BVA and BVNA launch campaign in support of “team vet”

The ‘I support team vet’ campaign is being launched against the backdrop of Vet Futures and VN Futures and in response to the EU referendum result, at a time when it has become even more critical to highlight the essential role of the veterinary team in animal health, animal welfare and public health. 

The UK veterinary profession relies heavily on EU graduates, with around 50% of veterinary surgeons registering to practise in the UK each year coming from overseas. BVA and BVNA’s campaign comes after more than seven months of lobbying by BVA, working with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), to ensure the profession’s priorities are on the UK Government’s agenda in forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

BVA President Gudrun Ravetz said: “Brexit has brought issues like the value of the veterinary team and workforce into sharp focus.

"At this time, it has never been more important for the veterinary family to pull together and emphasise the invaluable contribution that veterinary teams across the UK make across all areas of veterinary science, including the fields of animal health and welfare, animal disease surveillance, scientific research and education, wildlife conservation, and public health and food safety.” 

BVA and BVNA are encouraging veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses and the wider veterinary team, as well as veterinary clients, colleagues and members of the public, to get behind the campaign by wearing an ‘I support team vet’ badge.

The campaign launches as BVA Honorary Associate Jim Fitzpatrick MP has tabled an early day motion (EDM) in Parliament, which highlights the value of the veterinary profession in protecting animal health, welfare and public health and calls on the Government to work with BVA and RCVS in forthcoming Brexit negotiations.

At BVA’s annual London Dinner, held in Westminster on 7 February, BVA President Gudrun Ravetz highlighted the campaign to the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Defra Lord Gardiner, peers, parliamentarians, policy makers, journalists and other influencers.

The ‘I support team vet’ campaign was sparked by concerns over the residence and working rights status of EU colleagues in the veterinary profession. This was the number one Brexit-related concern cited by BVA members in BVA’s most recent Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey, which polled more than 1,000 vets. ‘Team vet’ aims to show solidarity and support for everyone in the veterinary team –  wherever they come from in the world, and whoever they are, celebrating the diversity of the veterinary family.

Veterinary colleagues can support the campaign in a number of ways:

• Wear the ‘I support team vet’ badges, which are available for free at BVA’s stand (217) at BSAVA Congress or by emailing [email protected]. Badges will be sent in multiples of five.
• Encourage family, friends, and clients to wear the badges and display them prominently in your practice or place of work
• Share the campaign on social media, using @Britishvets, #teamvet and download the team vet Twibbon to your profile
• Write to your MP using our template letter (27 KB DOC) and encourage them to support Jim Fitzpatrick MP’s early day motion highlighting the value of the veterinary profession in protecting animal health, welfare and public health 

BVA President Gudrun Ravetz continued: "This is about all of us – the veterinary family and the public who we support, and who support us – coming together and standing up to celebrate what the veterinary team brings to society. Vets work in labs and lecture theatres; we ensure food safety and hygiene; we care for the nation’s hundreds of millions of animals; and we play an active role in our surveillance network, protecting herds and birds from disease.

“The campaign is also about veterinary colleagues helping each other to have the most fulfilling professional and personal lives that they can, building a work culture that gets the best out of people and allows them to lead the lives they want, drawing on our strength as a diverse and supportive profession.”

BVNA President Sam Morgan added: "BVNA are delighted to be involved with, and fully support, the 'I support team vet' campaign. Now is a really important time to stand up together, both professions, united over common issues. We both have animal welfare at the forefront of our minds and both professions need to work together to ensure this. Veterinary Nurses should be proud to stand up and be part of team vet!"