First Vet Futures Group meeting - ambitions starting to take shape

Greater diversity, a truly integrated One Health approach and zero veterinary suicides were just some of ambitions for the profession discussed at the first meeting of the Vet Futures Group, which took place on 26 January 2015.

Vet Futures is jointly powered by us and the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and aims to help the profession prepare for and shape its own future.

The first meeting of the Vet Futures Group included veterinary surgeons from a range of backgrounds, including small animal, equine and farm animal practice, food hygiene, research, education and industry, as well as members of the veterinary nursing profession and animal owner groups.

The purpose of the day was to discuss the first tranche of research carried out by the project team – based on interviews and focus groups with vets and vet nurses, BVA and RCVS Council members, animal owners and other users of veterinary services, and also a literature review. This has provided a snapshot of the issues facing the profession in the UK today and what is known about their likely future impact.

The literature review identified possible drivers for change, including demographic factors; economic forces; the increasingly competitive market; client behaviour; food supply and global imperatives; and, mental wellbeing.

Both research reports are available to view on the Resources section of the Vet Futures website.

The Vet Futures team challenged delegates to identify goals for the profession to achieve by 2030. Discussion was wide ranging, with suggestions including:

• The veterinary profession providing a one-stop shop for all information, advice and support on animal welfare issues, and adapting the community care approach of human healthcare to animal welfare
• A more structured profession with clearer entry requirements and career development opportunities
• Vets and VNs active and effective in a wider range of activities
• A ‘green’ profession
• Less stress and improved work-life balance
• Practice to be less focused on margins from medicines sales
• A portfolio career to become the norm
• Zero veterinary suicides
• A valued role for the vet and VN in owner education
• A truly integrated One Health approach with parity for the veterinary and human medical professions
• Omnipotential not omnicompetence
• The most trusted profession in the country
• Playing a key role in food security
• A significant improvement in the 'if you had your time again, would you still be a vet/VN' score on the RCVS Surveys of the Professions
• Eradication of rabies
• Greater diversity
• Less anthropomorphism - treating as far as we should, not as far as we can

The two pieces of research discussed at the meeting, together with feedback from the delegates, will inform the next phase of the Vet Futures project, which will include a survey amongst BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession Panel members, a larger survey amongst the whole of the veterinary and veterinary nursing profession, and a series of roadshow meetings across the UK.

The third and final phase of the project will be the development of a report and action plan to be launched towards the end of this year.