VetNI

Veterinary Northern Ireland

NIVA Virtual Village Fete Update

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The entries are in! The judges have retired to deliberate so now we can give you a glimpse at just some of the fantastic entries to the Inaugural Grand NIVA Virtual Village Fete. What a talented bunch you are 🙂 I apologise if your entry hasn’t been uploaded – more will be shared next week but there are too many to post them all.

AVSPNI Autumn 2020 CPD Programme

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It may not surprise you but it is nevertheless with sadness that the AVSPNI Council have taken the difficult decision to cancel the Autumn Conference. This was scheduled to take place at the beginning of October at the Roe Park Resort, Limavady. Plans for a humdinger of a conference in both Spring and Autumn 2021 are already well underway and AVSPNI is also pulling together a programme of 12+ excellent webinars to see members through to the end of the year. These will all be free of charge for AVSPNI members.

We still hope that the Joint Autumn meeting held with NIVA can be delivered as a face to face event but of course, we have a Plan B up our sleeve for that too.

Amongst all the other adjustments that you have had to make this year, CPD may have slipped down your priority list! If you want to top up your CPD record before Christmas, keep an eye on the VetNI Events page for details of forthcoming webinars which will be added in the next couple of weeks.

Roll up! Roll up!

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NIVA thinks you might be ready for a little light-hearted competition! Take a look at our Inaugural Grand NIVA Virtual Village Fete and decide which classes you would like to enter . . . then get creative and have FUN!

The closing date for entries is 21st June and full details of all classes can be found HERE

To see NIVA President Susan and Holly the donkey opening the fete, click HERE!

Covid-19 – useful links for NI vets

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VetNI is proud to be associated with NI vets – we see how hard you are all working to respond to a rapidly changing situation and use your training to providing veterinary services at the highest standards possible and in complete compliance with government and RCVS guidance. Information is coming through and changing at an astonishing rate.

USEFUL LINKS – We have collated a list of links which may be of use to you:

BVA guide to assessing emergency and urgent work

BVA Guidance for the vet profession

Government Business Support

BCVA Guidance for farm vets

RCVS Covid-19 Guidance

SPVS Reduced working and closures guidance

Our thanks to all these bodies for access to this material.

LOAN OF VET EQUIPMENT – Many of you have already volunteered spare medical grade which can be called into service by our Health Trusts in the most extreme circumstances. THANK YOU!

If you have any of the following to offer, please do so via the submission form that can be found HERE Please also drop [email protected] a line, sending him a screen shot of your completed submission or just letting him know what additional equipment you have offered and where you are based. 

Equipment wanted on loan:

  • ventilators
  • anaesthetic machines
  • anaesthetic monitors
  • oxygen concentrators
  • syringe drivers or drip pumps

Equipment that you would be prepared to donate:

  • PPE

URGENT APPEAL FOR RETURN OF OXYGEN CYLINDERS – BOC medical oxygen cylinders are needed during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to utilise these in hospitals. If you have empty cylinders in your practice, please return them a.s.a.p. to BOC following the protocol outlined below:

  • Email your collection requests to: [email protected]
  • Include your BOC account number
  • If you don’t know your account number then please state as much information as possible including Name of practice, Full address, Post code, Contact name, Contact telephone number (Mobile number if practice closed)
  • Agree a day to meet driver or have cylinders left out on day of collection.  They must be accessible to the driver on the agreed day.

GUIDANCE FOR FARMERS– NIVA and AVSPNI have issued guidance to farmers via farming bodies which can be accessed HERE.

Covid-19 – useful links for NI vets

By

VetNI is proud to be associated with NI vets – we see how hard you are all working to respond to a rapidly changing situation and use your training to providing veterinary services at the highest standards possible and in complete compliance with government and RCVS guidance. Information is coming through and changing at an astonishing rate.

USEFUL LINKS – We have collated a list of links which may be of use to you:

BVA guide to assessing emergency and urgent work

BVA Guidance for the vet profession

Government Business Support

BCVA Guidance for farm vets

RCVS Covid-19 Guidance

SPVS Reduced working and closures guidance

Our thanks to all these bodies for access to this material.

LOAN OF VET EQUIPMENT – Many of you have already volunteered spare medical grade which can be called into service by our Health Trusts in the most extreme circumstances. THANK YOU!

If you have any of the following to offer, please do so via the submission form that can be found HERE Please also drop [email protected] a line, sending him a screen shot of your completed submission or just letting him know what additional equipment you have offered and where you are based. 

Equipment wanted on loan:

  • ventilators
  • anaesthetic machines
  • anaesthetic monitors
  • oxygen concentrators
  • syringe drivers or drip pumps

Equipment that you would be prepared to donate:

  • PPE

URGENT APPEAL FOR RETURN OF OXYGEN CYLINDERS – BOC medical oxygen cylinders are needed during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to utilise these in hospitals. If you have empty cylinders in your practice, please return them a.s.a.p. to BOC following the protocol outlined below:

  • Email your collection requests to: [email protected]
  • Include your BOC account number
  • If you don’t know your account number then please state as much information as possible including Name of practice, Full address, Post code, Contact name, Contact telephone number (Mobile number if practice closed)
  • Agree a day to meet driver or have cylinders left out on day of collection.  They must be accessible to the driver on the agreed day.

GUIDANCE FOR FARMERS– NIVA and AVSPNI have issued guidance to farmers via farming bodies which can be accessed HERE.

Farmers’ survey – please share!

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Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) is the networking and forum body for organisations interested in the natural and built environment of Northern Ireland. NIEL have secured funding to run a survey to explore farmers’ opinions on current and future agriculture policy. They want to hear from a wide range of farmers in order to assess views on the current state of farming, problems faced and farmers’ opinions on possible future changes to agricultural policy in Northern Ireland. This survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete so please encourage your farming clients to take part
The survey can be found HERE.

Farmers’ survey – please share!

By

Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) is the networking and forum body for organisations interested in the natural and built environment of Northern Ireland. NIEL have secured funding to run a survey to explore farmers’ opinions on current and future agriculture policy. They want to hear from a wide range of farmers in order to assess views on the current state of farming, problems faced and farmers’ opinions on possible future changes to agricultural policy in Northern Ireland. This survey should take no more than 15 minutes to complete so please encourage your farming clients to take part
The survey can be found HERE.

Vet Nursing Training in NI & an associated job vacancy

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Paul Crawford attended a meeting at Greenmount last week about ongoing nurse training post. He reports that CAFRE are in advanced talks with an alternate course provider to continue the delivery of VN training at Greenmount. It is their expectation that training will continue and they are actively enrolling students to start studies in Sept 2020 with the new course being delivered over two calendar years with teaching over the summer holiday period (mainly online) of both year one and two with the aim of sitting OSCEs in the September two years after enrolment. This means that qualification may take two years and three months from September enrolment. The NPL will be replaced with the course provider’s own platform which in addition to tracking the clinical progress of the student will have information about their academic progress. The progress log section will be less prescriptive than the NPL but this will mean that more active input from the clinical coach may be required to direct the learner. It will be possible to upload a greater range of evidence simply in the new platform to demonstrate competency. The course structure is very different. There is no dedicated anatomy and physiology module for example – these elements are integrated into ‘system specific’ modules. This should improve student engagement and satisfaction especially in the early months of the course.

With regard to current vet nursing students completing C&G, there is no provision for approval of prior learning to transfer credits from the C&G course to any new course. The completion date of August 2023 should give all current students adequate time to complete unless they take an extended period away from the course. All legacy students have been spoken to and advised what they need to do to complete the remaining elements of their particular course and given time milestones to achieve everything before the C&G course ends.

ANA course – this was due to be switched to a new provider in Sept 2020 but this change may be postponed for a year to avoid re-writing two courses in one session.

As part of the drive to keep nursing training running smoothly, DAERA are seeking someone to fill temporary position.  The advert can be found on NIjobfinder HERE.
Please share this job with any interested people. The advert is suitably wide ranging in the scope of who they might accept and all the teaching and assessment tools are prepared and sitting ready to deliver. Part time and job share considered. NOTE imminent closing date!

NIVA AGM – what an evening!

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2019 NIVA President Aurelie Moralis welcomed a packed room of members at the recent NIVA Annual General Meeting, held at the Dunadry Hotel on Wednesday 12th February.  Aurelie continues as Senior Vice-President for 2020.  She thanked Hatti Dainton and Pat Hart for their service to NIVA as they step down from Council. Other formalities included the installation of Susan Cunningham as President for 2020 and the election of Mark Little as Junior Vice President. The membership endorsed Pat Hart as an Honorary Member. The full list of Council members can be found on the NIVA page of the VetNI website.
Susan encouraged members to engage with their Association, both by attending events and by offering their views when NIVA is formulating policy and response to issues such as the RCVS reviews of telemedicine, the definition of ‘under our care’, and changes to the burden of proof in disciplinary hearings.
Following the AGM Susan welcomed guest speaker Richard Moore who gave a very informative and moving talk entitled ‘Everybody had a Donkey – An introduction to the significant role equines can play in improving human physical and mental health’. NIVA welcomed many guests to this talk, welcoming further opportunities for growth of the one-health initiative.
NIVA look forward to another great year and thank Duggan Veterinary Supplies who kindly sponsored the event.

For those who would like to find out more or get involved in Equine Assisted Therapy, a list of providers can be found HERE.