RCVS Knowledge launches new contextualised care support project

A new project, which officials say is intended to develop a “roadmap” for the delivery of contextualised care in the veterinary sector, is being launched today (4 February).

Professionals, educators, regulators and animal owners are among the stakeholders expected to take part in a National Forum for Contextualised Care in London.

The talks mark the first stage of an RCVS Knowledge-led initiative, which officials hope will see specific recommendations drawn up at a planned summer summit meeting.

Sally Everitt, the charity’s clinical lead for evidence, said the contextualised care term was now “the subject of much debate” arising from its increased usage within the sector.

She added: “We need to better understand what constitutes good-quality contextualised care and the barriers and enablers to its delivery in practice.”

Support

Dozens of people from across the sector, including representatives of veterinary associations, education leaders, students, practice staff and animal owners, plus regulators and rescue sector representatives, are due to take part in the forum.

Delegates are expected to discuss the problems contextualised care is intended to address, factors preventing that from happening and potential ways of offering support.

Further research activity, including focus groups, interviews and surveys, is planned over the coming months and RCVS Knowledge hopes the work will lead to the development of recommendations on:

• How professionals’ and pet owners’ perspectives and circumstances can be better brought together in reaching decisions about the most appropriate care for an individual animal.
• The barriers and enablers to implementing contextualised care in practice.
• What needs to be done, and by whom, to support veterinary teams to deliver contextualised care and shared decision-making as part of good-quality veterinary care.

Collaborative

RCVS Knowledge chief executive Katie Mantell said: “As an independent charity with a mission to advance the quality of veterinary care, we believe RCVS Knowledge is well-placed to bring together all parts of the veterinary community to seek consensus on what good-quality contextualised care looks like and how it can be delivered in practice.

“Our aim is to take a collaborative, robust approach to co-producing a roadmap for contextualised care that will support its widespread delivery for the benefit of animals, the veterinary professions and animal owners.”

Professionals are being encouraged to sign up to the RCVS Knowledge newsletter, intheKNOW, if they are interested in participating in the forthcoming research.