VBJ articles

October 2019

Shadow of the leader: a case study from XLVets community

All successful veterinary practices require good leadership, but being a leader is about much more than just a title. Here, Mark John from Fenton Vets describes his journey and explains why being a brilliant boss is now more important than ever...

25 mins

In a VBJ Specials Insight feature, discover how this company can deliver personalised medicines that make a difference to your practice and patients.

14 mins
Building the dream part three – planning the perfect exit strategy

Deciding to sell your veterinary practice will probably be one of the biggest life choices you ever make. If you have the luxury of time, as Vicky Robinson explains, planning your sale will make a considerable difference to the financial outcome...

24 mins
The 2020 IR35 reform: what you need to know…

Practices have four months to prepare for off-payroll working rules changes that could have significant impacts on locums. From April 2020, they will have to check if locums need to pay income tax and national insurance contributions, shifting the responsibility from locums to practices.

20 mins
For future reference… Pet tech – friend or foe?

People are built to worry about the future, skilled professionals especially. In this article, futurists and innovation consultants Greg Dickens and Guen Bradbury outline some possible futures for the veterinary profession, and suggest ways to be ready to get the most out of it...

26 mins
Stand out from the crowd: look forward – look local

Veterinary medicine is ever-changing. It’s true the profession has had its fair share of challenges recently, but it’s also important to not lose sight of the one thing that bricks-and-mortar practices have over online – a local community to market to...

18 mins
Online marketing: don’t sweat the jargon

Forget the plethora of confusing terms like “algorithms”, “metadata” or “tagging”, the same rules apply to digital marketing as the offline version. Providing you’re matching outstanding service to the needs of your customers, follow these tips and you’ll be well placed to shout about it in the digital world.

10 mins

September 2019

Practice Profile: Cotswold Vets

Building a small animal practice right next door to a cattle market might not seem like the best piece of logic. But for Ben Gamsa and his team at Cotswold Vets, near Swindon, it made perfect sense...

3 mins
High street crisis: vets ‘part of the solution’, says VMG

Following latest figures from the British Retail Consortium, and customer data provider Springboard, vet practices are being urged to “remain alert and adaptable to change”.

5 mins
Continuing professional development: what, where, when and how…

An RCVS crackdown on non-compliance means the rules about when vets and RVNs can complete their CPD have changed. This could provide challenges to clinicians and the practices they work in, but, as VBJ discovered, it’s never been easier to access new learning opportunities...

1 mins
Face to face: Richard Smith from Hallmarq Veterinary Imaging talks to...

Hallmarq is well known as one of the UK veterinary sector’s real sucess stories. One man who is not so well known is the company’s new chief operating officer – so meet Richard Smith...

10 mins

August 2019

Practice Profile: Sutterton Veterinary Hospital

The recruitment crisis has hit hard in veterinary practices of all shapes and sizes across the UK. But in some places it’s hit especially hard, as VBJ discovered when it paid a visit to rural Lincolnshire.

2 mins
Telemedicine: the genie is out of its bottle

Telemedicine has been with us for many years in one form or another, but recent developments have upped the ante for veterinary practices of all shapes and sizes – so be prepared...

27 mins
Making the best of threats: are you Brexit ready?

Boris Johnson as PM has only made it harder to make Brexit predictions, but we must assume it is going to happen one way or the other. It remains unclear how this will impact British business, but now is a good time to ensure your practice is fit enough toi survive what could be turbulent times ahead...

20 mins
Are your practice support systems VUCA-ready?

We live in an increasingly volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) world. This has made veterinary practice a more challenging and increasingly consumer-driven environment. But with the right support systems in place, a VUCA is nothing to be feared...

29 mins
Face to face: Malcolm Wright from the VBA talks to VBJ

The veterinary profession has probably seen more change in the past two decades than at any other time in its history – and one man who has been right in the middle of the action is Malcolm Wright...

13 mins

July 2019

Practice Profile: Larkmead Veterinary Group

One of the biggest reasons given for the growth of corporate veterinary practice is that the traditional partnership model is broken. But is that really the case? VBJ headed to Didcot, Oxfordshire to find out...

2 mins
Infection control and how to win the war on bugs

Veterinary practices are under constant threat from an aggressive and constantly evolving army of bacteria, viruses and parasites. Recent surveys have also shown visible hygiene is an important factor for clients when choosing a practice – what can your practice do to tick both these boxes?

20 mins

Simplyhealth Professionals looks at seven ways the right pet health plan provider can make a difference to your practice...

15 mins
Corporate consideration: getting noticed by the big boys

The bubble may have burst for some, but the consolidators will still pay big money for the right kind of practice. So, knowing what the likes of Independent Vetcare and CVS are looking for is key for owners looking to move their business into corporate hands...

21 mins