary Specialist Association

Member, CANTER working group, VMD Parasite Working Group

PAST ROLES

President and Trustee, British Equine Veterinary Association

Trustee, The Horse Trust

Trustee, Federation of European Equine Veterinary Associations

The profession is drowning and people are leaving clinical practice. The RCVS need to take urgent steps to make the UK a more attractive place for non UK graduates to work, by improving recruitment we CAN help the workloads of those already in practice. 

The RCVS CAN use the rules of temporary registration without the additional language qualifications required currently to work in the UK. This could allow European colleagues to continue to come to the UK and work along side us in a variety of settings. They already do this for those working in the food industry.

1 - New graduates undertaking the vetGDP could have an English language assessment at the end of this phase of their career

2 - Vets undertaking internships, that do not have client facing roles could undertake these training posts since their employer would take responsibility for their actions

3 - Vets undertaking whole residencies, or short-term placements to allow them to complete their residency in their home countries

RETENTION

 The workforce issues are as much about retention as they are about recruitment. Sadly, the compassion the profession shares for animals is not always shared to colleagues and toxic work-cultures exist that drive people from the profession. Sadly staff are bullied from their roles and fear reprisals from making complaints to the regulator. Worse still employers hide wrong doing with the use of confidentiality (non-disclosure) agrements. 

The healthcare sector are moving to banning non-disclosure agreements because they cover up wrong doing compromise, patient safety and facilitate bullying. The RCVS have the power within the Code of Conduct to prevent any Veterinary Surgeon from stopping others from flagging wrong going by banning gagging clauses related to poor conduct of its members. If we want to retain vets and nurses in the profession, the RCVS must act against bullying at all levels. 

The RCVS is developing plans for the development of a new veterinary surgeons act that will fundementally change the way we work. 

However, they are missing the opportunity to facilitate a revolution in veterinary education that will enable us to attract those from different backgrounds. Assuming the next VSA will cover 60 years, it is essential to have council members that anticipate change and ensure that positive change is possible.

The latest educational standards have allowed Universities to reduce the number of weeks of clinical EMS by growing exposure in mock veterinary settings of veterinary skills centres and even mock practices to provide simulated first opinion exposure.

Teaching models, and the concept of 'never first on a live animal' are admirable - when they are delivered before final year.  However when graduates have only ever performed procedures on models, their universities are failing them and the entire profession.

We need a new Veterinary Surgeons Act that lays the ground for limited licensure, at a time when the profession is ready. Limited licensure could address the workforce crises while also reducing the pressure on EMS in minority disciplines. This is an unpopular concept for many of us who trained in all species. However the Universities are investing in resources to train individuals in skills they will never need. The taxpayer is funding this. Limited licensure is unlikley to be something I see during my working life. But we need to be prepared for it and create the legal frameworks NOW, rather than using the law as an excuse not to innovatge. 

The RCVS is making a grab for more power in a new Veterinary Surgeons Act. They are looking to enforcing business regulation on the profession through compulsion to sign up to the Practice Standards Scheme.

As a practioner and limited service provider, I know the Practice Standards Scheme is not fit for purpose in addressing the entire scope of businesses within the UK. The profession needs a voice from the outside who will stand up for different business models. 

The CMA are going to make far-reaching conclusions about the lack of transparency in the veterinary profession. The RCVS have facilitated the misinformation to the public on its register of practices (find a vet). The college has enabled past business owners to decieve the public about who owns a business. They have NOT taken action to ensure the business owner is listed on the register. They have also allowed past business directors or partners to continue promoting themselves on the register of practices after sale to a corporate. The college have failed to properly use the powers it already has to create transparency to the public. In one corporate, you would be hard pressed to find that anywhere on a business website, all something the college could have addressed years ago under the existing legislation using the code of conduct.

Accountability is a feature of elected representation. The concept of changing to an appointed concil should be resisted at all costs. Council members may not held the college to account on many projects, from the IT disasters of the past, to the waste of money on a new building in central London. However this does not mean we should remove elections. A council appointed by the exective is a council that avoids diverse ideas and therefore never considers new ideas. Moving to an appointed council will remove any obligations to consider the needs of the profession and will result in a free for all in terms of retention fees. I will vote against this at every step and be vocal about the benefits of elections to the principles by which council operates.