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Secretary of state pledges commitment to vets
cattle vet
Last year, the APHA (formerly AHVLA) closed seven of its 14 veterinary surveillance centres.
BVA urges government to maintain surveillance systems

Liz Truss, secretary of state, has pledged to protect the number of frontline vets in the UK. While the BVA has welcomed this commitment, it is urging the government to maintain veterinary surveillance and animal health and welfare services.

In her speech to the Oxford Farming Conference, Ms Truss said: "Protecting our country from animal and plant disease is a top priority for me.

"Although Defra has had to implement savings, as have many areas of government, due to the terrible financial situation we have found the country in, I have been very clear that the number of frontline vets must be protected...

"I am determined we maintain our world-class disease science capability at the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)."

Last year, the APHA (formerly AHVLA) closed seven of its 14 veterinary surveillance centres in Newcastle, Luddington, Langford, Preston, Sutton Bonington, Aberystwyth and Truro.

BVA's president John Blackwell welcomed Ms Truss' speech, but added: "We do, however, urge that this commitment is backed by adequate resource to ensure that vets critical work in animal disease prevention, detection and monitoring is in no way undermined and that surveillance systems remain fit-for-purpose following laboratory closures in 2014."

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."