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Soft skills worth £88bn to UK economy
vet nurses
Healthcare industries are forecast to be one of the most at risk of losing out due to lack of support for soft skills.
Half a million workers 'will be held back by lack of soft skills'

Soft skills, including communication, interpersonal skills and teamwork, are worth £88 billion to the UK economy, new research suggests. It is estimated that over 500,000 workers will be held back by the lack of these skills by 2020.

A new report, released by Development Economics, shows the worth of these skills is set to rise to £109 million within five years.

Furthermore, a recent YouGov study indicates that while 97 per cent of employers believe soft skills are important to business success, three-quarters feel there is a lack of these skills in the UK workforce.

Healthcare industries are said to be one of the sectors most at risk of being held back due to a lack of support for soft skills from employers, government and educators. However, economists predict that this issue will affect all sectors.

Business man and entrepreneur James Caan CBE, commented: "Soft skills matter - to individuals, to businesses, and to the wider UK economy."

A new campaign backed by James Caan and a number of leading organisations is calling for a re-evaluation of these skills.

A three-month consultation has launched to gather information on current practices and attitudes. The data will be published later in 2015, alongside a set of recommendations for improving, supporting and promoting soft skills in the workplace.

Meanwhile, businesses, policy experts, campaign groups, trade associations and academics are invited to develop and share new ways of recognising and improving these skills.

To find out more about the consultation, visit: www.backingsoftskills.co.uk

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."