The earlier post about ketamine rescheduling has been superseded. The latest advice from VMD tells us that, although the ketamine changes were supposed to be coming in UK-wide, as the amendment to the Misuse of Drugs legislation hasn’t yet come into effect in Northern Ireland, the changes re. ketamine have not yet come into force here.   A ketamine register and secure storage is still required, but it is an RCVS requirement as part of vets’ Professional Code of Conduct (section 4.35).  It is also a requirement under the Practice Standards Scheme.  The VMD do recommend that ketamine is stored and transported securely and that a CD register is maintained but until the NI amendment comes in, this is a recommendation rather than a legal requirement. If you have any further queries please address them to j.catterall@vmd.defra.gsi.gov.uk

New guidance has been published by RCVS.  You can access it here.

Sheena Warman is eminently well qualified to deliver a talk on “Bleeding Disorders” for AVSPNI. She is a Senior Clinical Fellow in Small Animal Medicine at the University of Bristol in the UK and spent 4 years in mixed practice before undertaking a residency in Small Animal Medicine and Intensive Care at the University of Bristol.  She gained RCVS and ECVIM Diplomas in Small Animal Medicine in 2004 and will deliver a lecture to NI vets and nurses at VSSCo on 3rd December which will incorporate a brief review of the pathophysiology and causes of bleeding disorders in dogs and cats and case-based discussion of the diagnosis and management of such cases.  The evening is open to vets and nurses (nurses places are limited so register early!)  Full details are on the flyer.  E-mail info@vetni.co.uk to secure your place.

Please see most recent post on this topic . . . this one has been superseded by NEW ADVICE from VMD.  We have been asked by VMD to remind you all that the rescheduling of ketamine to Schedule 2 takes effect from 30 November 2015. In due course, information should appear on the DHSSP (www.dhsspsni.gov.uk) website regarding this, at which point, please make your own investigations at to see exactly how changes will affect you. My (layman’s) understanding is that in a nutshell, each bottle needs its own register (a bound book); stock must be locked in a non-portable container and of course there are strict guidelines re. disposal of product and syringe wastage. This is applicable to each and every bottle so if you keep stocks in your vehicle, please ensure that you comply, especially re. non-portable container.  We have been promised a FAQ sheet from VMD on this subject and will make this available via this website as soon as we have it.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) launched the new Practice Standards Scheme (PSS) on 20 November 2015 to the veterinary and veterinary nursing professions.  It is now open for applications for both practice accreditations and the brand new system of PSS awards.

The new Scheme is all about offering a pathway to improvement for practices of all shapes and sizes that want to aspire to excellence, and then highlighting these achievements to the animal-owning public in a way that is clear and easy to understand.  Over half of all veterinary practice premises in the UK are already RCVS-accredited. The main changes to the Scheme, which was established in 2005, have been based on feedback from the profession and input from the Practice Standards Group (PSG), with the dual aims of making it more accessible for those practices which aren’t yet PSS members, and even more rewarding for those who are already accredited.

Whilst retaining the existing accreditation levels across small animal, equine and farm animal practices (current RCVS-accredited practices will be automatically transferred to the new Scheme), a new modular structure helps to make the Scheme more flexible and ensure all types of veterinary practice – from ambulatory services to veterinary hospitals – can join. This structure also recognises the contributions of the whole practice team, helping to raise standards across the board.  Once accredited, practices can now apply for a range of optional awards that focus on outcomes and behaviours in specific areas, such as ‘In-patient Service’, ‘Team and Professional Responsibility’ and ‘Client Service’.

As an introductory offer, the RCVS is now inviting applications from practices that would be willing to help with a final round of testing of the new Scheme, to be in with a chance to win one of 20 free assessment days, worth £350. The offer is open from 20 November until Friday 4 December, and the first 20 practices drawn at random on 7 December will be allocated the free assessments.

Full details about the draw, the new Scheme and how to apply for accreditation and/or awards are available at www.rcvs.org.uk/newpss

 

Leading health organisations call for proper use of antibiotics.
Leading human and animal health organisations – the British Medical Association (BMA), British Dental Association (BDA), British Veterinary Association (BVA) and Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) – join forces for the first time to promote a ‘One Health’ approach to ensure responsible guardianship of antibiotics and their proper public use this European Antibiotics Awareness Day (EAAD, 18 November 2015).

Antibiotics are a vital medicine for both animal and human health, and modern health systems rely on the availability and effectiveness of a range of antimicrobials to treat and prevent infections. Yet inappropriate use – such as prescribing for self-limiting infections, not finishing a prescribed course of antibiotics or habitual prophylactic use in healthy animals to prevent disease – all contribute to the development of resistant bacteria in both humans and animals.

The effectiveness of antibiotics has led to greater pressure from patients to be prescribed antibiotics as a panacea for all cases. According to a recent BVA survey, three out of five vets see clients who expect antibiotics to treat their pets. Yet despite the expectation to prescribe, there is still a lack of understanding about responsible antibiotic use with 70% of vets reporting poor owner compliance and a recent study showing nearly 6% of households with leftover antibiotics prescribed for humans, meaning patients had stopped their treatment early.

For further information about EAAD 2015, please visit www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/EAAD
To mark EAAD 2015, BVA has produced a range of new posters to promote the responsible use of antibiotics for use in veterinary practices or as a source of information for pet owners which can be found on their website www.bva.co.uk/eaad.

 

Below is a link from  SPVS for the salary survey. This is a survey for all practice employees and partners if they wish anybody who replies will get a full set of results back. The finished results give a break down of salaries paid to vets , nurses , receptionists and practice managers broken down in a number of ways , region / years qualified / type of work they are doing etc. It also has a section on extras i.e. cpd allowances pension and etc.

The results are of great insight to both employers and employees looking to hire or be hired!! Of course the means , averages and median values take on more significance the more people that reply from each region. It only takes 4 to 5 minutes.

Your response would be appreciated. 
http://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/SPVSsal2015/