Creating safe spaces: supporting psychological safety in the veterinary workplace

Psychological safety - the belief that you can speak up, ask for help, or admit mistakes without fear of embarrassment or punishment - is essential in every workplace. In the veterinary professions, where the emotional pressures are often intense, psychological safety is not just important, but critical. It supports wellbeing, encourages teamwork, and helps ensure the best outcomes for both people and animals. 

Next week marks Psychological Safety Week (22-26 September) and is a great opportunity to highlight the work we're doing through our Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) and Diversity and Inclusion Team, in collaboration with our RCVS Academy to promote and embed psychological safety across the profession. 

Supporting learning through the Academy 

The RCVS Academy provides free, flexible learning for veterinary professionals. Several courses directly support psychological safety by helping individuals and teams build more inclusive, respectful, and supportive working environments. 

Civility fundamentals 

This course focuses on how everyday behaviour and communication shape workplace culture. Civility plays a vital role in psychological safety. When people interact with kindness and respect, team members are more likely to feel safe to speak openly, raise concerns, and collaborate without fear of judgement. A culture of civility allows everyone to bring their authentic selves to work and contributes to better team wellbeing and patient safety. 

Unconscious bias 

Unconscious bias can affect the way we treat and respond to others, sometimes without even realising it. This course helps learners understand what unconscious bias is, how it manifests in the workplace, and how it can negatively impact psychological safety. By recognising and addressing bias, we create more inclusive spaces where everyone feels valued and able to contribute. 

New courses coming this autumn 

Launching in the autumn, two new Academy courses will provide further tools to support mental health and psychological safety in practice. 

Suicide awareness fundamentals 

This course covers the factors that may contribute to suicide in the veterinary field, how to talk about it responsibly, ways to reduce stigma, and how to support those in crisis or affected by suicide. These skills are essential for creating compassionate and safe workplace cultures. 

Managing mental health in the workplace 

This course is aimed at managers and leaders and focuses on supporting employee mental health and creating healthy workplace cultures. It provides practical guidance on how to create open, supportive conversations and environments where mental health is taken seriously, and seeking help is encouraged. 

Psychological safety is fundamental to a healthy and thriving veterinary workplace. The RCVS Academy, in partnership with MMI and others, is helping the profession build stronger, more supportive teams through education and practical tools. 
Explore the courses and find out more at the RCVS Academy.