Reflections on a year as BVA President

This past year has been a complete whirlwind and I can’t quite believe it is coming to a close: since stepping into the BVA presidential role, I’ve travelled thousands of miles to dozens of meetings, congresses and committees to represent and meet our members and champion the veterinary profession – and every mile under my belt has been so worthwhile.   

I know this year has been hard for many of you. The veterinary profession may be no stranger to pressure but in recent months this has escalated beyond anticipation. Intense scrutiny and criticism has come not only from the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which began its review this time last year, but from clients, members of the public and the media too.  

We’ve been proud to stand up for our members in response. BVA has worked relentlessly to champion the veterinary profession and make sure vet voices are heard and represented, has challenged inaccurate or unfair media reporting and ensured that the CMA has a full picture of the veterinary sector. Our members have also been provided with practical support and guidance and we’ve been sure to keep you up to date with the progression of the investigation.  

The XL Bully ban also added an extra layer of complexity, increasing pressure on veterinary capacity as well as negative interactions with some clients, who were worried, upset or angry about the new laws. Throughout this uncertain time, BVA has supported our members to navigate the bans as they came into force across the UK, as well as worked with the Dog Control Coalition to secure extensions on new neutering rules.   

We’ve also lobbied hard for animal welfare improvements, with positive change being the reward: keeping primates as pets and the live exports of animals have both been banned, while the introduction of the puppy smuggling bill will also make a huge difference to animal welfare.  

It’s been fantastic to see our new Great Workplaces by BVA accreditation scheme come into play – it is already having a positive impact on many practices and we hope more of you will consider getting involved in the coming year.  

It really has been a privilege to meet so many of you during my term as president and your input on BVA’s work is so valuable – so thank you, #TeamVet. I’m incredibly proud of all we have achieved together, particularly with everything that has aligned with my theme for the year, “A Profession for Everyone”.  

I soon hand over the presidential role to our new president Elizabeth Mullineaux, who I know will be an incredible leader for BVA and will help to tackle the issues that concern you the most, including lobbying for legislative reform of the outdated Veterinary Surgeons Act, reform of the Dangerous Dogs Act and securing continued access to veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland beyond 2025.  

I step down into the BVA Senior Vice President role feeling proud, inspired and incredibly hopeful for the year ahead.