BVA issues new emergency guidance

The BVA has issued an extensive “traffic light” guidance document for veterinary practices assessing emergency and urgent care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Covering a three-week period from 23 March, the document also offers the association’s latest advice on contact with clients and practice protocol to keep veterinary personnel as safe as possible as spread of the virus escalates.

Advice will be reviewed in light of any further Government instructions or relevant information.

Unnecessary contact

The association said: “During this period veterinary professionals can continue to work, but must only provide urgent treatment and emergency care where animal welfare would be compromised by delaying for this period of time, or activities that are essential to maintaining the future food supply chain.

“These services must also be provided in a manner that avoids all unnecessary contact with clients, maintains a safe physical distance, and ensures that animals are only seen face-to-face where absolutely necessary.”

Principles

The BVA said general principles that should be adopted across the sector include:

• All unnecessary client contact must be stopped. It says you should:
  • clarify clients’ medical status with regard to COVID-19
  • obtain histories over the telephone
  • use technology to triage and consult, wherever possible
  • consider remote prescribing in line with RCVS guidance
  • obtain payment over the telephone
  • ensure contact-free collection of medication is in place, with a specific, secure collection time and place organised in advance
• All staff who can work from home should work from home, including:
  • administrative staff
  • vets and nurses carrying out triage and remote consultations from home, referring to skeleton staff at a physical premises only if absolutely necessary

Small animal clinics

Sector-specific advice for small animal clinics includes:

• All doors should remain closed at all times. This means:
  • clients should wait in the car/outside and telephone on arrival
  • animals should be collected from outside the practice by a member of staff
  • clients should remain outside while the patient is examined away from the owner
  • after examination, treatment plans should be discussed and agreed over the telephone
• As few people as possible should be working in the practice, maintaining appropriate physical distances as much as possible. This means:
  • splitting the workforce into small teams (for example, one vet/one nurse) to minimise overall contacts
  • staggering breaks between teams in case one team needs to isolate
• If you are requested to assist with an animal from an infected household, follow RCVS advice.