I’ve spent a lot of time over the last few months thinking about the challenges that the veterinary profession and the wider world face. Practices are very busy; many still seeing clients outside or separate from their animals; there are workforce shortages caused by Brexit and the pandemic; more animals have been taken on during the pandemic and may now be given up again. It’s a tough situation and you have my profound sympathy.

This has been compounded by Brexit shortages in our supermarkets, shortage of CO2 and other problems.

I’ve also spent the summer speaking to lots of clever people about the environment in our Regenerative podcast series. These people have inspired me to continue with all The Webinar Vet does

1. Plant trees when new members join or locums sign up on our payroll service

2. Offset our carbon via the EcoOffset service

3. Provide veterinary webinars so that people can save travel miles to the benefit of the planet- probably over 10,000,000 miles since inception

4. Plant a wildflower meadow at work

5. Get the word out there with our regeneration podcast

One of our podcasters, Richard Scott from the Eden Project has donated 10 packs of seed from my local Rimrose Valley meadow for those practices who are considering planting a wildflower meadow at work. Your actions as leaders of your communities are noticed by people who may follow your example. I’d love to see some more beautiful meadows blooming next summer because of your commitment now. Email [email protected] if you are up for it and the first 10 will receive some seeds. It’s worth listening to Richard’s podcast or please ask my advice. I’ve learnt a lot this year also consulting on my wife’s rewilding project at her primary school.

COP26 is happening in early November and I am going to be there to see how we vets can make a difference. We have a key role to play and I see the degradation of the environment as a real existential threat! So much so that I am asking for people to nominate me to the Government for one of the 13 COP26 ambassadors. It’s so important we have a vet as one of the ambassadors and if you think I’d be suitable, I’d love you to propose me!

https://together-for-our-planet.ukcop26.org/onestepgreener/

Within all the difficulties that we face in the profession at the moment, it is easy to lose sight of bigger problems in the world like the climate emergency. Please do email your local MP and encourage him to put pressure on our government to not only host but also to lead the debate on climate change. It really is a critical time.

There is a danger that you will think that I’m spending too much time thinking about the environment and not enough on trying to do our bit to make life easier for the community. I’ve been working very hard with our recruitment/payroll business, Simply Vets to sort out the main problem in our profession now, the workforce shortage. Unfortunately, no single business can sort this problem but I do believe that our use of tech to bring practices and locums together will be a big help.

We are looking to develop strong ties with another 250 practices. We already provide training and recruitment assistance to 250 practices and we have space for another 250 who with the extra help of permanents and locums will then be able to keep up to date with their compulsory training in the most time-efficient way possible- using our own on-demand video platform at The Webinar Vet as well as the live webinars.

Brexit and the pandemic have led to a shortage of vets and nurses. This will take a long time to sort. Simply Vet can’t help everyone, but we are encouraging our nearly 100 locums to take their training seriously. If you are working in practice, locums or new permanent vets will want to work in a practice that takes training seriously. We know that CPD is seen as a positive stressor. The successful practices will be those who are fully staffed; use ancillary staff sensibly to take weight off their vets and nurses and take training seriously. If you are working in one of those practices, feel free to email [email protected] to have an exploratory chat.

I’m keen to help sort your recruitment problem if you have one

Take care

Anthony