Vetlife contacts hit record high

Requests for assistance from a leading veterinary charity’s helpline hit a new record high last year after exceeding 4,000 for the first time.

Newly released Vetlife data showed the service received a total of 4,042 contacts in 2023 – an increase of more than 15% on the 3,503 recorded in 2022.

The charity has also revealed that it facilitated nearly 200 referrals to mental health care services and provided tens of thousands of pounds in financial help.

Although officials said contact levels have now plateaued, the release of the figures was accompanied by a fresh plea for the wider sector to support its work, plus an invitation to would-be volunteers to get involved.

‘Belongs to all’

Trustee Danny Chambers said: “Within the veterinary community, there is a profound sense that Vetlife belongs to all of us.

“With [more than] 4,000 of our friends and colleagues reaching out for support within just 12 months, we urgently need your assistance to ensure this invaluable service continues.

“By becoming a ‘Friend of Vetlife’ with a monthly contribution from just £2.10 – less than the cost of a cup of coffee – you provide us with a steady, predictable income, enabling us to plan and deliver long-term, consistent support to our veterinary community.”

The 2023 total, which equates to an average of 11 contacts per day, exceeds the previous peak recorded in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by around 3% or 121 individual cases.

Although figures released last summer showed there had been a 51% jump in contacts during the first quarter of 2023, the increase during the rest of the year was much steadier at around 6.5%.

Increased remit

While the charity said it was unable to share figures for the numbers within specific roles who had sought support on confidentiality grounds, its remit has increased substantially in recent times, following the decisions to allow both full membership for veterinary nurses in 2022 and associate membership for non-clinical staff last year.

A total of 198 referrals to mental health services were facilitated through Vetlife’s Health Support programme in 2023, while more than £100,000 was paid out in financial hardship assistance to vets, veterinary nurses and their dependants.

The group had previously warned that its annual expenditure was likely to exceed £1 million for the first time during 2023.

‘Hugely grateful’

Vetlife president James Russell said: “I am hugely grateful to the awesome team of trained volunteers, drawn from our professions, who ensure that every contact to Vetlife receives a timely and individual response.

“It is reassuring for me to know that we are providing a listening ear to so many people who need our service.

“As the demand on Vetlife Helpline increases, so does the imperative to train more volunteers, and to ensure that more complex needs of callers are being understood and met.

“This, together with the Health Support service, and our Financial Support service comes at a cost to our charity, and I am delighted that we are undertaking fundraising in a more professional manner than ever.”

The charity is recruiting area representative volunteers for London, the south-east and Northern Ireland respectively, while anyone who is interested in becoming a helpline volunteer is being invited to apply online via www.vetlife.org.uk/volunteer

More information about becoming a friend of the charity can also be found via www.vetlife.org.uk/membership