May 2013

It's been an extraordinarily busy time as BEVA president over the past couple of months. We've still been dealing with the aftermath of the horsemeat crisis but this in itself, maybe a blessing in disguise.  We are working with others in the horse industry and the veterinary profession to insist on more robust horse identification, which would not only help ensure food safety but may also have the added consequence of bringing the sector, in particular, horse trading, into the 21st Century.

BEVA works hard to provide a substantial CPD programme every year, which culminates in our annual congress in September.  This years congress is in Manchester, one of the most vibrant and welcoming cities in the UK.  The social programme is second-to-none and our annual dinner is being held in The Monastery - a fabulous restored Franciscan monastery.  Fran Henson, the chair of our CPD committee, Tim Mair, BEVA council member and eminent veterinary surgeon and I have been working hard on a new project for our CPD for 2014.  This is an exciting time for BEVA's CPD programme and we hope to publish further information on this at congress, in Manchester.   

We're working on a project to examine the risk of injury to vets working in equine practice.  This is post-doctoral level research with the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow. Funding is not fully in place for it yet, but we are hoping for support from the RCVS and our charitable arm, thje BEVA trust.  It’s likely to involve a web based survey, topped up with student stewards gathering data at congress from those members who fail to respond. This project has real value for our members - one only has to examine the horrific injury list of injuries which we received from three members of BEVA council, to see just what a hidden problem this is for vets working with horses.

Keith Chandler

BEVA President

February 2013

It's been a busy month!  January started quite serenely but in February, things just took a different tack!

Clearly the most challenging issue to be involved with recently has been the issues surrounding the horsemeat scandal.  This has encompassed questions relating to labelling in the human food chain, but more importantly to BEVA, it has put the equine industry and veterinary profession under the spotlight with regard to a broad range of subjects including medicines, passports, microchipping and the National Equine Database.  We have taken intense media enquiries which has been handled well by all involved and has shown how effective the BEVA Chief Executive role can be in managing our team of officers and spokespersons.  Although we are rarely inundated with so many calls from the media, it is important that all our officers have attended recent media training and that our office staff understand how to handle enquiries.  

The LANTRA national occupation standards for EDTs were published this month, but excluding the Category-2 procedures.  For me, this has been a frustrating process, but one which makes my even more determined to push for an exemption order for EDTs to try and finalise the issue for the sake of consumers, our colleagues in the BAEDT and of the course our patients!  We have met Richard Drummond (deputy director of DEFRA) and the BVA regarding the minor procedures project board and how this may lead to an EO.  We also considered approaching the AHWBE directly decided against that at this stage.  We still do have the option of writing directly to DEFRA to pursue it, but we’ll take the project-board route in the meantime. 

A meeting with the RCVS president and Tim Morris regarding firing/thermocautery was useful in getting a lie-of-the-land from the RCVS.  We are having a meeting of proponents of the technique next month, to see if there’s a way forward.

In terms of medicines, Mark Bowen and I have written to Veterinary Record regarding the successful implementation of a new policy at EVJ on the use of protected antimicrobials as well as highlighting our guidance for members in the area of antimicrobial resistance. 

I have used the presidency to raise the profile of BEVA in Scotland.  This has been relatively simple given the lower population and direct access to government here.  I have also met with Stuart Earley, CEO of the SSPCA and have joined the, newly established, Scottish Horse Racing Welfare Group, as a BEVA representative.  

Having a fab time representing our membership.  It's hard work but very rewarding and made easier by having a great team of committed people in our office and throughout our association.

Keith Chandler 21st February.

January 2013

BEVA has been working with lantra, the BVA and the BVDA for the last six months to develop national occupation standards for equine dental technicians.  These NOS are a useful and practical stepping-stone to the development of an exemption order, to enable EDTs to practice legally.  After pages of paper and hours of work, the NOS have been agreed and signed off by the veterinary and the EDT organisations, however it now looks like these can't be published because some of the techniques we'd like to deregulate to EDTs are essentially illegal.  Whilst it feels like all that effort as been in vain, we hope to use this to pressure the minor procedure project board at DEFRA to hasten the implementation of an exemption order.  We would also prefer a situation where anyone (including those who practice category 1 procedures) have to be trained and qualified to do so.

I had the pleasure of meeting those behind the new veterinary school at Surrey yesterday.  We do have some real concerns about the oversupply of veterinary surgeons in equine practice and whilst I made this clear to them yesterday, there is no getting away from the vision and determination of the Surrey team to produce high quality veterinary graduates for veterinary practice.  Whether a new veterinary school is required in the UK is open to debate.  

I had an interesting meeting with the RCVS and the BHA about the firing of horses' tendons before Christmas and BEVA is planning to get some practitioners of thermocautery around a table to discuss the future of the procedure.  

K.Chandler

BEVA President

Our quarterly Board and Policy meetings were last week at BEVA HQ in Fordham.  These meetings are vital to the work which BEVA undertakes and that came on the back of a trip to lantra in Stoneleigh to discuss the national occupational standards for EDTs.  For some time, we have championed the efforts of the BAEDT in providing professional dental services within the context of a proposed exemption order to deregulate some dental procedures to non-vets and the current work with lantra is a step in that direction.

I am currently at the AAEP congress in California.  The AAEP is an important commercial and political partner for BEVA.  Their congress has a similar in scope to BEVA congress and has coexisting clinical streams for general practitioners and a vast commercial exhibition.  Breakfast meetings at 7am for international attendees or those of a strong Christian faith, with lectures from 8am are novel and would certainly be a struggle for most attendees at BEVA congress given our extensive social programme!

The RCVS forewarned us of a letter they are sending to the Vet Times regarding orthopaedic firing, this week.  Whilst we didn't agree with their decision to publish, they did ameliorate the letter on our advice.  Firing has been a contentious subject for some years now and, even with the RCVS 'ban' in-place many of members feel that this therapy has some merit.  We defend veterinary surgeons' right to use the treatment they feel to be in the best interests of the horse, whilst also recognising that there are a range of therapies for the treatment of tendonitis, some of which have a greater claim of efficacy.  What was apparent today, at the World Horse Welfare conference in London, was that there are greater equine welfare concerns out-there, other than tendon firing which merit our attention.

Congress 2013 planning is marching on at full pelt.  Sandy Love is the chair of the congress committee and is putting together an excellent programme for our annual congress in Manchester.  The organisation of congress has evolved over the years, as BEVA itself has grown and changed.  Each subject area at congress now has a 'guardian' and these guardians suggest session chairs and speakers under the supervision of Sandy.  On a lighter note we've also been reviewing the band for the annual BEVA dinner and the venue; we've even lined up a few venues to look at when council meets in the city early in December.

It was refreshing to meet the Head of School at the University of Edinburgh this week, David Argyle.  David has had an exceptionally successful career and he has a strong vision for the profession and veterinary teaching.  Clearly a very busy man, I was afforded exactly 60 minutes of his time at his smart new top-floor office at Easter Bush.

Great to be home after BVA congress.  It's clear to anyone that this congress needs to change, although, personally, I just don't feel comfortable with the BVA linking up with the London Vet Show, when there are species divisions and its own member organisations which could have provided this service equally well. This was discussed at a meeting with the presidents of the BCVA, SPVS and BSAVA where we discussed how best to deal with this pressing issue amongst others. 

The annual BVA dinner was a opportunity to bend-the-ear of the RCVS president and make some plans.  Jacqui was very positive and helpful - such a breath of fresh air.  At my table was the CVO for England, the BVA president, the RCVS president, an ex-CVO and the Lord Trees; which all felt just a bit too much as the wine took its toll on my already tired and overcooked mind.

MacBeth. Give me your favour: my dull mind was wrought with things forgotten