10 Dec 2021
Representatives from across the veterinary sector met at the RCVS Workforce Summit to tackle potential solutions to issues facing the veterinary nursing profession.
Rachael Buzzel
Job Title
The BVNA has joined forces with the RCVS and other stakeholders to address workforce issues facing the veterinary nursing profession.
Last week (30 November), representatives from across the veterinary sector met at the RCVS Workforce Summit in London to discuss potential solutions.
BVNA president Alex Taylor and senior vice-president Jo Oakden attended the summit, where two preliminary research reports produced by the RCVS were discussed – one dedicated to veterinary nurses and the other to veterinary surgeons.
Key areas of concern discussed were:
A report will be published by the RCVS in due course, along with an action plan that will include commitment from a range of stakeholders. Members of the professions will have further opportunities to engage with the process.
The BVNA will be publishing further articles on the content of the report and veterinary nursing workplace issues, many of which it has been working on to support its members. These include workplace culture – with the Chronic Illness Campaign, which launched in August – and the formation of the Diversity, Inclusivity and Widening Participation Group, which launched recently during Anti-Bullying Week.
Mrs Taylor, whose presidential theme for the year is resilience, said: “The RCVS Workforce Summit was an incredibly productive day, and it was clear that everyone in attendance was there to achieve a common goal – to actively look for solutions to the current workforce crisis facing the veterinary profession in the UK.
“While we were all aware of how recent changes and challenges have affected the veterinary profession, we were united in our approach that change needs to come from everyone, and that we need to look at our profession with a fresh perspective if we want to move forward.”
Mrs Taylor continued: “The BVNA’s presence at this important event was paramount in ensuring the voices of our members and veterinary nurses in the UK were heard.
“What was particularly evident was the overwhelming support from other veterinary associations for the proper utilisation of veterinary nurses in their job role and further development of their career. All seem to recognise how beneficial this would be for both veterinary teams and the public.”
The reports are available for download via the RCVS website.
