OUR FIRST MEETING FEATURED THE FOLLOWING STRUCTURE

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We already knew of some great Vet Practice set ups (and we are currently in the process of getting details on how their Practices are structured) but as every Practice will be different, we thought it would be good to get an overview of everyone’s thoughts, experiences and ideas, so that we could start finding out if there are structures that every Vet Practice could easily put in place, to help them to help wildlife and to create an even stronger relationship between themselves and local Rescues (perhaps this could even include some ideas on what Rehabbers can do, to support vet practices even more).

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We started by asking...   What challenges do Rehabbers face and how can they have more support: both in general and from Vet Practices?

 

Then we asked...  With these examples in mind, who has a great example of Vet Practices and Rescues working brilliantly to support one another and wildlife being treated and processed successfully as part of a unified relationship?

 

The new RCVS recommendations are going to lead to a lot more hands on interactions between Vets and Rehabbers: in the meeting we discussed what ideas everyone has on how they can be supported to have this run as easily as possible, as a Vet Practice and as a Rescue/Rehabber? Eg. Transport support, income to cover increased Vets bills, helping Vet Practices with wildlife knowledge and support?

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NOTES FROM OUR FIRST MEETING

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Record keeping…

 

Full record keeping (admission records and medication records and case notes) would be great to have on both sides, in Vet Practices & Rescues, that go back and forth for the duration of the patient’s care.  [I am asking for a copy the Hospital Sheets that Sarah and Beth use in their own Vet Practice workplaces.]

 

A lesser alternative is a handover sheet that a Rescue would give a Vet on pick up of a casualty, for them to fill out so that the Rescue goes away with all of the information about the patient’s care, thus far.

 

Vet/Rehabber Relationships…

 

Vet and Rehabber relationship and full confidence can be what is lacking between a Vet and Rehabber. There can also be a lack of full knowledge of the law (Vets not fully aware of what they are allowed to do with regards to medication control in Vet/Rehabber relationships).

 

It can be a difficult judgement call to make: where does the ‘under the care’ start and finish with a Vet and Rehabber with regards to medications?

 

Vet & Medication Costs…

 

What are the costs & logistics of share-hiring a Vet Surgeon (sharing the cost) to visit a number of small local Rescues regularly rather than each Rescue working individually with a local Vet Practice?

 

There was a discussion about purchasing medications in bulk to save cost.  (I am going to be asking Beth Ragan, who kindly spoke on this at the meeting, for info on how FAWR has gone about getting medications in bulk).

 

More support for Vet Professionals, in Practices…

 

• Wildlife knowledge for Vet Professionals (like the Vet Wildlife Support Package) was agreed to be a positive resource: https://www.wildlifecarebadge.com/vwsp 

• A support network - probably localised, very similar to FAWR’s template in Nottingham - where Vet Professionals could access advice from more wildlife experienced Vet Professionals in the area was something that was felt to be of value.  Here is the link for the Vet Professionals Facebook Group, where we are specifically looking at setting up a template to enable this idea: https://www.facebook.com/groups/vetprofessionalswildlifenetwork 

 

(I am going to get - and thank you in advance - some info from Sarah and Beth on how their work place practices are set up - like ward walk arounds and hospital sheets - to get drawn up details of how they help wildlife and where they are successful, to see about starting to establish a common template for other practices).

 

A final thought…

 

Could it be about having a very wildlife friendly mindset and how supported a Vet Practice feels, to help them to help wildlife and cutting costs like X-rays etc though a mutual benefit?

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NOTES FROM OUR SECOND MEETING (ON 9TH MAY 2023)

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Our second meeting was about focusing on great Vet/Rehabber relationships and what makes them so strong and so able to treat and rehabilitate wildlife together.

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Rehabbers discussed their own strong Vet/Rehabber relationships and some key features that everyone had in common were picked out.  (These key/core common features have been collated into a document for everyone who wants them to check out.  [Ask for a copy from Alana@WildlifeCareBadge.com.]

 

FUTURE MEETINGS WILL FOCUS ON DISCUSSION POINTS, IN GENERAL, LIKE...

 

• How can Vet Practices have their premises set up to best house and treat wildlife when a casualty comes in from a member of the public, to most efficiently treat a wildlife casualty before the casualty is passed onto a local Rescue?

• How can Wildlife Rescues/Rehabbers and Vet Practices support one another most efficiently, ensuring high welfare rehabilitation of local wildlife casualties and sharing the burden together: supporting one another?

• Are there any super successful examples of Vet Practice/Wildlife Rescue relationships that could be made into a template for other Vet Practices and Wildlife Rescues to benefit from?

 

There will be monthly meetings on Zoom on weekday evenings.  If you sign up using the button (that will take you to a google form) below, you'll be sent a zoom link for each meeting.  If lots of Vet Professionals / Wildlife Rehabbers join, we will set up a private Facebook Group so that it is easier for everyone to communicate without having to wait for WCB to organise meetings.