Mr Geoffrey Skerritt BVSc DipECVN FRCVS

Address:

Chase Lodge
Welsh Road
Childer Thornton
South Wirral
Cheshire
CH66 5NU

Telephone:

not provided

Mobile:

not provided

Email:

GCSkerritt@AOL.com

Website:

n/a

Candidate Biography

After graduating from Liverpool I returned to academia to lecture in anatomy and neurology. For the last 12 years I have owned a veterinary practice in Cheshire. My practice comprises three first opinion clinics and a referral hospital. I pioneered mobile MRI in the UK and I am a frequent speaker on neurology and MRI internationally. I am a RCVS Fellow and Recognised Specialist in Veterinary Neurology, a Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Neurology and recently President of the ECVN. I am currently Chairman of the RCVS Small Animal Surgery and Fellowship Boards, and Vice-Chairman of Disciplinary Committee.

Candidate Manifesto

It has been a privilege to serve as an elected member of RCVS Council for two terms, and I now ask for your support for a third term. When I was elected to Council I had little knowledge of the workings of the RCVS but now I can claim to have gained much valuable experience which I am able to apply for the benefit of the profession. The ways in which the College represents its members are not always obvious and it is in the promotion and improvement of dialogue between College and profession that I now wish to be pro-active. Avian flu threatens us, our clients and the bird population in our care so that we must learn from the lessons of FMD to ensure that our profession is influential from the outset in the management of this and other potential crises.

I am in my third year as Chairman of the Specialisation and Further Education Committee, a role that is both demanding and rewarding. I have enjoyed working with College staff to bring the further education policies of the College to fruition. Currently we are developing the modular Certificate in Advanced Veterinary Practice, providing a flexible framework and rewards for CPD. The promotion of specialisation and accreditation of veterinary practices has boosted public confidence in the profession and I would like to be involved in moving these projects forward. As a member of Disciplinary Committee for five years I have seen commendable changes in the workings of this Committee and remain confident that it is thorough, fair and constructive, emphasing rehabilitation and re-training wherever possible.

I recognise the importance of consulting members or groups such as BVA, BSAVA, BVHA and SPVS. Council must avoid any risk of criticism that it has not taken account of the views of the rest of the profession. I am anxious to ensure that such consultation is never neglected in the development of RCVS policy.

I am well-aware of the increasing number of obligations being imposed on veterinary practice. Recent changes in legislation in areas such as employment and medicines together with the practice standard scheme, nurse training and mandatory CPD compete financially and time wise. Council must be reminded to consider the total demands on members and make appropriate allowance.

Vote for an effective link between College and membership. Please contact me by Email at GCSkerritt@AOL.com if you have any specific questions.

Proposer: Mike Martin

I am pleased to propose Geoff Skerritt for election to RCVS Council. Geoff has served the profession well in his two terms of office to date and this experience will help to continue to provide the view points of practitioners and specialists, and influence the direction and continual evolution of the RCVS. The enthusiasm of individuals with such genuine aims to assist and improve the profession and the RCVS is to be encouraged and I have no hesitation in offering my support for his re-election.

Proposer: Des Thompson

It is a pleasure to propose Geoff Skerritt for election to RCVS Council. Geoff has served the profession well on Council for the last eight years. He has been on most College Committees and currently is the Chairman of the Specialisation and Further Education Committee which controls post-graduate education. Geoff has experience of many aspects of the profession but for the last twelve years has been a specialist practitioner working in referral practice on the Wirral. He is approachable and very helpful which makes him an ideal RCVS Councillor as he is willing to listen to views of colleagues