Cattle vet elected as RCVS junior vice-president
Prof Barrett is from a dairy farming background in the southwest of England.
David Barrett, a cattle health specialist, has been elected as the next junior vice-president for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).
He will begin his term, alongside incoming president Tim Hutchinson and senior vice-president Tim Parkin, at RCVS’ Annual General Meeting on Friday, 3 July 2026.
Prof Barrett is from a dairy farming background in the southwest of England, before earning an intercalated BSc in Anatomical Sciences and a BVSc from the University of Bristol. He then entered a mixed veterinary practice in North Wales.
Following the completion of his initial postgraduate training, he gained a Diploma in Bovine Reproduction and a Diploma in Cattle Health and Production.
In 2003, Prof Barrett helped establish the European College of Bovine Health Management (ECBHM), transforming postgraduate clinical training across Europe. He has served as president of the ECBHM, before returning to the University of Bristol in 2011 to rebuild the farm animal teaching and research group.
He also served on the Board of the British Cattle Veterinary Association for 17 years, including as the president (2018–19), and is an associate of the Royal Agricultural Societies (ARAgS) and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology (FRSB).
Prof Barrett: “It is a great honour to be elected to this position by my fellow RCVS Council members, and I look forward to working with them, VN Council members and RCVS staff.
“As junior vice-president I will bring experience, judgement, and a collaborative, person-centred approach to Council, supporting thriving professionals, promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion, maintaining the highest standards, and ensuring the College regulates transparently and responsibly delivering leadership the professions and public can trust now and into the future.”
Prof Barrett was elected as junior vice-president at a meeting of the RCVS Council on Thursday, 12 March 2026. He will serve as junior vice-president from 2026 until 2027, before becoming RCVS president in July 2027.
Image © RCVS
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
