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Mind Matters invites research abstracts for symposium
Louise Allum is chair of MMI.
The symposium will take place in October 2025.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) is inviting researchers from around the world to submit abstracts for its 2025 veterinary mental health research symposium.

MMI's fifth symposium is set to take place on 10 October 2025 at the Eastside Rooms, Birmingham, and will focus on the theme of ‘Advancing veterinary mental health research: learning from the past, considering the present, and looking to the future’.

Researchers at any career stage can submit an abstract for either oral presentation or poster presentation. The abstract must be linked to at least one of MMI's strategic areas of focus for 2025:
  • Veterinary professionals’ suicide prevention  
  • Veterinary occupational stressors (including trauma and burnout)
  • Mental health in veterinary education
  • Veterinary workplace leadership and mental health
  • Veterinary professionals’ mental health and equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).
Next year will also mark 10 years since MMI was launched to improve the mental health and wellbeing of veterinary professionals.

Louise Allum, MMI chair, said: “It is of vital importance that we can collectively learn from recent endeavours to work out how we can collaborate towards creating a brighter future for the professions.

“It is only through events such as our symposia that we can start to understand where those vital research gaps lie, as well as what actions we need to take next in order to advance our understanding of veterinary mental health.
 
“Our symposium presents a fantastic opportunity for knowledge exchange in the veterinary mental health research sphere so that, together, we can continue to foster a compassionate environment and build a solid evidence-base for veterinary mental health research to grow and evolve.”

The deadline for submitting an abstract in 28 February 2025. Details about how to submit can be found here.

Image © RCVS

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Vivienne Mackinnon elected BVA Scottish Branch President

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has elected Vivienne Mackinnon as its new BVA Scottish Branch president.

Dr Mackinnon has over 30 years of experience in veterinary care, encompassing both small animal and mixed practice. She has worked in practices in Scotland, England, New Zealand and Australia, before joining APHA to work in frontline disease control.

In her speech, Dr Mackinnon reflected on the changes in Scotland's veterinary industry and highlighted her commitment to veterinary education.

Dr Mackinnon said: "I look forward to working with colleagues across the veterinary professions to improve animal health and welfare in the country and support veterinary workplaces."