Veterinary Associations | Veterinary Events and Conferences

BSAVA BREAKS RECORDS AGAIN WITH FOCUS FIRMLY ON QUALITY

vetreportApril 14, 2014

Thousands of delegates from across the veterinary profession departed Birmingham on Sunday 6 April after being a part of another record breaking Congress for the British Small Animal Veterinary Association.

At the AGM on Sunday it was reported that as of Saturday evening a total of 6,286 vets, vet nurses, practice managers and students had attended the event, an increase on the 6,178 in 2013.

Outgoing BSAVA President Professor Michael Day was delighted that so many had attended – because he felt that once again Congress was distinguished by a hallmark of quality. “What continues to set BSAVA Congress apart is simply ‘quality’” he said. “The quality of the faultless organisation, the quality of the scientific content, and the quality of our exhibition and incomparable social programme.”

Talks to talk about
Vets and vet nurses jointly acquired more than 100,000 CPD hours in a packed and varied scientific programme that included orthopaedics, neurology, anaesthesia and analgesia, dermatology, oncology and pain management.

The popular Management Stream provided a programme of lectures on practice business topics that included public relations, accountancy and human resources.

Respected commentator, author and presenter of BBC science programmes Professor Alice Roberts gave an engaging keynote speech to a packed ICC hall on the role of evolutionary science in demonstrating how the human and animal worlds are intertwined. She is the latest distinguished scientist to be attracted to speak at BSAVA Congress in recent years, following in the footsteps of Richard Dawkins, Lord Robert Winston, and Baroness Susan Greenfield.

A time to celebrate
The BSAVA’s charitable arm PetSavers – which funds vital research into veterinary medicine – celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, and used the occasion at Congress to announce £40,000 of funding to be split between the seven veterinary colleges, with the remaining £5,000 available to veterinary nurses who apply for funding.

It also launched its ‘£200 Project’ – an appeal to every veterinary practice to raise £200 each this year, a figure which would secure the future of the organisation and reduce its reliance on unpredictable income sources such as legacy funding.

Congress is the perfect time for us to celebrate and honour colleagues who do outstanding work in the veterinary profession. The prestigious BSAVA Awards were presented during the event and recognised the achievements of the profession’s unsung heroes.

Enticing Exhibition
As of the end of the day on Saturday, more than 1,800 veterinary textbooks had been snapped up on the BSAVA Balcony, including brand new titles focusing on canine and feline radiography and radiotherapy, and rabbit medicine and surgery.

Nearly 300 exhibitors, including new and familiar names, filled the National Indoor Arena, with many choosing to launch new products, services or research findings. Delegates took the opportunity to take advantage of the numerous exclusive offers available – and of course walked away with bags of free gifts and samples.

The Stand Awards were hotly contested this year because so many of the exhibitors had been remarkably creative. Pharmaceutical manufacturer Bayer won the best space-only stand award for its art gallery-themed display to convey the message that fatal pet parasites can ‘ruin beautiful family pictures’ when an animal suddenly dies. The large shell scheme award went to Forum Animal Health and the small shell scheme award was won by Chunk Training.

Not all work
The social programme included stand-up by popular comedian Marcus Brigstocke, compèred by Rhodri Rhys who returned following his success as last year’s party night. Boy band Lawson provided musical entertainment on Saturday night and ensured that revellers were already in the dancing mood by the time the late night disco got started.

According to the Birmingham Convention Bureau, the BSAVA Congress brings in an estimated £15m to the regional economy. This includes accommodation, meals, events, entertainment, and travel around the destination.

Outgoing BSAVA president Michael Day was keen to remind us that this event was truly created by the profession for the profession; “Two years of planning comes together for this extraordinary event during these four days, and I have seen firsthand the level of detail and preparation that occurs.”

Most of that preparation is done by vets and VNs who volunteer their time and expertise to the two Congress Committees responsible for putting the entire event together. They are supported by staff from Woodrow House HQ who head to Birmingham from Gloucester each year. This year the Head of Business Operations covered 309.70 miles during his week at Congress. That might be another record breaking figure for 2014.

A new era begins
When Katie McConnell was inducted as the new BSAVA President on the Sunday of Congress she said it was an honour to have been asked to lead such a ‘fantastic organisation’; “Like so many previous presidents, I look back on my early volunteering days with deep affection but it would have been a great surprise to my earlier self to be told that one day I would be the BSAVA President.

“During my presidential year I would like to meet as many BSAVA members as I can, hopefully in their own regions. I plan to travel to regional BSAVA continuing education meetings, not to stand up and lecture but to listen to individual members and find out what the BSAVA means to them. The BSAVA is run by members for members and the only way to shape its work is to become engaged with it.”