13 Aug 2024
Officials say the new resources have been developed with the input of both clinicians and pet owners, with one saying she would be “very at ease” if they were used at her future consultations.
Allister Webb
Job TitleA veterinary charity has published a new series of discussion guides that it hopes will aid clear communication between clinicians and clients about contextualised care.
RCVS Knowledge officials said they had worked with vets, RVNs and pet owners to develop the latest materials, which are now available via its dedicated online hub.
Clinical lead Pam Mosedale said: “These guides offer a simple, actionable way to help deliver contextualised care in practice.
“To get started, run through the questions in the guide with a client and see how this can help you devise a treatment plan with the information you’ve discovered.
“This helps you gain a fuller understanding of your patient’s care and well-being needs and your client’s circumstances and expectations.
“Ultimately, this will assist you in delivering quality care that aligns with the needs and expectations of your clients.”
Three new guides have been published: one on pre-consultation conversations, which aims to help pet owners prepare for an appointment and practice teams to identify potential support needs, and one on pet well-being during treatment, examining treatment decision and how pets may react to different options.
The third guide focused on post-diagnosis discussions of what treatment options involve and how treatment might affect both the patient and client.
One pet owner who took part in the development project said she often forgot much of what was said at consultations or felt like she didn’t give enough information because of feeling “so worked up” about the appointment.
She added: “If the vet used these guides at my next consult, they would make me feel very at ease indeed.”
