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Winners of the 2018 Petplan awards announced
Sandhole Veterinary Centre in Snodland, Kent (pictured) won the Veterinary Practice of the Year Award.

Awards honour nurses, practices, practice managers and support staff

The winners of the 2018 Petplan veterinary awards, which celebrate the nation’s most outstanding vets, have been announced.

Now in their 19th year, the awards also honour the nurses, practices, practice managers and support staff who go the extra mile to keep pets healthy and give owners peace of mind.

Head of partnerships James Barnes from Petplan said: “This year we received an outstanding number of nominations, seeing over 22,000 entries from pet owners and the veterinary community. The quality of entries was exceptionally high and our judges had a very tough decision choosing the winners in each category.”

He added: “We had a brilliant evening celebrating the outstanding talent of our deserving winners and would like to congratulate them on such a fantastic achievement!”

Veterinary Practice Manager of the Year

Helen McHugh of Holmefield Veterinary Clinic in Selby, North Yorkshire, scooped the Veterinary Practice Manager of the Year Award.  Judges praised for Helen for her strong commitment to her patients and customers, whilst always maintaining a lead-by-example approach to motivate the team.

Vet Nurse of the Year

Anna Ashworth of Dalehead Veterinary Group in Settle, North Yorkshire took home the Vet Nurse of the Year Award for her proactivity towards her own personal development. Judges said that Anna stood out due to her education in large animal welfare and that she was a great example of how an RVN can make an impact both in practice and in the rural community.

Veterinary Practice of the Year

Sandhole Veterinary Centre in Snodland, Kent, won the Veterinary Practice of the Year Award. The practice was praised for its outstanding care for both animals and staff, demonstrating a great level of community engagement. Judges also praised the team for spending a weekend delivering free care at an animal rescue centre.

Vet of the Year

Martin Brice of Emerson’s Green Vet Surgery in Bristol, Avon, was crowned Vet of the Year for his leadership style, compassion to clients and the community.  Judges said that Martin continually motivates staff members to improve and progress their career.

Image (C) Petplan

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Webinar to explore AMR in vet dentistry

News Story 1
 The WSAVA has invited veterinary professionals to a webinar on responsible antibiotic usage in dentistry.

On 19 November 2025, at 1am, Dr J Scott Weese and Dr Brooke Niemiec will share the latest advice for antimicrobial use. They will present research on oral bacterology, and explain how attendees can choose appropriate antibiotics.

The session will cover pre-, intra- and post-operative guidelines, with recommendations for various pathologies.

The webinar is designed to support veterinary professionals to make informed decisions and tackle antimicrobial resistance.

Attendees can register here

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Dechra launches checklist for veterinary sustainability

Global animal health specialist Dechra has announced the world's first Veterinary Green Theatre Checklist (VGTC) to help make surgery more sustainable.

Endorsed by leading veterinary organisations, including the BEVA, BVNA and RCVS Knowledge, the checklist is designed to reduce the environmental footprint of veterinary care, while supporting better animal health outcomes.

The checklist was launched at the World Congress of Veterinary Anaesthesia and Analgesia in Paris and will be followed by an internal training and awareness campaign. For more information, visit dechra.com