The story so far...

BEVA continues to go from strength to strength.  But it isn’t resting on its laurels. Many issues are looming, especially as the economic downturn continues, with double dip recession and no growth in the national economy for several years yet. Many practices, including my own, are using this period to regroup, streamline costs, develop marketing strategies and generally review their position. Most equine practices are experiencing good and bad months, but, overall, fee income, competition from online pharmacies and competition has hit less than envisaged. Much of this is due to improved, and more attention to, management: from HR, forecasting, and savvy purchasing to zoning, pay-at-time and debt control.  BEVA sojourned into practice management CPD with a two day management course, in the luxurious surroundings of a luxury hotel in the Forest of Arden with golf, spa, wine tasting and course dinner included. Similarly, there will be a practice management afternoon at Congress on the Friday, a taster for partners, directors, senior assistants, budding entrepreneurs and the increasingly specialised equine practice managers.

As BEVA president, I attend the Congresses (well at least the dinners and awards’ ceremonies) of our fellow BVA specialist divisions. This includes the BVA (London, September), the BCVA (Southport, November), the VPMA (Kenilworth, January), the BSAVA (Birmingham, April) and the SPVS (London, May). In addition, I have attended the AAEP (Texas, November) and CEVA (Bologna, February). BEVA immediate past president Deidre Carson had a great trip to the Cape for SAEVA Congress. Sadly I felt it prudent to turn down the Bane Fallon Australian equine congress invite to Brisbane in July. I would like to thank the presidents of these Associations for their generosity and kindness during their hectic schedule at these events. I look forward to seeing many of them at the ICC in Birmingham in September where BEVA will host international, specialist division and past presidents meetings – to discuss and act on the state of our profession on a national, European and global scale.

Liaison within our small, threatened profession is essential. Perhaps the veterinary politicians do talk too much when action is required! BEVA officers have had joint officers’ meetings with the RCVS and the BSAVA this spring and liaison with the BVA is frequent. Since the RCVS’s confusing stance on “thermocautery” in their November newsletter, BEVA Council has debated firing and we have taken our views to the RCVS. We await their response. Similarly concerns about sports/leisure horse insurance have led to meetings with brokers and underwriters. Detailed vet and client guidelines will soon be available to download on the BEVA website. Insurers have often made losses in the equine market and the enforcement of exclusions, compliance with history submission and other policy criteria is now strict – vets, and particularly their clients (the insured) need to be aware of this. However, the insurers need to understand that £5,000 vets’ fees don’t go far in 2012, and that it is not due to increased fees, but increased veterinary technology, knowledge, capability as well as owner expectations.

Meanwhile, BEVA has submitted responses to RCVS consultations on Specialisation, Performance Protocol, and Northern Irish ones on the DARD equine welfare code and the (agricultural) status of the horse. BEVA regularly meets with defra, AHVLA, the VMD. We have excellent input into the new government “Big Society” Animal Health and Welfare Board for England through the executive Board members (the Chief Veterinary Officer and his deputy) and the non-execs Tim Morris and Mark Tufnell. BEVA is an observer at the British Horse Industry Confederation, attended by David Mountford, and the Equine Health and Welfare Strategy Group (chaired by Paul Jepson and attended by me and Roly Owers). James Wood, Roly, Paul and myself also attend a government/industry liaison group – the Disease Coalition. BEVA has also met with representative of the allied musculoskeletal professionals to determine their criteria for our “approval”. Defra is setting up a Project Board on Exemption Orders for paraprofessionals under the Veterinary Surgeons’ Act – and there will be steering groups on EDTs and AI technicians led by BEVA and the BVA.

In Scotland the Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary is pre-consulting on livery yard, dealer, stud and sanctuary licensing and/or registration. This has been driven by the Equine Establishment Working Party, a joint industry group chaired by BEVA to look into such secondary legislation enabled by the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (Animal Health and Welfare Act (Scotland) 2006). All Scottish BEVA members (over 100) have been asked to respond directly to the pre-consultation. Inspection of “commercial” livery yards, dealers and sanctuaries can only benefit equine welfare, in a similar way to the current riding establishments, but with earned recognition. However, it is unlikely that the majority of inspections will be carried out by approved bodies’ trained inspectors on an earned recognition basis. Registration of all equine premises is already law in Ireland and France, however, enforcement is an issue. Although this would be of massive benefit in endemic and exotic disease control, we must be wary of other implications.

One of the issues that is drawing a strong (and varied) response from all BEVA members is that of death, injury and euthanasia in racing, eventing and competition. The live TV death (from a CV catastrophe) of Beijing Olympic champion Hickstead in the ring of an international showjumping competition Italy, then five fatalities at Cheltenham, and, above all, the loss of Synchronised and According to Pete in the Grand National has made this a developing, major and complex conundrum. The Competition Catastrophe Spring Workshop in Newbury, attended by 60 members, helped concentrate the mind on this matter. BEVA have discussed whether a network of media-savvy vets should be developed – like the renowned AAEP system in the USA. However, the British media are somewhat more critical and seek controversy more than in the USA. Meanwhile the racecourses and large event organisers are acutely aware of the importance of media liaison and have their own systems in place. BEVA member Chris Proudman did an excellent job at Aintree, but even the racecourses can’t dictate who the producer puts in front of the camera. No-one is criticising the excellent, immediate and expert veterinary care that is given to horses trackside, ringside and afterwards. Meanwhile, BEVA and the Association of Racecourse Veterinary Surgeons (ARVS) are jointly talking to the racecourse owners’ association, the BHA, the FEI, the BEF and others to assure them that we are here if needed. I did a radio interview on the two horse deaths at Bramham only this week. After presenting “a jump too far” at the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation Forum (attended by MPs and journalists) in London last month, I realise the level of concern with our sporting practices even within our own profession. It is important that equine vets concentrate on what they can do – deliver extraordinary veterinary medical care - whilst considering how this appears to others in this multimedia, instant comment, public-sees-all world.

All these issues are significant and important to large swathes of our membership. Daily Current Affairs sessions at Congress will include debates on firing, insurance and the current situation with respect to paraprofessionals. Naturally, Congress will primarily be about science  – with 3 days of 5 streams of world class CPD to educate, stimulate and inspire you – along with the biggest trade exhibition yet and the opportunity to socialise and, indeed, party with friends and colleagues. I look forward to seeing you there.