MMI and VN Futures to offer civility training
"Hopefully running these sessions throughout the uk will have a long lasting ripple effect in improving practice culture" - Jill Macdonald RVN, VN Futures lead.
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has collaborated with the RCVS VN Futures initiative to provide civility training for veterinary professionals.
Delivered by VetLed, the training has been introduced following a 2021 survey of student and newly qualified veterinary surgeons, which revealed that 96 per cent of respondents felt that incivility and bullying were serious problems in the veterinary workplace.
MMI and VN Futures have both worked with VetLed to deliver online civility training sessions, and are now collaborating to extend the reach of the sessions by making online and in-person training available across the UK.
Angharad Belcher, RCVS director of the advancement of the professions and MMI, explained: “We’re delighted to be collaborating with VN Futures to continue the delivery of these hugely important civility training sessions.
“Workplace culture has an enormous impact on mental health and it is vital that all members of the practice team are respected, listened to, and feel able to speak out.
“Our previous civility training sessions proved to be hugely popular and received excellent feedback, so we’re really excited to be able to bring them to a wider audience. I would like to thank VetLed and VN Futures for their ongoing dedication and support.”
Between October 2022 and April 2023, 12 civility training sessions will be held, and will be open to all members of the veterinary team.
Subsidised by MMI, the in-person training will cost £50 per person, and the online training will cost £20 per person. Some sessions have now been made available to book, and any members of the veterinary professions are invited to do so on the MMI training page.
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. 
