RCVS president warns veterinary career reform is vital

Veterinary career pathways must become more flexible to help a greater proportion of clinicians to pursue their ambitions, the RCVS president has warned.

Professionals are being urged to help shape the new project, with a fresh phase of consultations due to begin early next month.

But Sue Paterson told BSAVA Congress delegates in Manchester that initial focus groups had highlighted significant “inequalities” in access, which she argued highlighted the need for reform amid the sector’s enduring workforce pressures.

She said: “We’re losing a huge amount of talent because we don’t have a flexible pathway. That’s what we’re trying to secure if we can.”

Accessible routes

The project, which was given the go-ahead by the college’s council in November, contains work streams on accessible routes to specialist training, the development of a specialist training programme for primary care and clearer guidance on career statuses.

Dr Paterson said preliminary focus groups had revealed feelings of boredom for many staff who felt they had hit a professional “brick wall”, while there was also confusion about the current advanced practitioner role among both professionals and the wider public.

The session also heard concerns had been raised about “massive inequality” among specialists, too, with a perception that the holders of surgical qualifications were paid more than others.

Ambitious

Dr Paterson acknowledged the plan, which is due to be developed over the next two years, was “hugely ambitious” and needed professionals’ input to shape it.

She said: “What does that look like? We really don’t know. The more information we get, the more valuable that’s going to be.”

Registration is now open for the first focus group session within the specialist GP training stream, which will take place at the Woburn House Conference Centre in London on 3 May.

In a statement issued following the congress presentation, college director of education Linda Prescott-Clements said the session would consider the need for specialist training, potential benefits and challenges, as well as appropriate content and learning environments.

Good mix

She added: “We are very keen to have a good mix of people including those working in independent veterinary practices as well as corporate environments, those working in general practice, advanced practitioners, specialists and those who work in the education sector.

“The focus will be on interactivity, finding solutions and building engagement – we want all voices to be heard and all ideas to be shared.”

A further stakeholder event is scheduled to take place in Edinburgh on 20 June, with other sessions across the three workstreams to follow during 2024 and 2025.

‘Exciting’

Postgraduate education lead Jenny Soreskog-Turp told congress attendees that the development of new primary care training programmes was “a huge piece of work, but very exciting”, adding that many people had already expressed an interest in getting involved. But she also stressed: “Nothing is set in stone at the moment. We want to take the feedback from the professions.”

Delegates also heard that the college would be looking to draw lessons from some of its European counterparts that are already considering issues surrounding career titles and from other professions on training flexibility.

A series of interviews on the latter topic is expected to get underway soon, with a report set to follow later in the year.

Anyone interested in taking part in the May focus group can register online or email [email protected] for further details.