Description

In this webinar, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) President Bradley Viner and British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Sean Wensley will discuss the Vet Futures project. Vet Futures began at London Vet Show 2014 when the RCVS and BVA joined forces to embark on an ambitious project to help the veterinary profession prepare for and shape its own future. Over the last 12 months the project has undertaken extensive research with veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, members of the wider veterinary team, pet owners, key stakeholders, and the general public. At every step of the journey we have reached out to the veterinary profession through news, guest blogs, polls, surveys, and roadshow events to capture the issues of today and start to think about the issues for the future. From that feedback from vets, nurses and stakeholders, alongside research and evidence, six major themes have emerged. The Vet Futures report sets out clear ambitions and recommendations under each theme: animal health and welfare; veterinary professionals’ wider roles in society; health and wellbeing; diverse and rewarding careers; sustainable businesses and user-focused services; and leadership. Bradley and Sean will discuss the project in detail, and explain how the six themes will be explored over the course of 2016.

Sean grew up exploring the sand dunes and pinewoods of the Sefton Coast, where he developed a passion for wildlife and the natural world. During his time as a veterinary student at the University of Liverpool he became increasingly interested in how man relates to the natural environment and other species, including those we elect to keep and use for human benefit.
He received an undergraduate scholarship from the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW) to undertake a research project on the welfare of caged pet birds and this sparked his interest in animal welfare science and led to him studying for a Masters degree in Applied Animal Behaviour and Animal Welfare at Edinburgh Veterinary School.

He went on to work as a companion animal general practitioner, including in a companion animal and exotics veterinary practice, before joining the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) as Senior Veterinary Surgeon for Communication and Education. Sean has maintained a keen professional interest in animal welfare during his career, serving as a trustee of the Animal Welfare Foundation, a member of the BVA Ethics and Welfare Group, and a committee member of the Companion Animal Welfare Council (CAWC) and the Animal Welfare Science, Ethics and Law Veterinary Association (AWSELVA). He is an Honorary Lecturer in Animal Welfare at the University of Nottingham.

Bradley Viner was made President of the RCVS in July 2015. Bradley qualified from the Royal Veterinary College in 1978 and after a year working as an assistant established his own small animal practice in Pinner, Middlesex. This has now grown to a group of five practices in North West London, employing approximately 40 support staff and nine veterinary surgeons, including his son, Oliver. He has been involved in a wide variety of media and PR work on radio, television, books and the press. He is best known within the veterinary profession for his regular 'Reflections' column in the Veterinary Times. His passion is for recognition of the skills required to become an advanced general practitioner, and to that end completed an MSc and then a Professional Doctorate with Middlesex University, concentrating on the application of clinical auditing to the veterinary profession.

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