VBJ articles

February 2024

As leaders, we have the privilege of supporting new graduates through their first months and years in practice. We are shaping the next generation of vets, and those first few years will undoubtedly influence their future in this profession, writes Rebecca Robinson…

26 mins

August 2023

Running a successful veterinary practice requires a myriad of different skill sets and it can be a real headache identifying staff training needs. By using an analytical approach, however, finding training that boosts both your profits and your people can be a relatively painless process…

20 mins

July 2023

The climate can play havoc with the workplace and the wrong temperature can affect productivity. But with extreme weather apparently becoming more common, employers need to understand the impact that different conditions can have on their employees…

18 mins

May 2023

IMV Imaging is a market leader in diagnostic imaging founded on innovation and education, that not only prides itself on its market-leading product range, but also its unmatched service, offering clinical-led education, and passion for supporting the veterinary industry…

12 mins

August 2022

With vets and nurses increasingly hard to come by, it has never been more important for practices to ensure they retain talent. But this can only be done through good leadership and a positive culture where everyone’s voice can be heard, as Rich Casey explains…

May 2022

Never before has so much CPD been on offer across such a wide variety of platforms and in so many different formats. This has delivered many exciting new ways to access continuing education, but it's important to think carefully about your own personal learning needs…

23 mins

Veterinary practices are often pressure cooker environments that make huge demands of those who work within them. So managing those people requires a highly considered and carefully tailored approach, as Alan Robinson explains…

March 2022

Are you fed up with unproductive conversations in the workplace? Steve Bailey suggests that it might be time to rethink roles you play in your practice – helping you quickly get to the crux of any conflict.

28 mins

Steve Bailey – a partner of Space Coaching Services and a trained facilitator of action learning sets – explains how this concept creates a source of support for veterinary teams to tackle workplace problems.

32 mins

December 2021

Catherine Oxtoby describes how this mindset – inspired by technology adopted by the aviation industry more than 60 years ago – can help veterinary teams understand why errors occur and, as a result, lead to better care for patients…

26 mins

August 2021

If you are one of nature’s wonders – good at everything – then good for you; you truly are a rarity. Mere mortals like the rest of us, or those who want to grow and develop their practice to be more than a “one-man band”, will need a strong team to ensure they can deliver the performance and standard of care patients and clients deserve…

27 mins

July 2021

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the impact social interaction has on our general well-being, and shone a light on the need for all of us to have a greater focus on our mental and physical health. So it has been more important to find effective ways to keep ourselves “above the line”…

29 mins

Challenging situations are a given in life as a farm vet. David Anderson, member of the VetPartners Wellbeing Group and practising vet at Westpoint Farm Vets in Derbyshire, shares his insights into how vets can stay resilient and on top of their game – no matter the situation…

22 mins

June 2021

In this article, Caroline Allen discusses early research and the challenges of dealing with bereavement during a pandemic.

22 mins

March 2021

Brin McNeill BVMS, MRCVS, of Castle Veterinary Centre in Nottingham, offers some thoughts on EMS for students amid the pandemic with help from her daughter Cara, a third-year student at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine.

33 mins

The concept of T-shaped skills is a metaphor often used by recruiters to describe the abilities of persons in the workforce. It is also an excellent framework to plan a veterinary CPD programme that’s going to deliver plenty of bang for your bucks…

20 mins

January 2021

Burnout is known for its impact on individuals, but it can also significantly influence business success – affecting client satisfaction, care quality and staff retention. Here Mark Turner, with RCVS Knowledge, sets out simple strategies managers can use to tackle this issue…

33 mins

October 2020

After all the recent upheaval, it is imperative that practices are getting their teams back in shape, and working towards a harmonious and focused workplace to move forward. MWI Business Academy leader and VN Bobbie Flight shares a few ideas to help keep your team on track.

15 mins

“If you are not willing to learn, no one can help you. If you are determined to learn, no one can stop you...” – motivational speaker Zig Ziglar.

21 mins

Anyone involved in running a practice knows how big a challenge it can be to find a vet who fits with your culture and the rest of the team. So at Peter Fenton Equine Veterinary Practice near Manchester, owner Diane Horner has decided to take a radically new approach to this perennial problem...

11 mins