An eye on the future at BSAVA Congress

We will be asking visitors to think about the future of the veterinary profession during BSAVA Congress in Birmingham next month.

We will be out in force on stand 108 at BSAVA Congress, which takes place at the Barclaycard Arena (formerly the NIA) between Thursday 9 and Sunday 12 April 2015, available to answer queries on everything from the new Royal Charter and its effect on veterinary nursing to Advanced Practitioner status.

The main theme of the stand will be around Vet Futures, the joint project with the BVA which aims to help the profession consider and prepare for its future.

For example, visitors can take part in a ‘Shape your future’ game themed around the initiative and have a chance to win a Sony Smartwatch 3.

Furthermore, Vet Futures-themed fortune cookies will also be available, which contain a chance to enter a ‘Headlines of tomorrow’ competition and win a Kindle Fire. 

Vet Futures will also be the topic of ‘What will your future hold?’, a joint talk and debate with our President Stuart Reid and BVA President John Blackwell which takes place on Saturday 11 April at Hall 7 of the International Conference Centre (ICC), between 11.05am and 12.45pm.

Another major theme is the Mind Matters Initiative which aims to encourage greater openness about and reduce the stigma surrounding mental ill-health. As part of this initiative visitors can pick up a Mind Matters banner pen containing information about sources of help on mental health and wellbeing issues.

The imminent re-launch of the Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) will also be discussed by Jacqui Molyneux, Chair of the Practice Standards Group which coordinates the Scheme, who will be giving a talk entitled ‘PSS: a pathway to improvement’ in Hall 6 of the ICC between 4.50pm and 5.35pm.

This will be followed by a talk entitled ‘Putting clinical governance into practice’ from fellow Practice Standards Group member Pam Mosedale between 5.45pm and 6.30pm.

Furthermore, free 45-minute PSS surgeries will be taking place on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 April with inspectors Richard Killen (Friday) and Carole Clarke (Saturday) where those in the Scheme, or who are interested in joining, can get first-hand advice.

If you would like to book a surgery should contact Fiona Harcourt, Events Officer, on [email protected] or 020 7202 0773.