6 Feb 2024
SPVS Congress told 3,000 vets registered as non-practising with RCVS and encouraging them back to clinical work key to addressing retention and recruitment challenges.
Paul Imrie
Job Title
Malcolm Morley. Image © BVA
A new support programme is being developed to help veterinary professionals and practices overcome the challenges of returning to clinical work after a career break.
The plan was revealed during a presentation to the annual SPVS Congress in Birmingham, with full details expected to be released by the BVA in the coming weeks.
Delegates were told that around 3,000 vets are registered as non-practising with the RCVS and encouraging them back into clinical work is seen as a key means of addressing the sector’s retention and recruitment challenges.
BVA senior vice-president Malcolm Morley said: “One way we can mitigate this is by fostering workplace cultures capable of supporting and retaining experienced veterinary professionals returning to work.
“Whether they’ve been away for an extended period or a shorter career break, returning vets always bring fresh perspectives and valuable contributions.
“We’ll be launching a range of resources to support our members who are looking to return and their potential employers.”
Earlier, during his congress presentation on 25 January, Dr Morley urged delegates to make their own practices a “beacon” for flexible working, reminding them of former BEVA president Huw Griffiths’ comment at its 2022 congress that the “work should fit the workforce” rather than the other way round.
He said it was vital to keep in contact with staff while they were away from practice and to understand what their non-negotiables are before they return.
He said: “These people will have a different outlook on life. They’re not going to be the same people.”
But he also warned it was necessary to involve the wider practice team in flexible working discussions to ensure that arrangements for returning members of staff do not negatively impact on other colleagues.
The new BVA support package is expected to include advice for both employees, managers and employers, along with case studies and a webinar discussion – the latter of which will also be made available to non-association members.
Data from the BVA’s own Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey last year, which was highlighted during the same SPVS Congress session, found that one in four respondents felt they had received either limited support or none at all when they returned to work.
But, while she felt low initial expectations could explain why the figure wasn’t higher, Norfolk-based vet Lizzie Bewsey-Dyke argued those returning to practice can now negotiate the kind of arrangements that work best for them. She said: “This is a time of change and times have changed.”
Dr Bewsey-Dyke’s own practice is part of the XL Vets network, which has now established a returners’ community to support clinicians returning to practice with issues such as CPD.
She also reminded attendees that reasons for taking a career break can vary widely – from family and caring responsibilities to changes in clinical focus.
