BVA and BVNA pledge to work together
Ms Ravetz said the memorandum “captures the importance of the veterinary family”, which was her theme during her presidential year.
A new agreement between the BVA and BVNA will see the two organisations working more closely together to represent their members.
Outgoing BVA president Gudrun Ravetz and BVNA president Sam Morgan signed a memorandum of understanding to help build on the relationship between the two organisations, whilst maintaining their separate identities.
As part of this, they will identify opportunities to work together to represent the views of veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses in the media, and with policy makers and the general public. They will also deliver joint events and support each other’s members.
Ms Ravetz said the memorandum “captures the importance of the veterinary family”, which was her theme during her presidential year.
“At community level, we could not achieve a fraction of what we do if vets and vet nurses did not pull together and, at national level, one strong veterinary voice will achieve so much more if we work in unison,” she added.
Ms Morgan said: “BVNA are very pleased to sign this agreement to formally recognise the close relationship both professions have and therefore both representative bodies have.
“This is going to be a symbiotic relationship, with both professions and representatives retaining their own unique identity but forming a single, strong voice.
“This is a proud milestone for BVNA, something we have worked towards and we believe this formal understanding between both of our representative bodies is a positive step in the veterinary nurse profession.”
The memorandum has been agreed for three years, and will be regularly reviewed during that period.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
