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SRUC vets to support COVID-19 testing
The team will be repurposing laboratory space and equipment to provide capacity for up to 1,000 tests a day.
Moredun-SRUC team is the first major veterinary unit to support NHS labs.

Veterinary staff at Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) are lending a helping hand to the NHS by testing samples of COVID-19.

The team are working with colleagues at the Moredun Research Institute to assist with the testing, in high-containment facilities that are normally used to research livestock diseases.

By repurposing laboratory space and equipment, the team says that it hopes to help NHS colleagues by providing capacity for around 1,000 tests a day.

“We are delighted to join forces with Moredun to bring our collective expertise and diagnostics capacity to support NHS Scotland,” said SRUC principal and chief executive, Professor Wayne Powell. “This is a ‘team Scotland’ approach and demonstrates our willingness to share facilities, innovate and adapt our working practices to deliver a public good in the national interest.”

In recent weeks, the combined Moredun-SRUC team has been working closely with NHS Lothian to ensure that testing will be carried out to NHS standards, fully integrated into NHS systems, with training and support provided by NHS clinical staff.

It is the first major veterinary unit to support NHS labs to help with COVID-19 testing in the UK, demonstrating the benefits of a One Health approach. The team have developed working methods to ensure that their vital veterinary surveillance work will continue.

“I am delighted to see this example of One Health in action,” commented Sheila Voas, Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland. “This combined effort between the world class team at Moredun and SRUC has shown how vets and medics can work together to support the NHS and combat this pandemic."

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

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News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.