Project addresses poor levels of mental health in farm veterinary practice
A research team from Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) has developed a website which aims to help veterinary staff find ways to cope with the daily challenges of farm animal practice.
The project - made possible by funding from the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative - set out to gather the views and experiences of farm animal veterinary professionals, in order to identify ways of promoting job satisfaction and improving poor mental wellbeing.
The website was created based on feedback from veterinary professionals and published research into stress and mental health in the profession. It includes quotes from staff working in farm veterinary practice, as well as podcasts, music and reading material to help professionals cope with stress.
The front page also provides information about the support available to people working in the veterinary field, including mental wellbeing and support services.
Dr Kate Stephen, project lead and behavioural scientist at SRUC’s Epidemiology Research Unit, said: “We are indebted to the farm vets who contributed to this project. We would like to thank every farm vet who was interviewed, those who took part in the workshop and who provided feedback at the alpha testing stage.
“It has been an immense privilege for our team to have been given such an insight into the very personal, sometimes painful, experiences which were described during interviews.
“It has also been interesting to hear about the most satisfying aspects of their work and inspiring to hear how farm vets cope with the challenges they face.”
For more information, visit www.howfarmvetscope.co.uk
Veterinary practices are being urged to help owners safely dispose of any unused and expired pet medicines - not just antibiotics - during November's Animal Medicines Amnesty. 
