We need more Vets

Hello everyone, I hope that you are all doing well. I apologise for not posting that much this summer, I've really been spending the time working on myself and becoming a better version of myself, hopefully some day getting to be the best version of myself. At the end of this week I'm heading back up to uni, I'm really looking forward to it because I feel like this year I can really enjoy myself and do what I love, I'm not having to figure out everything like I was having to do last year.


Anyway, so today I'm addressing the fact that the veterinary profession was put on the SOL (shortage occupancy list). So obviously this isn't good and with the UK currently muddling its way through Brexit nothing is really set in stone and if anything after Brexit the numbers of vets practicing in the UK could decrease further. I looked on the SOL and here is a list of the new roles added to it this year (2019).

• All medical practitioner roles SOC code 2211
• All Psychologist roles SOC code 2212
• All veterinarian roles SOC code 2216
• All medical radiographer roles SOC code 2217
• All occupational therapist roles SOC code 2222
• All speech and language therapist roles SOC code 2223
• All nursing roles SOC code 2231
• All social worker roles SOC code 2442
• All paramedic roles SOC code 3213

All of these roles are vital and I hope that something can be done to try and remove these occupations from the list. There have been one or two articles that I've scanned over on BVA and VetTimes, about how we can try to combat this issue. The BVA have made a statement that training more vets won't be enough to solve this issue. They came up with a statement that sets out 50 recommendations it believes will help produce an inclusive and "future-proof" workforce. One major issue is cost, the student loans and government funding does not cover the cost of delivering one year of undergraduate veterinary degree, which is around £20,000. The number of students isn't capped and the government funding for veterinary education isn't calculated per capita. So this means that if a new vet school opens then the funding doesn't increase. So the BVA are calling for the government to change this and as more vet students are taken into uni for there to be extra funding per student in an undergraduate course.

Dr Dos Santos added: “We should look at the bigger picture and address issues at multiple points in the journey to becoming part of the veterinary workforce, including those that present after graduation.

“From widening participation schemes, communication of the diverse range of veterinary careers to the implementation of post-study work visas, there are many ways in which the BVA and other stakeholders can help maintain a gold standard while making sure we create a workforce that is capable, resilient and inclusive.”

If you would like to read the full article, it's n the vet times news page. I believe that this is and will continue to be a major issue for the veterinary profession in the UK until Brexit has gone through and the government has stabilised again. It would be nice to see extra funding for all medical degrees, we need more doctors, vets, therapists and so on but if there isn't the funding and support set up then these jobs will remain on the list. For me this issue is a big deal however once I graduate I want to relocate to Canada, it's a dream of mine that I will make a reality and I'm doing everything in my power to make happen. #

I hope you have enjoyed reading this and it has been insightful, I am going to aim to write a post every two weeks once I'm back at uni. I hope you all continue to has amazing weeks, remember to smile because you never know it could make someone's day :)