The British Veterinary Association's Members' Services Group has devised a Vet Helpline sticker as a practical way to promote the help and support available to members of the veterinary profession suffering from anxiety or depression. It will be sent out with the 20th February edition of the Veterinary Record.
The suicide rate within the veterinary profession is around four times higher than in the general population and around twice that of other high risk groups including farmers and medical practitioners. Research has shown that long hours, the risk of professional mistakes and rising client expectation and administrative work lead to high levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms. Ready access to and knowledge of lethal means such as medicines and firearms may also be contributing factors in the increased suicide risk.
The Vet Helpline sticker acts as a constant reminder to veterinary professionals that a confidential helpline, manned by trained volunteers from the veterinary profession, is available around the clock on every day of the year to offer support and direct them to specialist help where appropriate. In addition to the Vet Helpline phone number the sticker also gives the number for the Samaritans and includes the address of the Vetlife website which is a "one stop shop" for all the help available.
BVA President, Professor Bill Reilly, said: "Please remember that if you're feeling depressed, lonely or under pressure, or are perhaps worried about a colleague, you can talk it over in confidence with trained volunteers from the veterinary profession. The Vet Helpline is there for all veterinary surgeons, nurses and students.
"Ours is a small profession and sadly most of us know someone who has suffered mental ill health or taken their own life. We hope that by reminding colleagues how to get help and continuing to publicise the Vetlife website and the Veterinary Benevolent Fund support services the BVA can play its part in supporting vets in crisis."
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The life of the sole practitioner, or a practice owner with assistants, can be a lonely one. I wonder if we all do enough to help and support our colleagues? Do we read the histories we receive from other vets sympathetically, or look for faults and mistakes? Do we speak positively about our competitors, or do we tend to denigrate them? I'm concerned that we are fragmenting as a profession and not giving each other the support that we should. I believe that we can compete in the market while still remaining collegial and supportive of each other. It's been my approach throughout my carreer to meet and chat to all the vets in any area I've worked, and the surprise with which my approaches were greeted was, in itself, surprising. Why so?
I don't doubt that a helpline such as this is a good and noble initiative and I support it (and would recommend it to any colleague in need), but it may be worth spending some time examining ourselves and our own conduct, and asking why it's needed at all.
Regards,
Adi.