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Blaming, excuses and mindset
Anne-Marie Svendsen Aylott spoke at BSAVA Congress.
How changing the way you think and speak can help change practice culture

At the BSAVA Congress in Birmingham today (5 April), Anne-Marie Svendsen Aylott looked at mindset theories to help explain blame culture within the veterinary practice.

She explained that research has identified two mindset theories - the entity theory and the incremental theory. Those who have an entity mindset will consider that everyone is the same and that no-one can change, including themselves. Incremental mindset individuals, on the other hand, have a more open attitude, believing that things and people can change.

Those with an incremental mindset believe that people can change and develop and that success is driven by effort, discipline, strategic approaches and learning new things. Essentially they believe that everyone is born equal and that all people have the possibility to grow change and develop.

Entity mindset behaviours are characterised by a lack of confidence, lower than expected performance, low levels of resilience, blaming and making excuses, poor coping mechanisms, being judgemental, having a defensive reaction to feedback and negative emotions.

Leaders and managers with an entity mindset will clearly influence their teams and colleagues in a negative direction. Employees will concentrate on mistakes, be resistant to new systems and protocols, make excuses and have an increased anxiety at the prospect of making a mistake. Even a few people within the price with such mindsets can eventually affect the attitudes of the whole practice.

So, asked Anne- Marie, how can blame culture and entity mindsets be changed?
She explained that first, you have to identify the practice culture that you want and then set in place systems and processes and the protocols to support them. You then set the example by embracing the incremental mindset attitude.

Adopting this mindset embraces resilience and optimism, encourages performance, team spirit and learning. Slowly, over time, attitudes will begin to change the practice, she said.

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Equine Disease Surveillance report released for Q4 2025

News Story 1
 The latest Equine Disease Surveillance report has been released, with details on equine disease from Q4 of 2025.

The report, produced by Equine Infectious Disease Surveillance, includes advice on rule changes for equine influenza vaccination.

Statistics and maps detail recent outbreaks of equine herpes virus, equine influenza, equine strangles and equine grass sickness. A series of laboratory reports provides data on virology, bacteriology, parasitology and toxicosis.

This issue also features a case study of orthoflavivus-associated neurological disease in a horse in the UK. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS members invited to question Council candidates

RCVS members have been invited to submit questions to candidates for this year's RCVS Council election.

With 15 candidates standing for three available positions, vets have been invited to submit a question of their choosing before voting starts. These questions will be collated, with each candidate answering one question of their choice.

It is recommended that members read the candidates' biographies and statements before submitting questions. One question per member can be submitted to vetvote26@rcvs.org.uk before Wednesday, 25 February 2026.

The RCVS Council election is due to start in March.

With only two candidates for two positions on the VN Council, there will be no VN Council elections this year. Meghan Conroy RVN and Lauren Hargrave RVN will begin their three year terms at RCVS' AGM in July.