23 May 2023
Long-term funding solutions are critical to ensuring future sustainability in the sector, Malcolm Morley told guests at the dinner in Edinburgh.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Scottish CVO Sheila Voas (centre) alongside Malcolm Morley and BVA officials.
Veterinary education in Scotland is on a financial “precipice” and needs a long-term, sustainable settlement, the BVA president has warned.
Malcolm Morley delivered the stark message as he addressed the association’s annual Scottish dinner in Edinburgh on Tuesday 16 May.
Concerns about education funding have persisted over many years, amid repeated calls for government intervention and unease over the potential consequences of increasing the financial burden on students any further.
But Dr Morley argued the issue was particularly crucial in Scotland to ensure future sustainability and help address workforce challenges, particularly in remote and rural areas.
He said: “Scotland has long been at the forefront of veterinary education and is home to two of the oldest veterinary schools in the UK.
“The exciting development of SRUC’s [Scotland’s Rural College] School of Veterinary Medicine is timely, offering a new model and aiming to increase access to the profession, and encourage graduates to stay in rural areas once qualified – complementing the impressive work already underway in Scotland’s existing vet schools.
“However, more than ever, it’s crucial that the Scottish Funding Council provides the necessary financial support.
“The reality is that current funding per Scottish vet student doesn’t meet the cost of providing this education – and while the vet schools have been increasingly resourceful in implementing innovative models, the future of veterinary education in Scotland sits on a precipice if sustainable long-term funding is not assured.”
Dr Morley urged guests at the event, which was held in the Scottish Parliament building, to back the campaign for reform of the Veterinary Surgeons’ Act, which he described as being in “extra time”, and expressed support for the idea of developing a Scottish Veterinary Service to protect animal welfare, food safety and food production. New proposals are expected to be presented to ministers soon.
He also called for the development of “dynamic, consolidated regulation” to promote a sustainable aquaculture sector, along with veterinary representation on and engagement with key bodies looking at agricultural transition.
Ahead of the dinner, Midlothian-based vet Gareth Hateley was elected as the new president of the BVA’s Scottish branch, succeeding Romain Pizzi.
Mr Hateley, a former BCVA president, has served on the BVA’s Scottish council since 2019.
