Seven of our vets and vet nurses are speaking at world’s biggest pet-only vet conference

Today marks the beginning of BSAVA Congress – one of the most eagerly-anticipated dates in the veterinary calendar.

It’s the world’s biggest pet-only vet conference and it attracts thousands of delegates. This year more than 100 international experts will deliver 450 hours of lectures over four days of simultaneous sessions.

Among them are seven vets and vet nurses from Vets Now – who are speaking on 14 separate occasions.

They include clinical support manager Louise O’Dwyer, emergency and critical care specialist Dan Lewis, and advanced practitioner in small animal surgery, Paul Aldridge.

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Other Vets Now clinicians on the lecture programme are Laura Black, head of health, safety and wellbeing, head of Edge programmes Aoife Reid, and Laura Playforth, who is our head of veterinary standards.

Also speaking is clinical director Amanda Boag, as part of her role as president of the RCVS.

“This demonstrates the incredible levels of expertise in our business,” said Laura Playforth, who joined Vets Now 12 years ago and is responsible for driving clinical and professional standards across Vets Now’s out-of-hours clinics.

“As an organisation, we’re committed to recruiting the leading experts in veterinary medicine, both vets and vet nurses, and empowering them to train and mentor our staff and it fills me with great pride to see so many of them speaking at such a prestigious event.”

BSAVA Congress, at the Birmingham Arena, runs from Thursday to Sunday.

Designed by volunteer vets and vet nurses, the aim of the conference is to address the current needs of the professions and the programme features a blend of the latest science with clinically and practically-relevant content.

Image of conference for Vets Now article on BSAVA Congress
BSAVA Congress is the world's biggest pet-only vet conference and it attracts thousands of delegates

Laura Playforth is delivering a talk on Friday entitled “first do no harm: how systems can reduce the rate of morbidity and mortality by 50%” alongside fellow vets Richard Killen, director of clinical services at CVS, and Richard Byrne, of the West Bar Veterinary Hospital.

Laura said: “Members of the veterinary team are dedicated and passionate about the quality of care we provide to our patients. In our world, nothing is black or white, which leads us all to develop skills in critical problem solving and finding innovative solutions.

“Therefore, the areas in which improvements can be made and the systems we establish are as diverse as the individuals who strive to make them.

“Our discussion aims to show this diversity in action with examples of how improvement systems have been implemented in different settings, in order to demonstrate the benefits that can be achieved and the lessons that can be learnt in the process.

“We want to show that all staff can be involved in quality improvement within their clinical setting, in projects with differing scope and all levels of resource.”

"We're committed to recruiting the leading experts in veterinary medicine, both vets and vet nurses, and empowering them to train and mentor our staff and it fills me with great pride to see so many of them speaking at such an event."

Laura Playforth Head of Veterinary Standards

Paul Aldridge, a referral clinician in Manchester, is due to discuss caesareans, thoracic wall trauma and difficult skin closures, during the surgical stream for vet nurses on Saturday while Laura Black is presenting a vet nurse’s guide to wellbeing on Thursday.

Dan Lewis, who is based in our emergency and specialty hospital in Glasgow, is also presenting on Saturday as part of a stream dedicated to critical care. His talks focus on blood gases and techniques for oxygen therapy.

Our most prolific speaker is renowned vet nurse Louise O’Dwyer, also based in Manchester, who is lecturing on four separate occasions on Thursday and Friday on subjects ranging from infection control to effective team handovers.

Meanwhile. Aoife Reid is presenting a talk on inspiring advanced practitioner careers while Amanda Boag’s lecture is on leadership.

Laura Playforth added: “For me, this really shows that our clinicians are among an elite in the clinical and client care they provide, the diversity of skills and knowledge within our teams and that we continually strive to be at the forefront of the professions.

“This should not only give pet owners and veterinary practices using our service peace of mind but also reassure vets and vet nurses considering joining Vets Now, perhaps through an induction programme like Cutting Edge or AdvantEdge, that they will be supported by and working alongside the very best in the business.”

If you’d like to find out more about the career opportunities at Vets Now visit our vacancies page or call a member of our recruitment team on 01383 807 547.