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Soft skills worth £88bn to UK economy
vet nurses
Healthcare industries are forecast to be one of the most at risk of losing out due to lack of support for soft skills.
Half a million workers 'will be held back by lack of soft skills'

Soft skills, including communication, interpersonal skills and teamwork, are worth £88 billion to the UK economy, new research suggests. It is estimated that over 500,000 workers will be held back by the lack of these skills by 2020.

A new report, released by Development Economics, shows the worth of these skills is set to rise to £109 million within five years.

Furthermore, a recent YouGov study indicates that while 97 per cent of employers believe soft skills are important to business success, three-quarters feel there is a lack of these skills in the UK workforce.

Healthcare industries are said to be one of the sectors most at risk of being held back due to a lack of support for soft skills from employers, government and educators. However, economists predict that this issue will affect all sectors.

Business man and entrepreneur James Caan CBE, commented: "Soft skills matter - to individuals, to businesses, and to the wider UK economy."

A new campaign backed by James Caan and a number of leading organisations is calling for a re-evaluation of these skills.

A three-month consultation has launched to gather information on current practices and attitudes. The data will be published later in 2015, alongside a set of recommendations for improving, supporting and promoting soft skills in the workplace.

Meanwhile, businesses, policy experts, campaign groups, trade associations and academics are invited to develop and share new ways of recognising and improving these skills.

To find out more about the consultation, visit: www.backingsoftskills.co.uk

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FIVP announces third series of Practice Matters

News Story 1
 The Federation of Independent Veterinary Practices (FIVP) has announced a third season of its podcast, Practice Matters.

Hosted by Ian Wolstenholme, series three will focus on the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation, including a discussion about some of the expected impacts on independent veterinary colleagues.

Episode one launches on 13th January with guests Drs David Reader and Scott Summers, who will draw on their research into the CMA investigation and provide insights into themes such as transparency, pricing and consumer trust.

Ian Wolstenholme said: "In its third series, we will try and hone in on what the changes will mean in reality for independent practices with advice and guidance on implementation and delivery, drawing on the experience of our own team and other experts in the profession. Hope you can join us soon!" 

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News Shorts
Survey seeks ruminant sector views on antimicrobial stewardship

A new survey is seeking views of people working in the UK ruminant sector on how to tackle the challenge of demonstrating responsible antibiotic stewardship.

Forming part of a wider, collaborative initiative, the results will help identify the types of data available so that challenges with data collection can be better understood and addressed.

Anyone working in the UK farming sector, including vets and farmers,is encouraged to complete the survey, which is available at app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk