The Veterinary Development Council (VDC) is conducting a survey to investigate the role of paraprofessionals and technicians in veterinary practice, and is asking vets in large animal, equine, and mixed practices to complete a short survey.

The VDC says that information from the survey will help inform discussions on the regulation of technicians.

The survey will take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete and can be found on the BVA website at www.bva.co.uk/vdc. The BVA has also emailed the survey directly to practices.

The survey has been devised by the VDC working group looking at the role of the veterinary-led team, chaired by BVA Past President Professor Bill Reilly. This is one of three working groups that will report to the VDC:

• Veterinary engagement with the food supply chain chaired by Gwyn Jones of the National Farmers' Union (NFU). To consider how the veterinary profession might better engage with the food industry, with a view to better defining what food industry stakeholders need and want in terms of veterinary services, now and in the future and the implications of this for the veterinary profession. The group will also examine ways in which better engagement with food industry stakeholders might be facilitated.
• Business models for the provision of veterinary services chaired by John Fishwick, President of the British Cattle Veterinary Association (BCVA). To identify and classify different business models for veterinary practices and the provision of veterinary services, to consider the merits and limitations of each of these models and provide case studies of their successful application. This group will examine the whole range of models, recognising that one size does not fit all and acknowledging the differences between large and small practices.
• The role of the veterinary-led team chaired by Prof Bill Reilly, Past President of the BVA. To identify the range of services that could be supplied to the farming community by a veterinary-led team, including those services that could be undertaken by veterinarians and non-veterinarians. To identify how these services are currently delivered and to describe the benefits of bringing non-veterinarians into a veterinary-led team. The working group will also assess desire of veterinarians and non veterinarians to work together to deliver these services.

Professor Reilly said: "The relationship between veterinary surgeons and technicians is vital but it varies from practice to practice.

"The working group on the role of the veterinary-led team aims to take a snapshot of how services, such as artificial insemination and foot trimming, are currently delivered, and gauge how veterinary surgeons feel about other services being delivered by non-veterinarians in the future.

"I hope veterinary surgeons in large, mixed and equine practice will take 10 minutes to complete our survey to help us map the current use of technicians in veterinary practice and help shape our future discussions."

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