Vet Times

Tag: RCVS

  • Disillusionment

    Disillusionment

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    “Have we had the suicide talk?” I was 16 or 17, seeing practice at my local vets’, as I did every Thursday evening. One of the vets would often fill gaps in consults by grilling me on the ins and outs of the profession, but this topic had not been covered before. When I blinked…

  • Lack of diversity in the veterinary profession is everyone’s problem

    Lack of diversity in the veterinary profession is everyone’s problem

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    It is heartening to see the need for diversity in the profession getting some airtime and column inches of late. Discussion of the issue is long overdue, but has this led to progress? Let’s be frank. Look around you – in your vet school class, your workplace, your boardroom and your practice. I’m going to…

  • Jigsaw identification: don’t be puzzled

    Jigsaw identification: don’t be puzzled

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    Sharing case details with colleagues has been a long-recognised method to help with a diagnosis or improve treatment regimes. The joy of the internet now is we can share photos and videos, as well as clinical history, within seconds – and get as quick a response. What’s not to like? Well, even when sharing information…

  • Five-year plans

    Five-year plans

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    I like planning and being organised, and I used to always have a five-year plan. Back surgery and life in general has got in the way of that recently, but I still think having a five-year plan is a good motivator. I started thinking about this because of discussions around the training of vet nurses,…

  • Get ready for the grads

    Get ready for the grads

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    It’s that time of year again – with vet school graduations done and dusted, new graduate vets up and down the country will be embarking on their first steps into the world of veterinary. The first few weeks are crucial for both the new grads and the practices employing them – this time frame can…

  • Getting my ducks in a row: VN council and beyond

    Getting my ducks in a row: VN council and beyond

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    This is going to be an odd blog to write, so hold on… It’s nearly the end of April and, in just a couple of days, voting for the 2019 RCVS VN council is set to close. However, for only the second time anyone can remember, two spaces are available on council, with only two…

  • Copyright: who owns what and where?

    Copyright: who owns what and where?

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    We hear often about the difficulties of establishing ownership of a pet – is a vets record and a microchip enough to say “this is mine”? The law in this area requires multiple ways to prove ownership, but it is a lot simpler with research, writing and images – the creator is the owner. No…

  • OOH providers: a godsend or a nightmare?

    OOH providers: a godsend or a nightmare?

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    Many small animal practices use external out-of-hours (OOH) providers. This can work in a number of ways, and carries advantages and disadvantages for both the clients and staff. On the whole, using an OOH provider is considered better for staff as it eliminates the need to be on call – particularly good if the thought…

  • This one’s for the vets… #PlanVetRVN

    This one’s for the vets… #PlanVetRVN

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    I’m sorry if it looks like November is Schedule 3 (SIII) month for my blog, but I’ve had both posts brewing for some time and other more timely blogs have always taken precedence… but here they are. The results of the RCVS survey on SIII showed many vets aren’t sure what SIII means, which makes…

  • Leadership or management?

    Leadership or management?

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    You may have seen the call from the RCVS for participants to pilot its new leadership and management course, and may have wondered if you should do it. If you’re not a “manager” are you really a leader? Would it benefit you? I had many of the same thoughts as you when I saw the…