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RCVS elects new junior vice-president
Image: Current president Melissa Donald (left) shakes hands with Linda Belton (right)

Linda Belton MRCVS gets title after June 2023 meeting.

Linda Belton MRCVS has been named as the new junior vice-president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) following its June 2023 meeting.

The council meeting was held on Thursday, 8 June, at the Royal College of Nursing in London.

The role had been vacant since the former junior vice-president, Sue Patterson, was elected to the position of RCVS president.

At the time, no candidates had been nominated for the role.

Linda Belton, an equine veterinary surgeon and director for an independent practice in Wiltshire, was first elected to the council in 2019 and was re-elected in 2023.

She is a member of the British Equine Veterinary Association, the British Veterinary Association and the Society of Practising Veterinary Surgeons. She is also a trustee for Brooke, an international equine animal welfare charity.

Dr Belton said: “Having recently been re-elected to council for another term by fellow members of our profession, I am really looking forward to joining the Officer Team in my role as junior vice-president and I thank my colleagues on council for their endorsement and support.

“Since joining council four years ago, I have learned a lot – one of the difficulties I have observed is the tension of our profession having a Royal College which regulates. Wearing two hats is never easy, and being both our leadership body and our regulator can position the college in a difficult place in the eyes of its members. There are, however, advantages for us as a profession in being self-regulating.

“As junior vice-president, I look forward to increasing council’s direct contact with vets working in first-opinion practice. Working as part of a large independently owned practice, I am aware of many of the day-to-day issues currently facing the different species sectors. I understand what it takes to be a good workplace delivering veterinary care in a commercial environment and want, through my contribution to council and the governance and regulation of our profession, to support others to have a successful and fulfilling career in practice.”

Image (C) RCVS

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.