Your data on MRCVSonline
The nature of the services provided by Vision Media means that we might obtain certain information about you.
Please read our Data Protection and Privacy Policy for details.

In addition, (with your consent) some parts of our website may store a 'cookie' in your browser for the purposes of
functionality or performance monitoring.
Click here to manage your settings.
If you would like to forward this story on to a friend, simply fill in the form below and click send.

Your friend's email:
Your email:
Your name:
 
 
Send Cancel

RCVS to host session on carbon neutral surgery
Experts will consider how the NHS has achieved more carbon neutral methods to its healthcare.
The interactive panel will be presented at London Vet Show.

The RCVS Fellowship is to host a session at London Vet Show, exploring whether carbon neutral veterinary surgery is achievable.

The session is titled ‘Is carbon neutral surgery possible? What can we learn from the NHS?’, and sees the group partner with leading sustainable healthcare advocates for an interactive panel. It will take place on 16 November from 11.20am- 12.20pm.

The panel of experts will discuss the ways that the carbon footprint of veterinary surgery can be reduced.

They will also consider how the NHS has achieved more carbon neutral methods to its healthcare, without compromising patient care and safety.

The panel includes Mahmood Bhutta, a consultant ENT surgeon and professor of sustainable healthcare at the Brighton and Sussex Medical School, as well as RCVS president Dr Sue Paterson FRCVS and Vet Sustain director Dr Zoe Halfacree FRCVS.

Dr Paterson represents the RCVS at the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change (UKHACC), where she has previously worked with Prof Bhutta in his capacity as chair of UKHACC’s Green Surgery Project Team.

Dr Paterson said: “On UKHACC I have been made aware of some of the pioneering ideas and actions to ensure that our healthcare systems, while playing such a vital societal role, are also not having a deleterious effect on our environment.

“I’ve no doubt that many of the sustainable innovations and interventions in human healthcare can be applied in the veterinary sector, and I look forward to discussing this with Mahmood, Zoe and Ellie next month.”

RCVS’ stand at London Vet Show will also include a ‘learning zone’ across both days, hosting guest speakers who will give educational presentations on regulatory issues.

One of these guest speakers will be RCVS junior vice-president Dr Linda Belton, who will talk about the regulatory body’s much discussed new under care guidance in a presentation titled ‘Under care and remote prescribing: your questions answered’.

Other topics that will be explored in the learning zone will be the RCVS Academy, its 1CPD platform and the group’s VN futures project.

London Vet Show is taking place from 16- 17 November at ExCeL London. Tickets can be purchased here.

Image © Shutterstock

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Germany livestock import ban lifted

The UK government has amended its ban on the import of livestock, meat and dairy products from Germany.

Defra said the decision follows 'rigorous technical assessment' of the measures applied and the current situation. "If the situation changes, we will not hesitate to take necessary action in response to the FMD outbreaks in the European Union to protect our domestic biosecurity," it said.

The ban was implemented in January following an outbreak of foot and mouth disease (FMD) near Berlin. Personal imports of meat, milk and dairy products will remain in place at a country level.