Here at the BSAVA we don’t just follow the news, we help to make it with our leading research journal JSAP, monthly membership magazine companion and our range of regional and nationally run veterinary CPD courses. There is a great deal happening at the BSAVA and to keep you in the know, we have launched a new section on the website for archived e-newsletters.

The start of 2010 marks another year of BSAVA membership, the Association that exists to promote excellence in small animal practice through education and science. Members of the BSAVA benefit from the widest range of resources on offer and get huge discounts on Congress, CPD and Manuals.
 

FECAVA, the Federation of European Companion Animal Veterinary Associations, of which BSAVA is a constituent member, has become increasingly concerned about the standards of hygiene in veterinary practices and the growing incidence of multi-resistant organisms associated with the excessive and imprudent use of antimicrobials.

This completely NEW publication will be launched at BSAVA Veterinary Congress 2010 and is the latest great member benefit to complement the BSAVA Small Animal Formulary.  Members who have renewed their membership by Congress will be able to collect their FREE copy from the BSAVA Membership stand on the NIA Balcony.  Those members unable to attend BSAVA Congress 2010 will receive their copy by the end of May.

'The Pet Obesity Task Force (POTF) is an independent think-tank formed with the objective of reducing the prevalence of pet obesity in the UK( see www.petobesitytaskforce.co.uk). Currently, as part of scoping project, a survey is being conducted into thoughts and insights surrounding pet obesity. The results of this survey will be presented at BSAVA Congress 2010 which takes place in Birmingham between the 8th and 11th April 2010. The research will feed into a much larger programme aimed at reducing pet obesity.

As just one of your many BSAVA member benefits and as part of a special ongoing discount, the WPA are pleased to offer BSAVA Members a special 10% ongoing discount* on their NHS health top-up plan.

By now we hope that you know that GrapeVINe is. If not please visit the GrapeVINe pages of this website here for more information. Beyond the current offerings for new graduates, our plan is to provide a growing list of GrapeVINe features for all BSAVA Members. The first of which will be online rounds.

Subscriptions for 2010 are due from 1 January. Here are some key dates and benefit reminders that make early payment a good idea:

Members – visit the membership page to access the series of client handouts, forms and questionnaires from the BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Behavioural Medicine, 2nd edition.

Consultation on the RCVS Review of Veterinary Nursing Awards 2009 Summary of the BSAVA response - Some of the proposed changes are very welcomed, specifically the loss of the portfolio and the simplification of the assessor structure. The Association supports the move towards increased online submission recognising that this remains “work in progress”. The concept of branches of training practices which themselves (the branch) would not qualify as TP’s being adopted as auxiliary practices would be positive as it would allow some of the experience gained at the branch location to count towards the training. However it is important that we do not allow completely distinct non TP practices to essentially train nurses and then send them to an approved centre for “topping up”. The bulk of training needs to occur in a TP with the minority occurring in auxiliary facilities.

Make sure that your colleagues get the recognition that they deserve, but hurry, as there are only a few days left to submit your nominations. Each year, the BSAVA presents awards during a special and coveted ceremony on the Thursday of Congress. For Congress 2010, this takes place on Thursday 8 April, in the ICC, Birmingham, UK. The awards are in recognition of the contributions made by individuals working in the field of small animal medicine and surgery. The Awards Committee which compromises the Presidents of the BSAVA, RCVS and BVA together with the chairmen of the BSAVA’s Scientific and Publications Committees meet every December to consider nominations for Awards and the Committee cannot make nominations itself and therefore rely on the BSAVA membership putting forward names for consideration.

This consultation is on amendments to legislation to allow vaccination of badgers against bovine tuberculosis by non-veterinary surgeons. This consultation is seeking views on Defra’s proposal to amend legislation to allow the vaccination of badgers against tuberculosis to be carried out by persons other than veterinary surgeons.

The RCVS Council invited comments on new proposals for bringing the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 up to date. BSAVA members were asked for their thoughts and comments and to submit them to the BSAVA Honorary Secretary, Alison Speakman by the 14th October. These responses were then collated and submitted to the RCVS for consideration.

The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) has issued a proposal for an additional distribution category for authorised veterinary medicinal products (POM-EA). The BSAVA and BVA have been working closely together, primarily through the BVA Medicines Group (on which BSAVA sits), to communicate with the profession and develop a response to these proposals. In particular, the BSAVA has obviously been keen to ensure that any response takes into consideration the potential impact on companion animals and ensure there is a recognition that despite appearing to be aimed primarily at the large animal sector, the proposed changes are of just as much relevance to small animals.

Applications are invited for the 2010 Frank Beattie Travel Scholarship Award. The scholarship was established in 1988 in memory of Frank Beattie, a well respected veterinary surgeon and a long-standing member of the BSAVA. It is awarded annually from a generous gift given by Frank’s widow, Annie. The scholarship, worth £2000, is to help a BSAVA member to undertake a trip abroad to study a particular aspect of veterinary practice. The award is only open to BSAVA members engaged in clinical practice.  This includes clinicians in University centres.

My BSAVA gives you the ability to manage your account online. Here you can benefit from a range of online services, update your account details and profile information, pay your subscriptions (when due), join the BSAVA and complete your online purchases. Have you moved? Changed email address? This is your manageable area of the site, which will help us to keep you in the know. So even if you haven’t recently changed address, visit the My BSAVA area under the Membership section today and check your details.

There is always so much happening at the BSAVA. Members, registered users and visitors to this site can read about the latest events, courses, consultation offers and veterinary news by regular visits online. Our huge range of veterinary resources including the latest manuals, journals, directories and MP3 recordings will help you develop your knowledge and career.

The RCVS Council is inviting comments on new proposals for bringing the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 up to date. BSAVA members can take part in the process by sending their views on the act to the BSAVA Honorary Secretary, Alison Speakman, secretary@bsava.com, and should be received no later than 14 October 2009.

Please find information below about a consultation on a new Manual for the Practice Standards Scheme, which includes new standards and a revised layout. The Manual is available at www.rcvs.org.uk/consultations and comments are welcomed before 31 August 2009.

 The Animal Health Act 2002 requires that the contingency plans for Foot and Mouth Disease, Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease are reviewed annually and where appropriate updated, before being laid before Parliament.

The RCVS awards in veterinary nursing, which lead to qualification for the Register, are shortly to be reviewed. These awards are due for national re-accreditation in August 2010. Accordingly, the RCVS is seeking the views of the major stakeholders in veterinary nurse training and education in order that the RCVS Awarding Body can develop new awards that best meet the needs of both employers and the institutions that deliver training. Additionally, the RCVS shall be sharing information with Lantra that will assist in the review of the veterinary nursing National Occupational Standards to ensure that these remain a valid benchmark to inform qualification as a veterinary nurse.

RCVS’s current review of extra-mural studies (EMS) has been prompted by a number of issues and the BVA has been very much involved in the process. Since the last major review in 1995, there have been significant changes in the UK higher education system: changes to the content and structure of the veterinary curriculum, to the number and organisation of veterinary schools as well as the introduction of increased tuition fees, adding to increasing levels of student and graduate debt. Revised requirements and guidelines for EMS were published by RCVS in 2005, introducing greater flexibility into EMS programmes, but the basic concept of EMS has remained essentially unchanged for many years.

With experience in the regions, publications and finance at the BSAVA, Richard Dixon has built a wealth of knowledge about the Association to take into his presidential year.

You are invited to the SPVS/BVA/BSAVA/RCVS Final Year Student Seminar which takes place at Lancaster University, 3-6 September, 2009. This event is timed to coincide with your entry into the final phase of your academic training and designed to help you in a myriad of ways to find, enjoy and succeed in your first job.

BSAVA has negotiated a 10% discount for all members with WPA – an award-winning not-for-profit health insurer with a heritage of over 100 years.