Survey of VET profession to feed into BVA CONGRESS session
As the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Survey of the Veterinary Profession offers a snapshot of today’s UK veterinary landscape, BVA Congress will be discussing the trends identified in the report and considering how the profession should respond and adapt for a healthy veterinary future.
‘The state of the veterinary profession, where are we now?’ will take place as part of BVA Congress at London Vet Show on Thursday 20 November. The debate will be chaired by former SPVS President Adi Nell in a Question Time style featuring panellists from across the profession each bringing different perspectives.
Ahead of the session the RCVS survey findings will be complemented by fresh findings from the second BVA Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey on career progression and opportunities for vets.
Commenting on the RCVS survey findings, BVA President Robin Hargreaves said:
“Once again the RCVS survey of the veterinary profession makes fascinating reading and it is valuable fresh data for our discussion at BVA Congress.
“A decline in vets employed in mixed practice coupled with an increase in those employed in small animal and exotic work suggests a continuing trend towards specialisation both in careers and practice structure.
“It is no surprise to see an increasingly female profession given the student gender ratios and the higher numbers of older male vets meaning a greater proportion of retiring vets are male.
“The increasing proportion of female vets seems to have driven the on-going trend for more part-time working. It is interesting to note in this survey that the number of male vets working part time has doubled suggesting that perhaps men are starting to see newer ways of working and balancing family life or other pursuits.
“The halving of the number of equity partners amongst responders would seem to illustrate a rapid change in the way practices are owned and run.
“It is a concern to see an increase in the proportion of vets taking a period of time to secure their first employment from 13.6 to 17.8 per cent. There is also a widespread view from respondents that too many undergraduate places are being created for the likely future work available and BVA is looking very closely at this complicated area of future supply and demand.
“On the other hand it is encouraging to see that the majority of vets plan to stay in the profession and that the unemployment rate amongst registered veterinary surgeons is very low.
“All of the available data will inform our Congress session and we will use the discussion as an opportunity to take stock. We will look at what the profession needs to do to respond to the various trends and consider areas where we need to adapt our current approach. No doubt we’ll get a good discussion going and everyone attending London Vet Show is welcome to take part.”
BVA Congress sessions are open to all London Vet Show delegates, as are the BVA farm and equine streams. The full BVA at LVS programme is available at http://www.bva.co.uk/londonvetshow.
