RCVS Day 2004 - report, photos and President's Address

Over two hundred people attended RCVS Day last week at Church House in central London.

The proceedings were opened by the then President, Professor Richard Halliwell, and followed by a short address and prayer by the Reverend Tony Birbeck, veterinary surgeon and member of the BVA ethics committee.

At the special request of the President, Soprano Katharine Fuge (who is also Professor Halliwell's niece) provided a musical interlude, singing Ave Maria accompanied by pianist Paul Plummer.

Once the Annual General meeting was convened, the minutes of the previous AGM were adopted, members' questions answered and the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts approved.

Mr David McDowell and Lt Col Neil Smith were welcomed as new members of the RCVS Council and Ms Dorothy Creighton and Ms Diane Guinan as new members of the VN Council.

Professor Halliwell then presented the RCVS awards, fellowships, diplomas and VN diplomas to those recipients who were able to attend on the day (some 30 presentations in total), before delivering his final Presidential Address (see below).

John Parker was then invited to take up Office as the new RCVS President and, in so doing, thanked his predecessor for his "hard work and valued contribution" during the previous year.

Senior Vice-President Stephen Ware retired from his post, Robert Moore continued as Treasurer for a further year and Lynne Hill was confirmed as Junior Vice-President.

There followed a lecture by guest speaker Dr Roy Bengis - State Veterinarian for the Kruger National Park - entitled "The future of African wildlife: resource competition and diseases at the human interface".

President's Address - Richard EW Halliwell

I have met many members of the profession during my year as President. I have also met many who depend upon the profession for services, and many others who observe, and take an interest in our Profession. One recurring theme has been our perceived reluctance to tell the world of our successes and of our contributions. "When are you going to tell the world how good you are", I heard from one. "The veterinary profession is its own worst ambassador", I heard from another; and "The Royal College doesn't do anything" from a third. So in the next few minutes I will try to correct some of these omissions and misapprehensions.

One message that we must continually send out is that the benefits of our labours extend far beyond the delivery of our services. In farm animal medicine, there is debate as to how the highly laudable Animal Health and Welfare Strategy is to be delivered, and it has been suggested that the farm animal side of veterinary medicine has been neglected. After all the debate died down, it became abundantly clear that our Profession is well able to provide the necessary services, and at a very high level - if someone is able to pay for them. There is, however, a misheld contention that the industry must pay the entire cost. The benefits of having healthy animals in our countryside extend far beyond their monetary value, or the value of their products. One only has to recall the disastrous effects that FMD had on tourism to recognise the enormous economic contribution that this makes further afield.

Then it is suggested that those in small animal practice pander to pampered poodles and their owners. But we must remember the significant industries that accrue from the support of companion animals. We must also remember, and broadcast loud and clear, the health benefits of pet ownership - for example the well-documented affects upon blood pressure, and on long-term survival from coronary artery disease. This, and the significantly lower incidence of common ailments amongst pet owners, translates into fewer demands on the National Health Services. In Germany, pet ownership is estimated to save 5.59 billion euros. In Australia it saves 3.85 billion dollars. In the UK we spend a lower proportion of our GDP on health care, but the savings will still be in the billions of pounds, rather than the millions.

Then veterinary research has been roundly criticised. But what is the reality? In a paper in Nature in December 1998, the research standing of 44 cognate disciplines was analysed by the sophisticated process of weighted citation indices. Not only was the UK's veterinary research better than that of any other country in the world, but also it was one of only five of the 44 disciplines in which the UK was the clear leader. Yes, of course it could and should be better, and the recently announced Veterinary Training and Research Initiative will give it an enormous boost. But it is actually rather good, and we should be proud of it.

Thankfully, the year has been free from major crises, and this has allowed us to think of the future, and plan for the years ahead. We have made significant progress in our deliberations regarding a potential new veterinary surgeons act, and devoted a special Council meeting to these discussions. We continue to take forward the concepts espoused by our Education Steering Strategy Group. In some aspects, we are still in the consultative phase, and I can assure members that no change will be introduced that has not been thoroughly debated and trialled. Your continuing input is of inestimable value. One key achievement, which will be a stimulus to the Profession, and of great value to the animal owning public, is the launch of our practice standards scheme, which is a first, in this form, for any country.

We have had numerous meetings with the officers of the British Veterinary Association, and their constituent divisions. And I am pleased to say that the friendly spirit of co-operation and interaction has never been stronger. We have had two meetings with members of parliament, and two with members of the upper house. We have met with ministers on three occasions. And we hosted a meeting with representations of the American Veterinary Medical Association, the Australasian Veterinary Boards Council and the European Association of Establishments for Veterinary Education on the prospects for a system of global accreditation of veterinary education. This should in time permit free movement of qualified professionals, and the sharing of expertise between all nations, to the benefit of all nations.

One of our most important initiatives was to host a meeting of Vice-Chancellors, Deans and representatives of the funding councils to discuss the future of veterinary education. This was warmly welcomed by the Vice-Chancellors, and generated much positive feedback. On the agenda was the case for collaboration between the schools in teaching. With the possible exception of the Royal Veterinary College, none of our schools has the critical mass to readily deliver the complete range of instruction required for entry into our Profession. And this critical mass will not increase. Indeed, the past 10 years has seen the schools having to teach ever increasing numbers of students, merely to maintain their current staffing levels. It would be naive to believe that this downward funding spiral is going to cease - let alone reverse. However, in some areas the necessary critical mass could be achieved through collaboration, or shared teaching, thus allowing the schools to concentrate on developing more limited areas of international excellence. And whatever one's views on the merits of starting a new degree programme at Nottingham, it is clear that change is going to become more urgent. The College must ensure that no unnecessary barriers are placed in the way of those schools that wish to pursue diversity, and develop imaginative new initiatives. Our schools, if unfettered and unshackled, have the ideas and the entrepreneurship to move forward. Innovative programmes can then emerge that will enable us to strengthen some areas of weakness and re-enter those that we have all but lost. We can also to move into new areas for which our broad biomedical background uniquely equips us. But we have to seek out that ground, and promote our involvement. For example, in the USA, the veterinary profession is the leader in developing preparedness for bio terrorism. Why not also in the United Kingdom?

There is a unique opportunity for change at this time. The Funding Councils are supportive, and the Vice-Chancellors more than receptive. Indeed, when I met one of the Vice-Chancellors on my visit for an Admission ceremony, the first thing that was said to me was "You have planted a seed, and I hope that you can ensure that it flourishes".

Then we also discussed the issue of omnicompetence of our graduates. The College has for many years advocated moving away from this, whilst maintaining the concept of the broad biomedical education which makes them omnipotential. It makes no sense that every student is afforded exactly the same clinical instruction. It represents a poor use of scarce educational resources - both intramural and extramural.

Imaginative and innovative programmes are emerging in both Europe and the USA. Change is starting in our schools, and the College must again ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers placed in the way of progress.

On this day, we pay tribute to those who have achieved fellowships, diplomas, certificates and other awards. It gives me particular pleasure to see so many veterinary nurses here to receive their awards. The nursing qualifications have been a great success story over the years - how we ever survived in the past without them, I just do not know. This country was the initiator, and is still the leader in this field. Our sister profession has been gradually growing in strength, and it is gratifying to see how it is taking charge of its own destiny, and developing plans for its own governance. In time this may lead to regulation by a body other than the RCVS, but unless and until that happens, veterinary nurses are a very welcome part of our College.

So as I went around the country during my year as President, and attended many meetings of our various associations, I saw a great deal of which we can be proud. I saw yesterday's problems become today's challenges and provide tomorrow's solutions. This is the essential formula for managed, responsible change. But we must not shy away from telling the world of our successes and of our contributions. It is time to stand tall. The BVA and the College have a collective responsibility to this end, and I hope that we can both develop strategies to ensure that our profession is accorded the recognition that it has earned in the years ahead.

In concluding, I would like to thank Members of Council and the staff of the RCVS for their help and support over the past year. Special gratitude is due for the understanding and extra support that I received when I had to take time off to acquire some spare skeletal parts. It cannot be easy for the College staff to have to get used to a new Officer Team, and new members of Council each year. But they accommodate them with unfailing good spirits and understanding. I pay tribute to all the very fine team of staff at the College, and thank them for their commitment and dedication to the affairs of our profession. I offer particular gratitude to my fellow officers for their help and support. It has been an enormous privilege to serve as your President, and as I disappear into the veterinary twilight, I think that I can assure you all that our profession is in good hands.