BVA chief: don’t miss out on chance to change law

Clinicians have been urged to “understand what’s in play” and get behind the cause of legislative change for the veterinary sector.

The plea came as BVA president Rob Williams admitted he was worried that not enough professionals were yet engaging with the ongoing consultation on reforming the Veterinary Surgeons Act.

Speaking in the latest Vet Times Podcast, Dr Williams reiterated the view of other sector leaders that the current process represented a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to secure major change.

‘Concerns’

However, asked whether he thought that message was getting through to clinicians in frontline practice, Dr Williams said: “No. I think that’s probably one of my biggest concerns.

“There’s always a relatively small group of people who are very, if you like, politically engaged or aware of what’s current, and then a much larger group of people who are busy with life and being a vet or a vet nurse.

“That’s completely understandable. But I think this is one time where it does pay, actually, for everybody to take the time, to educate themselves, to understand what’s in play and, hopefully, support the need for change.”

Launch handling

Although the consultation process has been widely welcomed, concerns have been raised within the sector about how its launch was handled by Defra.

Earlier this month, vet and shadow Defra minister Neil Hudson claimed the department had caused “extreme alarm” within the professions by linking legislative reform to the ongoing Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation.

Dr Williams said he shared concerns about the two issues being “conflated”, as he praised the parliamentary influence of Dr Hudson and the sector’s other Westminster representatives – Danny Chambers and Professor Lord Trees.

Necessary

But even though he described the suggestion that law changes could help to tackle cost of living issues for pet owners as “ludicrous”, he acknowledged such a presentation may still be necessary for the purpose of securing wider political support.

Dr Williams said: “We do need MPs from across the House [of Commons], and members of the House of Lords to engage with this idea.

“If this recent level of activity from the Government and their media narrative is a way that those MPs will engage with this topic, then that’s a good thing.”

Weaknesses

Dr Williams also played down concerns raised in some quarters that suggested Defra had similar weaknesses in its understanding to the CMA when it began its examination of the sector in the autumn of 2023.

But he argued it was better for the sector to seek to shape reform now, warning clinicians would “only have ourselves to blame at one level” if it failed to sufficiently engage in a process that produced a negative outcome.

He said: “People understandably find change challenging and that’s entirely legitimate. But to not engage, in my view, is unacceptable.”

The full interview with Dr Williams is available now in the Vet Times Podcast section or will play below.

The consultation is online now and continues until 25 March.