We hope you’ll agree that the CPD and value for money offered here are second to none. If you haven’t been to the AVSPNI Autumn Conference before, do join us – there is something for all vets and it really is quite unlike any other vet conference!
Download brochure here
Download print and post registration form here
On-line registration will be available shortly.
From the BVA:
President of the British Veterinary Association Sean Wensley said:
“The UK’s decision to leave the European Union will have a significant impact on matters of interest to the veterinary profession, particularly in relation to regulation, education, and workforce planning, but also in terms of animal welfare, research, surveillance, and animal movements.
“BVA will work hard to ensure the voice of the veterinary profession is heard during the negotiation and discussions that will now begin, in order to secure the best possible outcomes for our profession and for animal health and welfare in the UK. The Vet Futures report provides an excellent summary of issues we need to consider in those discussions, and the Vet Futures Action Plan, due to be launched at the Vet Futures Summit on 4 July, outlines key initiatives that we need to take forward, albeit with revised timelines while the full impact of Brexit is determined.
“BVA will retain an outward looking and inclusive perspective through our relationships with international partners, including the Federation of Veterinarians for Europe (FVE), Commonwealth Veterinary Association (CVA) and World Veterinary Association (WVA) to ensure the UK veterinary profession continues to influence and engage on cross border issues such as disease surveillance, veterinary medicines and antimicrobial resistance.”
From the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons:
“We note that the results of the referendum are to leave the European Union and will now be closely following the negotiations between our Government and the EU.
“These negotiations are expected to take a minimum of two years. It is difficult to say at this stage how the vote will affect current arrangements, such as the Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive (MRPQ) that allows European vets to practise in the UK and vice-versa, and it is likely to be some time before we know.
“Needless to say, we will be working with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) to minimise any disruption from the transition process. As always, we will work to maintain and increase the UK’s high standards of veterinary care and animal welfare.”
Are you aware that DARD has trained Mentoring teams in each Divisional office to assist you with queries?
Teams of between 1-3 VOs and support staff who work in Customer Services Branch from each division were trained recently with the aim of being able to assist you or find answers to your queries when you are understandably perplexed by some certification requirements.
Training was part lecture and part computer-based. Staff logged on to eAVI and TRACES and could see what is involved in generating a certificate from an AVI perspective. It is not expected that staff would be fully conversant with all problems that might arise during certification. They do have an overview of the systems involved and should be able to find an answer and reply to you within a reasonable length of time. They were reminded, as are AVIs, to always check the Notes for Guidance associated with each certificate as these often resolve a lot of queries.
Further information can be found here.
AHWNI have organised 6 dates for vets, farmers and other interested parties to discuss the BVD Eradication Programme’s progression from its voluntary phase to compulsory. The dates are all on the VetNI Events page and vets in mixed practice are encouraged to attend a meeting convenient to them.
More information on the Programme can be found here.
On Thursday 11th February, Anita Patel will deliver a talk on feline pyoderma and other unusual and newly discovered cat conditions . If Anita’s biography left you unsure as to her suitability to deliver this course, then her authorship of Saunders Solutions in Veterinary Practice: Small Animal Dermatology should dispel any lingering doubts! Full details can be found on the flyer. To reserve your place, e-mail [email protected]
We are grateful to Tamsin and Bayer for their generous support of this event.
STOP PRESS! This meeting is now FULLY BOOKED. If you have registered and we have acknowledged your registration, your place is obviously secure. If you had hoped to attend but hadn’t yet registered, you can submit your name and mobile number to [email protected] w.r.t. this meeting – if a space becomes available we will ring/text to let you know – otherwise please don’t set off “on the off chance”. The maximum numbers at VSSCo are non-negotiable – if all who have registered turn up we will have to turn “walk-ins” away. Similarly if you have registered but now find that you can’t attend, please let the VetNI office know as soon as possible so that we can re-allocate your place.
As promised, following the two Supplier Open Days held 20th and 21st January, DARD have made the slideshow and also the Q&As available online. If you are currently TB testing in NI and have further questions regarding the new contract and procurement procedure, drop us a line at [email protected] and we will pass your query on to DARD.
The link to the slideshow and Q&As is here.
Almost 700 veterinary nurses were removed from the Register of Veterinary Nurses at the beginning of this year as a result of not renewing their registration with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS). Some 692 veterinary nurses had their names removed from the Register on 1 January 2016, although 205 subsequently applied to have their name restored to the Register.
A number of communications were sent to registered veterinary nurses last year to remind them that their annual renewal was due – including via email, text, letter, in RCVS News and
Nicola South, Customer Experience Manager and Head of Registration at the RCVS, said: “Veterinary nurses must renew their registration by the end of every year because, if their name is removed from the Register, they will no longer be able to perform acts of minor surgery or medical treatment as defined under Schedule 3 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act. Furthermore, the restoration fee is £51, this is in addition to the annual renewal fee of £61 for veterinary nurses, so it represents a significant extra cost.”
The RCVS recommends that practices carry out checks to ensure that veterinary nurses they employ are on the Register. A list of those who have been removed from the Register can be found at www.rcvs.org.uk/registration/about-the-vn-register/
Employers, veterinary nurses and others can also use the online Check the Register search tool which is updated daily.
Those who have been removed from the Register of Veterinary Nurses and who wish to apply to be restored can do so by contacting the RCVS Registration Department on 020 7202 0707 or
[email protected]
We know there are a few veterinary Luddites out there who, whilst willing and eager to develop their clinical skills are still reluctant to engage with the digital age as far as communication is concerned. If you know who we are talking about (!!) please flag up to them that RCVS is sending out renewals by e-mail this year. Also, if you want to simplify the renewal process by setting up a direct debit, you need to let the College have your DD mandate by 22nd January. Further information can be found here.
Love ’em or loathe ’em, you can be sure they will be brought into your surgery at some point. If you need to brush up on a few basics in reptile health, husbandry, therapeutics and treatment, AVSPNI has just the evening meeting for you! Bairbre O’Malley quite literally wrote the book on the subject so who better to help you treat exotics more confidently? For full details, see the flyer.
