Fight must go on to ‘protect title’, outgoing BVNA president tells congress

The outgoing BVNA president has urged its members to keep up the pressure to help win the fight for formal protection of the veterinary nurse title.

Charlotte Pace made the plea as she reflected on the “once in a lifetime” opportunity to lead the organisation during its annual meeting in Telford on Sunday.

She said she had been “honoured” to represent the association at a range of events during her year in office and argued the group gave a strong representative voice for the sector as a whole.

‘Phenomenal’ response

Ms Pace also praised the “phenomenal” response to the association’s Protect the Title survey, in which more than 12,000 veterinary professionals and members of the public participated.

But, acknowledging that and wider legislative reform remained priorities for the group, she added: “We still need your support to get this done.”

Attendance

The meeting took place on the final day of the first full in-person congress the association has staged post-COVID.

Although no exact figures were given, chief executive Huw Jones said attendances had been better than expected and suggested a hybrid model of the kind used last year doesn’t really work for a group like the BVNA.

He added: “We feel we’re in a really good place.”

Unresolved challenges

But, despite the optimistic view for the association, Ms Pace reflected that many of the challenges that the cost of living crisis has posed for both pet owners and veterinary staff remain largely unresolved.

She also acknowledged the “backlash” created by the announcement of the CMA’s review of the veterinary sector last month and compared attempting to explain the make-up of a bill to an angry client to “lighting a match on a tinder box”.

But she also highlighted the association’s strong relationship with the BVA, and its growing links with the British Veterinary Receptionist Association, as a key plank of their work going forward.

She said: “We all want the same thing – happy pets and happy clients.”

Lyndsay Hughes succeeded Ms Pace as president during the meeting, with Craig Tessyman becoming the body’s new junior vice-president.