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Pfizer survey sheds light on motivations
4000 responses analysed

Pfizer has announced the results of a recent VetSupport+ Initiative survey designed to investigate what drives workers in the veterinary sector. More than 4000 responses were received, including the thoughts of 749 practice owners, practice managers and partners, and nearly 3500 individual employees of the nation's veterinary practices. The VetSupport+ team and an independent expert were able to identify major trends and hope to repeat the research on a regular basis so that employee engagement can be monitored on a long-term basis.

Key factors for engaging a veterinary team identified by the study include team effectiveness, employee performance management and leadership. Commenting on the findings, Director Business Innovation at Pfizer Animal Health Ned Flaxman said "At face value this data makes for very interesting reading and the identification of the key drivers of engagement in practice is the practical benefit for practices to prioritise their focus of activity on staff management. This research will enable us to work with practices to do their own employee engagement survey to be benchmarked against the national study. This will provide an evidence-based approach to identify the biggest gaps for improvement, and our Vet Support+ team can work with practices to deliver solutions for those challenges whether leadership, team effectiveness or performance management."

Key findings from the Employee Engagement Survey:
  • 80% of practice owners believe there is a great deal of trust in the team
  • 43% of staff state they do not receive a formal appraisal meeting
  • 32% of practice owners admit their teams do not receive a formal appraisal meeting
  • 23% of employees believe their management team are not accessible
  • 31% of staff admit they are not willing to put in effort beyond the norm
  • 30% of staff do not believe communication is good in their practice
  • 52% of staff do not believe they receive on-going communications about their performance
  • 52% of staff believe poor performers are not managed effectively
  • 53% of both staff and vets believe they/their teams would be happy to spend the rest of their career with their practice
  • 43% of staff do not believe everyone is treated equally
  • 85% of practice owners believe everyone in their team is treated equally
  • 17% of staff admit to actively looking for a new position
  • 20% of nurses believe they are not given sufficient freedom to provide a personal service to their customers
  • 51% of staff do not have a personal development plan
  • 69% of employed vets do not believe their pay and performance are linked
  • 17% of staff are actively looking for a new position
  • 15% are unsure about their intentions to stay

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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."