BVNA welcomes Fiona Andrew as new president
Fiona Andrew
Fiona Andrew has become the new president of the BVNA. The handover took place during the BVNA's Annual General Meeting on the final day of the BVNA Congress in Telford.
Fiona describes herself as 'rather unconventional', given that her first career was not in veterinary nursing. In 2001, Fiona decided to follow her heart and left a job in insurance to enrol on an animal care course. She then went on to study veterinary nursing in Edinburgh and was soon offered full time training at a local practice.
In her first speech as president, Fiona said: "What this [presidency] gives me is a fantastic opportunity to observe the different type of practices - their set up their priorities, their marketing.
"What I find is that really successful client focus and clean practices always have a fantastic, dedicated team of veterinary nurses who believe passionately in caring for their patients and providing the best possible information and advice for their clients."
During her time in presidency, Fiona will continue to work towards the protection of the title of the veterinary nurse and will be raising awareness of the issue of stress and mental illness in the profession. She also hopes to better represent the student body, and aims to introduce two new seats on the BVNA council for student members.
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
