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'Embrace change, but harness core values'
Kevin Watts
Kevin Watts believes the veterinary profession must embrace change, but not at the expense of its core values.
RCVS election candidate discusses a changing profession
 
Kevin Watts, a candidate in this year's RCVS elections, believes the veterinary profession must embrace change, but not at the expense of its core values of excellent animal care and empathetic communication with clients.

Mr Watts has worked in practice since graduating from the RVC in 1991, becoming a partner in 2001 and a director in 2011. In addition to working in private practice he spent many years working with the Dogs Trust and on the Vets Now advisory board. He is among 13 new candidates standing for election to the RCVS Council this year.

Writing in his candidate manifesto, he says: 'The veterinary profession has evolved remarkably over the last 20 years and I believe that the RCVS needs to continue to embrace and harness this evolution!

'Changes to the demographic in the veterinary workplace, practice ownership, out-of-hours provision and expectations of the wider community have had positive and negative impacts upon the profession.'

While evidence-based medicine is improving clinical outcomes, he says it 'brings with it an enhanced need to effectively communicate and balance costs with clients' expectations'.

Mr Watts also feels the profession should 'embrace the modern-day drive for better work:life balance' and match it with continued exemplary veterinary service.

However, whilst embracing these evolutionary changes, the profession must maintain its core values of excellent animal care and empathetic collaboration and communication between veterinary practitioners and clients.  

'To this end, I am passionate about educating veterinary personnel of the future to ensure they are provided with a toolkit of these crucial, often overlooked, central values, alongside expected key clinical competencies,' he explains.

In this climate of evolution, Mr Watts feels it has become 'difficult for veterinary staff to find time/motivation to engage with regulatory bodies such as the RCVS'.

This presents an opportunity to work with practising professionals to 'harness this currently rather silent majority and so help the college provide modern governance that listens to, respects and actively encourages the views of stakeholders.'

Ballot papers will be posted to all veterinary surgeons and nurses that are eligible to vote in the week commencing 13 March. All votes must be cast by 5pm of 28 April 2017.

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.