Fergus Mitchell

The future of the veterinary profession is very important to me, and I know the work the BVA does is paramount to the shaping of that future. I am a firm believer that strong representation is key, and I would be honoured to represent the South West if elected for BVA Council.

I am a small animal vet in South Devon working at an independent practice. Having studied at Nottingham, I moved down to this beautiful area and am fortunate to call it home! I would like to thank Richard for his time in the role and serving our region so well.

I am passionate about the many facets of our profession including the wonderful people within it and the policies and politics that surround it. Our profession is facing evermore changes and challenges and voices must continue to be heard from all corners of the UK.

Challenges such as breed legislations, trade issues, disease outbreaks, retention struggles, fertility clinics, antimicrobial resistance, CMA reviews and mental health, just scratch the surface of the pressures the veterinary community is dealing with. It can be a daunting prospect with no support or unity, but I believe the BVA plays a pivotal role in supporting the profession, communicating with the public and lobbying our regulators and governments. It is important that we carry on tackling all of the challenges above, plus more, so we can have positive impacts on the day-to-day lives of vets, nurses, support staff, our patients and wider society.

As a young vet myself, I have an acute understanding of the responsibilities and pressures associated with starting work in our profession, whether as a RVN or veterinary surgeon. I hope my personal experience will enable me to connect with other young vets and nurses in the South West and amplify our voices as a driving force for the future of the profession. Equally, I would strive to work closely with Western Counties Veterinary Association and Cornwall Veterinary Association and engage with their excellent committees to help contribute meaningfully to national conversations.

I am a passionate advocate for opening up mental health and have been a part of some exciting projects previously, including founding the national Vet Student Wellbeing Week, being involved with RCVS Mind Matters Initiatives and the VDS Student Club. I was fortunate to be recognised with an RCVS Student Community Award in 2022 and believe that these previous experiences demonstrate my absoluteness to work hard to better our profession for everyone. I believe that members in the South West deserve an accessible platform to have their views and opinions expressed at a national level. This is something I would be delighted to have the opportunity to deliver and would bring energy and enthusiasm to the role.

Johnny Thatcher

Currently I am a 5 year graduated small animal first opinion vet. Throughout my journey so far from being an undergraduate through to the present day, the veterinary world is something I have at times both relished and thrived in but at other times become disillusioned with. As a representative of all vets within the region, I would like to passionately champion the role of first opinion vets in every sector. I believe it’s important to allow all voices and opinions to be heard in the right environment with the aim of encouraging everyone to feel engaged, valued and empowered. The current landscape we as individuals but also the profession as an entire community are facing, is as always, an ever changing one. However I feel the current climate is a particularly turbulent and unpredictable one. This I think in part is due to our spiralling concerns regarding antibiotic resistance, sustainability, animal welfare, corporate vs independent practices and much more. Ultimately I believe my greatest personal concern and that of many of my peers is the mental wellbeing and subsequent resilience of all those currently working within our industry. I want all these thoughts, concerns and worries to be heard and understood. This is something I feel passionately about and have tried to address locally within my current work environment. I would love to further this on a larger regional scale.

I hope as a regional representative to be able to contribute to the BVA in a proactive and effective manner. First and foremost by being an approachable and relatable representative, but most importantly someone who genuinely cares and values the opinions of all those within the region.