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First aid for mental health
Dr Allister looked at what we know about the causes of veterinary distress.
How to help a colleague that may be struggling

"Reaching out when someone is in distress and listening can be lifesaving" - that was the overriding message from Vetlife's Rosie Allister, speaking at the BVA Congress in London.

Closing the career development stream on Thursday (16 November), Dr Allister looked at what we know about the causes of veterinary distress and how to help a colleague that may be struggling.

She explained that vets often attribute their psychological distress to work-related problems such as job satisfaction, work/life balance, managerial support or euthanasia. Such pressure can have a huge impact on personality and lead to imposter syndrome - a concept that makes high achievers question their ability and a persistent fear of being revealed as a 'fraud'.

The top four common mental health problems are depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders and alcohol misuse. Dr Allister outlined the signs and symptoms of each condition before giving delegates some practical ideas for what to do if they think a colleague is suffering.

Ask - Listen - Signpost

Dr Allister's first tip was to follow the acronym A.L.S; Ask how they are feeling, Listen to what they have to say and Signpost how they can get help.

She stressed that the conversation should take place somewhere private (if they are happy to talk) and make sure that they know it won't have any negative consequences for their career. An opening question might be as simple as "are you okay?" If you need to tell a line manager or other senior member of staff, let your colleague know. Don't pretend the conversation is confidential if it is not.

When listening to your colleague, try to be open-minded and avoid cliched positivity. If they are unwell, it's better to acknowledge the problem rather than telling them to “keep their chin up” or “pull themselves together”. It is also vital that you take any distress seriously as it can be hard for veterinary professionals to reach out for help.

Once you have a better understanding of how your colleague is feeling, you can then let them know what their options are. Different mental health problems affect people in different ways, so it is important to let your colleague decide what's right for them. Dr Allister recommends knowing the numbers for crises services and having these available in your practice.

ACAS resources

Employers are required by law to protect their employees from stress by carrying out a risk assessment and acting on it. The ACAS website has a wealth of information and resources that can help employers, as well as a list of places to go for further support if you or a colleague are suffering mental ill health.

Further information and advice about helping a colleague with mental ill health can be found at vetlife.org. The service offers free, confidential help to everyone in the veterinary community, including veterinary nurses and students.

Become a member or log in to add this story to your CPD history

Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.