Lewis Grant's RCVS Council hopes
Image: Lewis Grant
Candidate brings public health to the table Council candidate Lewis Grant hopes to bring his experience of different aspects of the veterinary profession with him to the RCVS.
With a career that has ranged from mixed practice, public health and work in both dairy projects and food-related controls outside of the UK, Mr Grant said he said he would promote understanding across the veterinary industry.
"I have a broad spectrum of experience to draw upon and bring to council," he explained. "I feel I can represent and empathise with RCVS members from most areas and specialisms within our profession."
With an interest in public health, Mr Grant has been a member of the Veterinary Public Health Association (VPHA) for a number of years. He is also its animal welfare and BVA representative.
As such, the topical issue of microbial resistance is at the forefront of Mr Grant's concerns.
"Veterinarians as well as doctors are highly-trained individuals who should be well aware of their responsibilities with regard to abuse of antimicrobials," he commented. "They should act accordingly, by careful assessment in each clinical case presented to them."
Mr Grant added that particular regard should be paid to checking that, if antimicrobials are used, they are justifiable, at the appropriate dose level, and clients are made aware of the importance of completing any course of treatment once it commences.
With this in mind, Mr Grant hopes that by bringing veterinary public health to the table as a member of the RCVS Council, he can implement discussion about the importance of the topic in education.
He explained that he would like to "review the importance of veterinary public health in the university curriculum so that all veterinarians can understand the implications of farm to fork strategies".
Further focuses that he would like to bring to council include reviewing CPD requirements so their scope is not too narrow and restricted and ensuring the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) becomes "fit for purpose".
"Because the RCVS has responsibility for regulating the profession, it also makes sense that it should have overall responsibility for the PSS," he explained.
"However, the scheme as it stands does require review, to ensure that it fairly reflects the important issues involved in assessing any veterinary practice; large or small, general or specialised."
Mr Grant said he believes the assessment should reflect the skill and care level of staff, results of clinical audits and records of outcome of cases. He added that once this happens, the PSS should become compulsory for all practices.
"I do believe that all practices should be assessed to ensure that the profession is not let down by under-performing practices, even for those operating at the most basic level," he said.
Nonetheless, Mr Grant added that it is important to ensure the RCVS communicates well with the profession, so it is not only seen as a disciplinary body.
This, he commented, would involve improving links with the public to try to plug the existing knowledge gap regarding the workings of the RCVS and how this impinges upon practices.
He commented that the RCVS newsletter had been a good foundation to build on in this way.
"In the past, from the viewpoint of the average practitioner, the RCVS has been viewed as only providing the Guide to Professional Conduct and running the Disciplinary Committee.
"Things have improved in recent times but, for the future, an up-to-date website that is regularly reviewed and in a user-friendly format will go some way to ensure better communication with the profession."
Where better communication is concerned in practice, Mr Grant said he hopes to ensure that the standard of English for those veterinarians intending to work in the UK is sufficient enough for them to fulfil their tasks in a satisfactory manner.
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