What we do
Language Workstream
The language we use each day can sometimes impact on those around us, even if that’s not what we intend. To improve the clarity and precision of our language, the Vet Futures Language Working Group is looking at how our industry communicates and ways we can improve to be more inclusive of all veterinary professionals. Leading the group is Veterinary Council of New Zealand Professional Advisor Seton Butler, who says the purpose of the workstream is to ensure that accurate, evidence-based, and context-sensitive language is used across the industry.
Business Sustainability Workstream
Gathering comprehensive data to inform business planning is the first important piece of work being undertaken by the Vet Futures’ Business Sustainability Group. New Zealand Veterinary Association (NZVA) CEO Kevin Bryant, who is supporting the Veterinary Business Branch of NZVA, which is leading this workstream, says the profession is currently lacking good data about clinics across the country. This makes it difficult to produce benchmarks and plan for the future. The Veterinary Business Branch (VBB) already run benchmarking surveys for remuneration and fees and are looking to add business KPIs as another survey stream.
Wellbeing Workstream
Vet Futures’ Veterinary Teams Wellbeing Initiative is bringing people together from across, and from beyond the veterinary sector to tackle health and wellbeing issues. It builds on the Wellbeing Framework developed in 2020 collaboratively by the Veterinary Council of New Zealand, New Zealand Veterinary Association, Massey University, New Zealand Veterinary Nursing Association and Allied Veterinary Professional Regulatory Council. One of the final outcomes was the establishment of its own independent governance group.
Workforce Workstream
Our Workforce Dynamics working group is focusing on the sustainability of the veterinary workforce to ensure the professions continue to thrive and meet society’s needs. This group will gather and analyse data to gauge a greater understanding of the veterinary workforce, including veterinarians, nurses, and technicians. This important information will help us to forecast how the workforce could look in the future, and what factors will affect this. The workforce group is led by Veterinary Council of New Zealand CEO and Registrar Iain McLachlan, who says the key to good future planning is to ensure we have the right people in place.
Sustainability Workstream
Identifying practical ways the veterinary profession can drive significant environmental change is a key focus of the Vet Futures’ Sustainability Working Group. Leading this piece of work is Otago Polytechnic Associate Professor and veterinarian Francesca Brown, who wants to bring the veterinary profession together to start talking about sustainable practice. Francesca has a Graduate Diploma in Sustainable Practice and a Master of Professional Practice (Distinction) in Leadership for Change.
Telemedicine Workstream
The COVID-19 pandemic sped up the way telemedicine was used across the veterinary profession. With lockdown restrictions now over, Vet Futures is in the process of setting up a group to discuss the opportunities and challenges this technology brings. This group is led by Veterinary Council of New Zealand CEO and Registrar Iain McLachlan who says it is important the profession develops a coordinated response if it decides to make telemedicine a permanent fixture in veterinary practise.
