18 Sept 2017
Veterinary personnel in Northern Ireland are to benefit from a confidential service staffed by specially trained colleagues at a local level.
David Woodmansey
Job Title
Des Thompson OBE, the driving force behind the new Vet Support NI initiative.
A specialist service to provide mental health and well-being support for the veterinary community in Northern Ireland has been launched.
Vet Support NI is a confidential service created to support vets, veterinary nurses and other support staff, delivered by local members of the veterinary community specifically trained to provide a safe, empathetic, non-judgemental and confidential service.
The service was founded by Vet NI, an umbrella organisation representing veterinary organisations in Northern Ireland, with funding support from the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative (MMI).
Vet NI’s Des Thompson OBE, the force behind the project, said: “This is a service for any member of the veterinary community who is feeling stressed or suffering from any form of mental ill-health or poor well-being, and complements already existing services, such as the Vetlife Helpline.
“The motto behind the service is listening, supporting and signposting. For example, our team can help people manage their stress or anxiety, teach calming techniques and coping mechanisms, provide advice on supporting colleagues and refer people if they need additional or more complex support and advice.”
Mr Thompson added: “The advantage of the service is it is local and service users will be communicating with named team members who are vets and vet nurses from their community. However, all matters will be strictly confidential.”
MMI director Lizzie Lockett said: “For many people, it is important their support comes from the local community, from people who may better understand the pressures they are under and the problems they are facing. We will be watching the progress of the service with interest to see if it might be rolled out in other communities within the UK.”
