British Equestrian’s 2024 State of the Nation report highlights key issues for the equine community. Financial strain continues to affect horse owners, with vet costs flagged as a top concern. Riding schools are facing workforce shortages and rising costs, while new research reveals worrying levels of poor employment practices and mental health challenges across the wider equestrian workforce. Public trust in equestrian sport remains moderate. Concerns centre on transparency, elitism, and

This November, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) will be hosting an inaugural international postgraduate veterinary education (PGVE) symposium to kick start the development of an international community of practice to lead, engage in, report and share high quality veterinary educational scholarship, research and innovation. This unique event will take place at Ironmongers’ Hall, London, on Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 November 2025, and will bring together all those with an in

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is inviting all members of the veterinary practice team to be a part of its latest series of VN Vision events – ‘A vision or a necessity: strengthening the role of veterinary nurses in team-based veterinary healthcare’. This initiative builds on the impactful VN Vision work carried out by the RCVS in 2024 and aims to inspire a cultural shift in how veterinary nurses can be more effectively integrated within multidisciplinary veter

SPVS are pleased to release the results of their 2025 Salary Survey. This much-anticipated, annual report gives detailed information on remuneration levels and is the only one of its kind providing an invaluable benchmark to all those working in the veterinary sector. It covers everything from basic earnings, bonuses, dividends and overtime, to benefits such as accommodation, car allowances and pensions. SPVS members will receive the full version plus there is a Nurses Salary Survey and Highl

Ahead of its Annual General Meeting, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has published its Annual Report and Financial Statements for 2024, setting out key achievements and projects from the College through the year. The Annual Report will be formally presented at Royal College Day on Friday 4 July at One Great George Street and is now available to download from the RCVS website (www.rcvs.org.uk/publications). The document sets out how the College, in the course of the year in review

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) has published two sets of best practice guidance to support educational establishments to make appropriate reasonable adjustments decisions for student veterinary surgeons and student veterinary nurses respectively. Under the Equality Act 2010, employers and educators are required to put in place reasonable adjustments for employees or students with a disability - defined as a physical and/or mental health condition that has a substantial and long-

The Testing To Exclude scheme for West Nile fever has now changed, allowing Private Veterinary Surgeons (PVS) to submit West Nile fever (WNF) samples directly to Weybridge without calling APHA first. The TTE scheme must still only be used when disease is very low on the differential list and not suspected, but the PVS would like to test to exclude completely. If WNF is considered a probable diagnosis or if another notifiable disease is suspected you must report this immediately to APHA by callin

The winners of the 2025 RCVS Knowledge Awards have been announced. They include a team that studied near misses to improve outcomes, a team that applied techniques from human healthcare to reduce errors, and a team that reduced unnecessary antibiotic use. The awards recognise veterinary teams that have used QI techniques to improve outcomes in their practice or organisation. The first-place champion teams will have the opportunity to collect their awards in person at RCVS Day in London on Friday

Zoetis UK Ltd today announced that Equip Artervac is back in stock, following a supply issue. Equip Artervac is a part of the Zoetis Equip range of vaccines. It is indicated for the active immunisation for horses against equine viral arteritis (EVA) to reduce the clinical signs and shedding of the virus in nasal secretions following infection. “Our team has worked exceptionally hard to get this product back into production,” said Tim Burgess, Livestock and Equine Business Unit Direct

We are congratulating Professor Stephen May FRCVS, Emeritus Professor at the Royal Veterinary College, who has been recognised for his services to veterinary education and animals in science. Stephen May graduated from the University of Cambridge in 1980 and has pushed the boundaries of equine surgery and veterinary education ever since. Early in his career, Stephen trained in equine surgery and diagnostic imaging at the University of Liverpool, earning diplomas in veterinary radiology and equin

Nominations are now open for the for the National Equine Forum (NEF) Sir Colin Spedding Award 2026. This award honours outstanding individuals or organisations in the equine sector who strive to make a difference but have not yet been recognised. The online nomination process is quick and easy. Sir Colin Spedding was the founding chairman of the NEF and chaired the event for 20 years until his death in 2012. He ensured that representatives of all areas of the equine sphere were made welcome at t

Sustainability Working Group member Tim Mair has written the following article on reducing carbon emissions using anaesthetic gas capture. Volatile anaesthetic gases such as isoflurane are potent greenhouse gases that significantly contribute to climate change. Isoflurane, for example, has a warming potential over 100 years which is approximately 510 times that of CO2. On average, volatile anaesthetic agents contribute about one fifth of the carbon footprint of surgical procedures. Around 3 mil

Menopause is an increasingly hot topic for the general population, but there are some specifics relating to equine veterinary work which may increase its significance within our profession. Liz Barton, co-founder of WellVet and VetMums and BEVA Council member Gemma Dransfield discuss menopause and its specific impacts for working equine vets. "The need to properly discuss perimenopause and menopause came about off the back of a WellVet event hosted during COVID" said Liz. "Attend

Becky Price and Steph Gillespie are both BEVA member equine vets in practice who have benefitted from an income protection policy with PG Mutual. They tell us more about their experiences and why they would recommend income protection to every equine vet. "I first came across income protection as a student whilst on EMS" said Steph, "one of the vets there had a wrist injury and was having trouble getting her job done and was stuck in a bit of a battle with her employer. She told m

Leanda Livesey BVM&S, BSc (Hons), Cert VA, Cert EIM, Dip. ACVIM, MRCVS (Born June 1967, Graduated Edinburgh University 1991, Died January 2025) Leanda was born in Brigham, West Cumbria in June 1967, a much-loved daughter to Albert and Patricia Livesey and sister to Albert. Leanda had a wonderful childhood in Brigham. She shared a passion for animals, especially horses, with her father, and a love of music, literature, and the arts with her beloved mother. After a stellar career at school, sh

EVA Executive Officer Jeffrey Wilkinson has provided the below statement following the passing of Dr Jane Axon. It is with great sadness that I inform the Membership, that our dearly loved friend and colleague, Dr Jane Axon (EVA President 2008,) passed away last Friday evening. Jane, a Life Member of EVA, Fellow of the AVA, Member of the College, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Registered Specialist in Equine Medicine, and Gilruth Prize Winner, was a true legen

Joseph Robert, always known as Robert at home and in the practice, or as Bob to his many friends. His Father was a farmer at Ecton, about midway between Northampton and Wellingborough, but both his Grandfather and Great Grandfather were Veterinary Surgeons practicing in Wellingborough. Small wonder then that all he ever wanted to be was a Vet. He was educated at Wellingborough School and the University of Bristol Veterinary School from where he qualified in the summer of 1959. Started his work