10 Sept 2021
Study of 475 veterinary professionals by VetSurgeon.org finds 64.8% of cases could have been done in normal working hours, and 6.9% were general inquiries and clearly not an emergency.
Joshua Silverwood
Job Title
Image © Maria Sbytova / Adobe Stock
Fresh data from almost 500 vets and VNs has found that more than 70% of calls made to vets out-of-hours are unnecessary.
The study, conducted by VetSurgeon.org and VetNurse.co.uk, surveyed 475 vets and vet nurses, asking them to recall the last OOH call they had come across and if emergency care was necessary.
Calls were broken down into three separate groups: issues that definitely needed emergency care, issues that could wait for an in-hours practice and those that were clearly not issues at all.
The study found that 64.8% were about a condition which should have been seen in normal working hours.
It also found that 6.9% were about something that was clearly not an emergency, ranging from calls about vaccinations to pet passports and nail clippings.
Only 28.2% of calls were genuine emergencies, meaning 71.7% of calls were unnecessary.
The statistics come after RCVS had, in May, launched the second stage of a major review of its guidance around the definition of “under care” and the provision of 24/7 emergency cover, with a survey that seeks the views and feedback of vets and vet nurses.
A spokesman for the RCVS said: “Later this year we will be conducting a full public consultation as part of our ‘under care’ and OOH guidance review, and we would welcome the submission of the findings of this survey, along with any other comments and evidence, as part of that process.”
Richard Casey, president of the VMG, said that with veterinary professionals already suffering from their own “burndemic”, unnecessary OOH calls come at a pressure point for veterinary practices as staffing levels are lower and client emotions run higher.
Mr Casey said: “It’s important to understand why clients are requesting treatment OOH and prepare an action plan to deal with it. Frequent early evening calls, for instance, could suggest that some simply don’t understand the protocol. Good communication is key, so publicise your OOH service well, through client mailings, your website or newsletter.
“Make sure you set out clearly what level of service they should expect OOH. You could also signpost alternatives – 24/7 video consult service providers could support some anxious owners without cannibalising your client base.
“Automate triage tools and decision trees on your website can also be helpful. They are inexpensive for the practice and help clients assess the urgency of the situation before reaching for the phone. And, when you do get calls OOH, answer the phone ‘ABC Vets Emergency Service’ as this helps to draw parallels for clients between their GP surgery and A&E.”
“It’s likely that this problem is with us to stay as we’re increasingly living in an ‘always-on world’. Managing it successfully is essential for your team’s work-life balance and also for client retention as, if their expectations are changing and you are not keeping up, they will eventually look elsewhere.”
Director of professional standards at Vets Now Laura Playforth believes that while many OOH calls may not be emergencies, it is vital clients can speak to a clinician day or night – no matter how serious the situation proves to be.
Dr Playforth added: “The vast majority of pets will experience some type of emergency situation over the course of their lifetime. Worried clients also exist, and they might simply be looking for advice, support and reassurance on what to do with their pets. It’s vital that we as a veterinary profession are there for pets and their owners when they need us.
“Every time we take a call, it represents a worried owner. And the solution to this is to have processes to manage the client contact to ensure they receive the appropriate support and advice. This does not all have to be delivered directly by clinical teams.
“Our contact centre takes a huge number of calls – close to a million every year – from worried owners, and a significant number of these do not need to be seen in clinic.
“The purpose of our contact centre and our Video Vets Now service, which is the first point of contact for worried pet owners when they need us, is to help triage patients and help decide whether it is an urgent or emergency case and whether animals need to be seen at an OOH clinic.”
