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Vet professionals invited to mental health training
The course will be held on 7-8 March 2024.
Two-day course to be held in Nottingham.

The Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) will host a two-day mental health first aid training course for veterinary professionals in Nottingham in March.

Providing a qualification in Mental Health First Aid, the in-person course will look at how to identify signs of poor mental health in others, how to direct people to appropriate support, and how to confidently begin conversations about mental health.

The training, provided in collaboration with Mental Health First Aid England, will take place at Antenna, Nottingham on Thursday, 7 March 2024 and Friday, 8 March 2024. It will cost £80 per person.

Any member of the veterinary profession can attend, including veterinary surgeons, veterinary nurses, practice managers, receptionists, and students.

The MMI was set up by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2015 to improve mental health and wellbeing in the veterinary sector by providing training and resources.

Angharad Belcher, Advancement of the Professions and MMI director, said: “Having worked with Mental Health First Aid England in the past to provide these valuable training courses, we are really pleased to see the network of veterinary Mental Health First Aiders continue to grow, particularly in more rural areas where access to mental health support is often more difficult to come by.

“The aim is to create a ripple effect, whereby Mental Health First Aiders within the veterinary community can then support others to feel confident in speaking out about how they feel and to reach out for appropriate support if required.”

Places on the course can be booked on the MMI website.

Image © Shutterstock

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Reporting service for dead wild birds updated

News Story 1
 The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has updated its online reporting service for dead wild birds.

The new version allows those reporting a dead bird to drop a pin on a map when reporting the location. It also includes a wider range of wild bird species groups to select from when describing the bird.

The online service, which helps APHA to monitor the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, can be accessed here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
NI chief vet urges bluetongue vigilance

Northern Ireland's chief veterinary officer (CVO) has urged farmers to be vigilant for signs of bluetongue, after the Animal and Plant Health Agency warned there was a very high probability of further cases in Great Britain.

There have been 126 confirmed cases of bluetongue virus serotype 3 in England since November 2023, with no cases reported in Northern Ireland. The movement of live ruminants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland is currently suspended.

According to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the virus is most likely to enter Northern Ireland through infected animals or germplasm (semen or ova) being imported.

Brian Dooher, Northern Ireland's CVO, said: "Surveillance for this disease within Northern Ireland has been increased to assist with detection at the earliest opportunity which will facilitate more effective control measures."

Farmers should report any suspicions of the disease to their private veterinary practitioner, the DAERA Helpline on 0300 200 7840 or their local DAERA Direct Veterinary Office.