‘Veterinary Evolution Council’ formed to tackle workplace challenges

An advisory group of senior veterinary professionals has been formed to help shape the future of the profession.

Comprised of seven senior professionals, the Veterinary Evolution Council has been assembled by Agilio Software’s veterinary division, which provides practice management software to clinics across the UK.

Said to be the first advisory group of its kind, its goal is to improve team well-being and practice culture and find more sustainable ways of working across the veterinary profession.

Members

Chaired by Agilio Veterinary’s managing director Emma Barnes, its members include VMG president Rebecca Robinson, XLVets chief executive Kerrie Hedley, former Linnaeus chief nursing officer Andrea Jeffery, Vetpreneur co-founder Tracey Morley Jewkes, Veterinary IT Services chief executive Jack Peploe and RCVS-recognised oncology specialist and North Downs Specialist Referrals hospital director Gerry Polton.

The group will seek to use its range of perspectives to identify practical changes that help practices build a more resilient working culture, producing a position statement, commentary and practical resources, including guidance on veterinary nurse retention and an open-access resilience guide for practices.

It will meet four times a year for an initial 12-month term, three virtually and once in-person at the London Vet Show in November.

Understand challenges

Mrs Barnes said: “Every one of these six people has spent their career on the ground, either running a practice, supporting a team or caring for animals, and they all understand the real challenges being faced, both on the frontline and in leadership.

“I wanted this council to be made up of people who could speak honestly about that, who could bring together a breadth of experience to focus on exactly what needs to improve for the well-being of veterinary teams, and how to get there.

“I’m honoured to be working alongside them, and I hope what we build together over the next year gives the profession something useful to hold onto for the future.”