11 minute read
Advice On How To
from American in Britain Autumn 2021 Issue
by American in Britain magazine and The American Hour website
ADVICE ON CHOOSING A VET IN THE UK
Navigating the veterinary medical sector, whilst leading an extremely highpaced international lifestyle, can be a
labyrinthine process! It’s therefore worth doing some research before making the ‘big move’ to make sure you’re comfortable with the process of finding the right veterinarian, and practice (a.k.a. surgery, clinic), for you and your pet’s exacting requirements.
WHERE DO YOU START? Personal Recommendation
Personal recommendations, in preference to online reviews, can be a really useful way to finding a reputable vet in your local area. It’s definitely worth exploring fellow expat’s experiences with various practices, including location and accessibility, Out-Of-Hours provision (24-hour emergency care) and also a practice’s general bedside manner. You may yearn for a more personalised family doctor environment where everyone knows your (and pet’s) name (enter Cheers Theme tune). On the other hand, you may wish for a no-frills, one-stop-shop experience because going to the vet is just another task to tick off a never-ending list of things to do…time is of the essence! Nevertheless, there’s no shortage of choice when it comes to vets and a good personal recommendation goes a long way in whittling down those numbers!
Distance
It’s a good idea to choose a practice close to your home which is easily accessible. Not only should it be convenient, but if there’s an emergency it’s also good to know that you can get your pet to the vet as soon as possible. Have a think about where the practice is located in relation to your home, if it’s near any public transport links or, if you drive, does it have a car park or public parking nearby?
Out Of Hours (OOH) Cover
Whatever the size of the premises, veterinary surgeons are required to offer 24-hour emergency cover for their clients every day of the week.
They can do this in several ways; a practice may provide this themselves, or some practices get together locally to provide this service, which may mean that you have to travel to a different practice in a emergency.
Other practices choose to use a dedicated out-of-hours service (similar to what we’re familiar with from our own GPs).
Bedside Manner, Trust And Communication:
All animal lovers want to know that their pets are in good hands. Do all the staff treat you and your pet sympathetically, empathetically and seem genuinely interested? Trust is the absolute cornerstone of the pet owner and veterinary relationship. Trust is defined as ‘assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something.’ Trust does not usually result from just a single interaction, but rather a cumulation of experiences built over time where opportunities of trustworthiness can be tested.
In veterinary medicine, our clients expect that we, as patient caregivers, will advocate and protect the pet’s best interests whilst simultaneously enhancing their quality of life. In this relationship, the pet owner is the trusting party and must have confidence that we, as vets, will act in their pet’s best interest. This intrinsic trust in vets is expressed in the discretionary latitude pet owners give their veterinarian when allowing permission to do what’s necessary in an attempt to benefit their pet’s long-term well-being.
In the world of veterinary medicine, trust results from a number of interconnected interactions including the pet owner’s perception of their veterinarian’s technical competency, interpersonal attributes and communication skills, aligned values, as well as the pet owner’s impression of how a professional system works. This is especially true for an expatriate trying to navigate new ‘cultural codes’ in a different country!
Trust is vital for a healthy GP veterinarian - pet owner/pet - Specialist veterinarian relationship. (‘Triad of Care’). It is an indispensable virtue of a good physician. Without this virtue, the relationship disintegrates. With trust, we as vets enhance our ability to assure worried pet owners and heal beloved pets.
Communication: A Means Of Developing Trust
communication is the most effective and efficient means of engendering trust.
Communication is a skill which is based on the art of empathetic listening. Communication is how we behave, the way we listen, the manner in which we deliver on what we say, how we treat others, and how others perceive our message(s) we’re trying to deliver. It is the way we relate to the pet, the pet owner/family and household staff. All the ways we communicate have a tremendous impact on developing, building, and reinforcing trust.
One of the greatest challenges our profession is facing is trying to balance the post-Covid-19 surge in veterinary demand with a pressing recruitment and retention crisis. This will eventually have a knock-on effect with veterinary teams trying to desperately deliver high quality care and also preserving the time to foster the many interpersonal relationships we have with their clients. Communication and trust is a bilateral experience and therefore equally important for clients to also demonstrate empathy towards our hard working profession especially. when things don’t go to plan!
And Lastly…Price
The prices that veterinary practices charge can vary depending on their location, the facilities they offer and their overheads. Staff should be able to give you typical costs for routine treatments and don’t forget to ask exactly what’s included when you’re given a quote. If your pet is having surgery, find out whether there will be further charges for post-op check-ups. It’s definitely worth getting reputable pet insurance – you’ll be breathing a sigh of relief when you’re faced with a bumper vet bill.
Some charities, like The Blue Cross, provide veterinary treatment to people on benefits for a donation or at a reduced fee. Contact your nearest charity for advice.
How Do Vet Practices Work?
GP Veterinary practices and hospitals
in the UK, companion animal practices can be classified as independently-owned, corporate-owned (e.g. CVS, Medivet, Vet Partners, Linnaeus-Mars, IVC-Evidensia) yet still retain the name of the local practice, and a charity (e.g. RSPCA, PDSA, Blue Cross).
Some veterinary practices operate with just one veterinary surgeon and one member of staff. Others may operate from massive facilities comprising of 30 or more vets with a similar number of nursing and support staff. Practices may operate from more than one site-– the main practice being supported by one or more branch surgeries or ‘satellite surgeries’. The branch surgeries may have limited on-site facilities and equipment; however, they allow you to see a vet without having to travel long distances. Facility offerings do vary between practices. Some may have extensive equipment and skill sets on-site whilst others may contact services to fill in the gap (e.g. ‘Peripatetic Specialists’ - a Specialist who comes to your local practice to see a case) or alternatively, refer you to a distant tertiary referral centre.
Referral practices and hospitals, like GPs, can be independently-owned, corporate-owned (e.g. CVS, Linneaus-Mars, IVC-Evidensia, Medivet, Vet Partners), or an academic veterinary teaching hospital (e.g. Royal Veterinary College, Cambridge University, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, University of Bristol).
What Do All The Letters Mean?
Every veterinary procedure must be decided and mostly performed by a vet, but what’s the difference between a veterinary surgeon, an official veterinarian, a certificate holder, and a Specialist?
Veterinary Surgeon (MRCVS): A veterinary surgeon a.k.a Vet, Veterinarian, GP Vet etc. is a title granted to anyone who has completed a veterinary degree and are registered doctors with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (UK Professional Regulatory Body). They’re given the title ‘MRCVS’ which stands for Member of Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. It’s illegal for someone not registered with the RCVS to practice as a veterinary surgeon in the UK. Qualified veterinarians will have the initials MRCVS or FRCVS after their name. You can check if your vet is registered on the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk).
Most GP vets carry out a variety of medical and surgical procedures from their local surgeries. There may be times, however, when it’s better for a specialised vet to take over more complex cases – for example if your pet needs an MRI scan, endoscopic procedure or has a complex fracture. If your local practice is unable to provide the expertise, or equipment, required for an investigation or procedure, then they may refer you on to an Advanced Practitioner (Certificate Holder) or a Specialist (Diploma Holder).
Official Veterinarian (OV): Vets may undertake additional training to become an OV which authorises them to carry out tasks on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, such as testing cattle for tuberculosis or the issuing of documentation for the export of animals and animal products.
Levels Of Qualification
There are different levels of veterinary practice available to you in the UK and are similar to the different levels of care offered in human medicine. Your own GP (general practitioner) may refer you to a Consultant (Specialist) in a hospital for further investigations and/or surgery. In the same way, GP vets handle most of the routine healthcare for dogs and cats from your local practice; however, should your pet require diagnostics and/or treatments which fall outside their level of expertise, they may arrange a referral. Sometimes, an owner feels that they would like a second opinion before embarking on expensive treatment or where the diagnosis is not clear.
REMEMBER: In the UK, pet owners are able to freely choose where to take their pet - GP, emergency and Specialist vet and/or hospital. Specialist vets can work from either a referral centre or alternatively, they can visit your local veterinary practice (‘Peripatetic Specialist’).
Advanced Practitioners And Certificate
Holders: Veterinary Surgeons can be further classified as Advanced Practitioners depending on their area of interests. Unlike human doctors once a vet has completed their degree, they’re allowed to perform surgery; however, they can opt to do further qualifications which may gain them different titles which highlights their particular level of interest and experience.
These vets have completed a ‘Certificate’, usually a 1-2 year long course gaining them an extra qualification in their chosen field of interest. Certificates cover a wide range of areas, including small animal medicine, small animal surgery, large animal medicine, exotic animal practice, welfare ethics and law, public health, cardiology, orthopaedics and advanced veterinary practice (Cert AVP).
For example, if you have an unusual or exotic pet, it’s worth finding a vet who has experience with that species. If you’re not sure your local practice should be able to point you in the right direction or alternatively you can search for a practice by species on the RCVS website.
Veterinary Diplomates: These vets have completed a post graduate degree in their chosen field awarded a Diploma by a governing body: Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), EBVS® (European Board of Veterinary Specialties), ABVS® (American Board of Veterinary Specialties) and FANZCVSc (Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists). The RCVS specifies which qualifications and extra training a vet must have to call themselves a Specialist. To become a Specialist, the vet has to train directly under other Specialists focusing 100% of their time on their area of specialism for a minimum of 3 years. This period is usually called a Residency. They will do between 3 to 5 years training in their discipline and publish clinical research in order to be eligible to take Board examinations to become a Diplomate. This is the highest level of expertise that a vet can attain in the UK and abroad. The letters after their name will start with a ‘Dip’ or ‘D’. This then entitles the vet to call themselves a Veterinary Specialist and the vet will be able to apply to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons to be registered as a RCVS Recognised Specialist in their field.
Fellow Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (FRCVS): These vets must prove to the RCVS that they have made a valuable contribution to their chosen field usually involving national and international publications, significant teaching and educational contributions, the creation and interpretation of new knowledge through original research and scholarship and a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge which is at the forefront of an academic discipline or area of professional expertise.
**REMEMBER: In the UK, you as the pet owner, have the autonomous choice to request where you want to be referred to and who you wish to see and does not obligate you to see vet within the structure of any particular veterinary group.
So whether you’re moving for work, family, or to just start afresh, the UK’s multicultural and welcoming nature makes it a great destination for American expats. It may take some time to fully familiarise yourself with all the quirks and perks of British culture but hopefully, this guide has given you the necessary information and confidence to register with your first veterinary surgery (clinic)!
When Dr. Elise Robertson founded Coûtant Private Veterinarian®, it was with fellow American expats in mind. “I remember what it was like when I first moved to the UK and how I yearned for services that reminded me of home,” she admits. The global lifestyle is very rewarding, but when it comes to your cat or dog’s wellbeing, nothing provides more comfort than on-demand access to a skilled veterinarian who understands your needs. Licensed to practice in the UK, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, Dr. Elise Robertson accepts a limited number of households for private veterinary care in the UK and across borders.
