‘What’s next, Kate?’

What's next Kate? It’s a question I am being asked with increasing frequency as RCVS Day approaches on 8th July when I hand over the chain of office, gown and Presidential inbox to Melissa Donald, and step into the role of Senior Vice President.

I have not given much thought about my next step if I am honest. As Senior Vice President from 8th July I will continue as a member of the Officer team and still have two years left on RCVS Council.

My initial thought is to take some time to reflect on the past year and consider projects to pursue which excite my interest and pride in the veterinary professions. This last year I have been working with the Royal Society of Medicine (RSM) and was invited, with Paula Boyden of the Dogs Trust and Chair of the Links Group, to participate in a webinar on domestic violence to members of one of the RSM sections.

This was really well received, Paula give a powerful presentation on the work of the Links Group and the research underpinning the link between animal and human abuse. Looking at the feedback I think it was a light bulb moment for many of the medical professionals there, unaware of the link between human and animal abuse. It fits so well with my presidential theme of ‘Connections that Count’ and the pivotal role that vets can play in reporting suspected cases of non-accidental injury which, when taken forward by the appropriate teams could save the life of a human being, sadly often a child.

Paula and I are joining a cross-disciplinary panel of medical professionals at the RSM on 18th June, a day long CPD event. It is a powerful way to amplify the voice of the veterinary profession and the part we play in breaking the cycle of domestic violence, an issue exacerbated during the Covid lockdowns. This event will also be live streamed and is available to those who are not members of the RSM.

I attended a VMG session at the SPVS / VMG Congress in Newport a couple of weeks ago because I was intrigued by its title, ‘Civility Saves Lives: Why behaviour matters.’ The work presented was from healthcare professionals aiming to raise awareness of the power of civility in medicine. It was interesting to learn about the behaviour deemed uncivil such as swearing, shouting, aggression, belittling or undermining, talking over others, rolling eyes and tutting and the impact this behaviour has on individuals, witnesses to the incivility and on the organisations as a result of reduction in cognitive ability, worrying about the rudeness, reduction in time at work and quality of work.

Research and knowledge about the impact of incivility is in its infancy but there is already evidence to suggest the impact it is having on team performance and clinical outcomes. Early indications in the veterinary profession suggest that the statistics are very similar to those in human health care. There is a civility hub on the Mind Matters Initiative website which includes a link to Civility Saves Lives. This is an area of work I am keen to pursue, calling out incivility is so important for the individual concerned, for witnesses and veterinary businesses.

That’s two strands of work to keep me busy, oh and I must blow the dust off the manuscript of my memoir. I am thinking about adding an epilogue to reflect the experiences of my year as President, a year in which I had the privilege to connect with many within and out with the veterinary professions. It is a role in which I have been truly honoured to serve.