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VDS launches new initiatives for the profession
"These important initiatives will enable the VDS to use our unique knowledge and experience to support and empower veterinary professionals..."

Vetsafe and VDS Training aim to enhance veterinary care 

The Veterinary Defence Society (VDS) has announced the launch of new initiatives to help understand why mistakes happen and provide solutions to improve veterinary care.

Vetsafe is a confidential service for significant event reporting and risk management.

A website and accompanying app capture information about incidents in practice that result in patient harm or other losses. Data gathered will help the VDS and its members to understand these mistakes, provide feedback and develop solutions.

The society also launched VDS Training, which will use data gathered from Vetsafe to create and deliver multi-model training, tools and strategies to improve care, reduce risk and develop individuals, teams and businesses.

VDS chief executive Norman Macfarlane, said: “I am very pleased to announce the launch of Vetsafe and extension of the Society’s training provision through VDS Training.

"These important initiatives will enable the VDS to use our unique knowledge and experience to support and empower veterinary professionals, teams and businesses to achieve their personal and collective aspirations.

“They also go straight to the heart of our mutuality by helping to reduce veterinary risk and, in turn, we anticipate lower the frequency of claims or the severity of claims when they do happen. This benefits the members of the Society and helps the VDS to continue its support of the profession.”

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Strangles survey seeks views of horse owners

News Story 1
 With Strangles Awareness Week just around the corner (5-11 May), vets are being encouraged to share a survey about the disease with their horse-owning clients.

The survey, which has been designed by Dechra, aims to raise awareness of Strangles and promote best practices to prevent its transmission. It includes questions about horse owners' experiences of strangles, together with preventative measures and vaccination.

Respondents to the survey will be entered into a prize draw to win two VIP tickets to Your Horse Live 2025. To access the survey, click here 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
DAERA to reduce BVD 'grace period'

DAERA has reminded herd keepers of an upcoming reduction to the 'grace period' to avoid BVD herd restrictions.

From 1 May 2025, herd keepers will have seven days to cull any BVD positive or inconclusive animals to avoid restrictions being applied to their herd.

It follows legislation introduced on 1 February, as DAERA introduces herd movement restrictions through a phased approach. Herd keepers originally had 28 days to cull BVD positive or inconclusive animals.

DAERA says that, providing herd keepers use the seven-day grace period, no herds should be restricted within the first year of these measures.

Additional measures, which will target herds with animals over 30 days old that haven't been tested for BVD, will be introduced from 1 June 2025.

More information is available on the DAERA website.