Titles: no dearth of directors

For a change, I won’t be heading into the history books for this column and discussion on the use of titles for veterinary staff. Yes, names and titles are a huge part of my RCVS research but, as always, history keeps repeating…

It’s been a few years brewing in my brain, but we can probably agree some of my best thoughts come from this percolation process. With that bubbling away, let’s talk titles – job titles, employment contract titles and more. Well, I’ll define that: the titles vets hold.

Bigger, better, bolder

No longer is the title “head vet” enough apparently; one must be a director of something to be anything in general practice. Job adverts are now more commonly offering “director of X” or “X director” roles to vets in many GP clinics.

This has made me consider several parts of this change in employment titles. The meaning or usage of the title “director” covers several areas. The dictionary definition of the word is:

1. a person or thing that directs, controls, or regulates
2. a member of the governing board of a business concern
3. a person who directs the affairs of an institution, trust, educational programme

A director is a title of some gravitas that does not have a professional standard. Rather it is a business term that suggests a level of control over their area of directorship. This has led me to consider some possible issues.

Public perception

Do we need to consider what being a “director” is to the public?

A recent letter to Vet Record has got me thinking that maybe I’m not being such a moany old thing after all. Is there a move with large groups of clinics choosing employment titles to reflect elevated roles for the public as well as encompassing some of the meanings above?

To my (limited) knowledge, the director roles offered in GP clinic often really only cover the first point and are limited to “directing” rather than controlling or regulating. Is this potentially leading to confusion for the public? I’m certainly intrigued.

Vet nurse directors

Let us turn the (director) tables for a minute and consider the directorship titles we could acquire as veterinary nurses. We could have the obvious “director of nursing” for head nurse, “director of clinical nursing” – but let’s get real and create some directorships that are more true to life and the immense role a veterinary nurse has in a GP clinic:

• Director of laundry
• Director of bad debts
• Director of rota (people!)
• Director of in-patient welfare
• Director of client advocacy

No i in team

This brings into consideration the “vet-led team” concept. It’s not something I’ve ever been comfortable with as no veterinary team that I have worked in has ever been vet-led.

Veterinary care is a collaborative venture, and while a diagnosis is part of the care process, it is but one part. The other parts of the care process sit with a varied team, members of which each have their own strengths.

Dog days

Finally, a moment of levity and a consideration of the application of titles: I previously worked with a colleague who brought their dog to work. He was a key member of the team and brought happiness to so many. On his office door his name was proudly displayed alongside his role as “director of biscuits”.

A truthful title in that he was knowledgeable of and about biscuits, he had regular (daily) experience of biscuits, and had greater knowledge than his colleagues. An excellent use of the director title, and maybe one that we can learn from.