The MMI aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of everyone in the veterinary team.

The initiative is deciding what areas of veterinary mental health and wellbeing to prioritise.

Views are being sought from veterinary professionals on how key areas of the Mind Matters Initiative five-year strategy are developed.

Launched in 2015, the RCVS-run Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) aims to improve the wellbeing and mental health of all those in the veterinary team, including veterinary nurses, veterinary students, veterinary surgeons and practice managers.

Through surveys and discussions at MMI events, the organisation is currently deciding what areas of veterinary mental health and wellbeing to prioritise over the next five years.

The key areas of strategy are research, leadership, beyond mental health awareness, the veterinary nursing profession, students and new graduates, and equality, diversity, inclusion and civility. Members of the profession are now being urged to have their say by taking part in a short survey.

“Our aim for this survey is to give survey participants a chance to have their say into how we develop the key areas of our new strategy,” commented Lisa Quigley, Mind Matters Initiative Manager. “MMI is for everyone working across the veterinary professions, and we want to know what each of our key themes for 2022 - 2027 means to individual members, to help us to make sure everyone’s voice is represented.”

Participants will be asked questions about how they would like the MMI to communicate about new events, training and announcements. They will also be able to suggest ideas for themes or areas of veterinary mental health that they would like to see in the new strategy.

The survey can be accessed via the Mind Matters website and will remain open until 28 February 2022.