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

WSAVA appoints first chief learning and development officer
From top left: Dr Jennifer Granick; Dr Fergus Allerton; Dr Heather Bacon; Debbie Gray.
New appointments also made to two committee

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has appointed its first chief learning and development officer (CLDO) to lead the organisation’s work providing continuing education resources to its members.

Debbie Gray, who qualified as a veterinary nurse in the UK before moving into the education sector, has taken up the role. She holds a Diploma in Leadership and Operational Management and is studying for a Master’s in Business Administration.

The global veterinary association also announced the appointment of new chairs to two of its clinical committees.

Dr Heather Bacon is the new chair of the WSAVA Animal Wellness and Welfare Committee, which aims to make animal welfare a routine consideration for small animal veterinary professionals. She is dean of the school of veterinary medicine at the University of Central Lancashire and was awarded an OBE in 2021 for services to veterinary education and animal welfare.

Dr Fergus Allerton and Dr Jennifer Granick have been appointed as co-chairs of the WSAVA Therapeutics Guidelines Group. The committee works to improve access to veterinary medicines around the world and reduce inappropriate antimicrobial use.

Dr Allerton is a practising veterinary surgeon at a small animal referral centre in the UK and Dr Granick is an associate professor of small animal internal medicine at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine, USA

WSAVA president Dr Ellen van Nierop said: “We’re delighted to welcome our new CLDO, Debbie Gray. She’ll help us harness new technologies and the latest learning approaches to ensure we deliver an exceptional educational experience to our members and equip them with the clinical and non-clinical skills they need to build rewarding careers and engage effectively with their colleagues and clients.

“We’re also delighted to welcome our new committee chairs and look forward to working with them towards our goals of setting global standards of care for companion animal practice and campaigning for change on key issues affecting our members, such as the inequity in access to veterinary medicines around the world.”

Images © WSAVA

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

BEVA gives RVNs right to vote

News Story 1
 The British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) is to allow its registered veterinary nurse (RVN) members the right to vote.

RVN members will now be able to take part in key decision-making processes and stand for BEVA council.

Marie Rippingale, chair of BEVA's Nurse Committee, said: "I am very proud to be a part of BEVA.

"This change will help to empower nurses to speak up and contribute, but more importantly, it will give them an opportunity to collaborate with other members of the equine veterinary profession to bring about change that is positive for all." 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Farmer survey to reveal on-farm impact of bluetongue

A nationwide survey has been launched to better understand how the bluetongue virus is affecting UK farms.

Results will inform the support that farmers receive for bluetongue, as well as preparing the livestock industry for the future.

The short online survey is open to all livestock farmers, regardless of whether they've had a confirmed case of bluetongue on their farm. It asks how many animals have been affected, the severity of their clinical signs and how it has impacted farm business.

The survey takes five minutes to complete and is fully anonymous.

It is led by Fiona Lovatt, of Flock Health Limited, and the Ruminant Health & Welfare bluetongue working group, in collaboration with AHDB and the University of Nottingham.

Dr Lovatt says: "We need to find out what level of clinical signs farmers are seeing in their animals, whether they are experiencing mortality with BTV-3 cases, and what their appetite is to vaccinate in future for bluetongue serotype 3."

The survey can be found here.