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BVNA marks VNAM with launch of new survey
The response will influence the BVNA's work, the resources it provides, and its future campaigning.

The findings will support the association with its ongoing work.

The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) has marked the beginning of Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month (VNAM) with the launch of a new profession-wide survey.

The VN Profession Survey invites student veterinary nurses (SVNs) and registered veterinary nurses (RVNs), and others in similar roles, to record their experiences and thoughts of the profession.

It will aim to record information on how veterinary nurses currently feel about the profession, such as current issues, trends, and how they think it should progress in the future. The data will inform key stakeholders to the profession, including the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS).

BVNA believes that the findings will show stakeholders the value which veterinary nurses offer the profession, and how they contribute to teams and animal welfare.

The response will influence BVNA’s work, the resources it provides to its members and the profession, and its campaigns – including lobbying for a legislative change to protect the ‘veterinary nurse’ title.

The survey will be sent directly to BVNA members, but can also be accessed online.

The launch of the survey coincides with VNAM 2024, which this year has the theme of ‘progression’. The BVNA hopes VNAM will raise awareness for the important work that veterinary nurses do everyday, and their vital role in supporting animal welfare.

It also aims to highlight the diverse career paths of veterinary nurses, both in and out of clinical practice, and the importance of protecting the ‘veterinary nurse’ title in law.

VNAM 2024 marks 20 years of BVNA's veterinary nursing awareness campaign, which first launched in 2004 as Veterinary Nursing Awareness Day. In 2012, it became a full month event.

Lyndsay Hughes, BVNA president, said: “BVNA’s annual VNAM campaign provides the perfect platform to celebrate a profession we are all rightly so proud to be a part of.”

She added: “This year’s VNAM provides the perfect platform for everyone to contribute – by celebrating the impact of veterinary nurses in your workplace, and by completing our VN Profession Survey. We hope to see as many people as possible joining us to champion veterinary nurses everywhere.”

Image © BVNA

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Applications open for MMI research grants

News Story 1
 RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.

Researchers have until 11.59pm on Wednesday, 28 May 2025 to apply for a grant for research which reflects MMI's 2025 focus areas.

Only one Impact Grant was awarded last year, and so this year there are two Discovery Grants and one Impact Grants available. Each Discovery Grant is worth £5,000 and the Impact Grant is worth £15,000.

For more information or to apply, email researchgrants@rcvs.org.uk to contact the MMI team.

 

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News Shorts
Wales licenses Bluetongue vaccines for voluntary use

The Welsh government has approved three Bluetongue vaccines for emergency use in Wales.

From 1 March an online general licence will become available for the vaccines' use. They will then be obtainable on prescription and can be sold by veterinary practices.

After appropriate guidance, livestock keepers will be permitted to administer the vaccines themselves. The vaccines must be prescribed by a veterinary surgeon and detailed vaccination records must be kept for five years.

The decision comes as Bluetongue virus (BTV-3) continues to spread across England. The three vaccines are already licensed for use in England.

Richard Irvine, CVO for Wales, said: "This decision to licence these vaccines was informed by our recent risk assessment indicating that Wales is now at high risk of experiencing an incursion of Bluetongue this year.

"Our primary aim is to keep Bluetongue out of Wales through biosecurity, vigilance and safe sourcing of livestock."