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SPVS NEWS
TELL US ABOUT YOUR HAPPY, HEALTHY PRACTICE... AND WIN A SPVS WELLBEING AWARD Nick Stuart, SPVS Senior Vice-president and RCVS PSS Inspector, explains the thinking behind the new SPVS award and what the judging panel will be looking for
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here is a lot of talk within the profession about mental health problems and work-related stress, and there is no doubt some practices are struggling with this. But I visit many practices where there is a fantastic supportive culture resulting in a happy, motivated team who are proud of what they do and look forward to coming to work. SPVS’ aim with the Wellbeing Awards is to seek out those practices, try to understand what it is they are doing that others aren’t, and spread the word. We want to change the conversation from what is going wrong to what is going right! The practices that win SPVS Wellbeing Awards will be those practices with happy motivated teams. It isn’t about being able to prove you are implementing a stress management policy according to the latest HSE guidelines or that you have zero tolerance of bullying. Of course we want to hear all of that, but what we are really looking for in the entries are those practices with well-supported and managed teams and some personal touches that show that the bosses put their people first. Let me give you a couple of examples of practices I know. In the first, the vet owner has a very clear vision for her practice and has communicated this to every person in her team. Every protocol is written down and she takes the time to ensure everyone in the practice, from receptionists to nurses to vets, understand those protocols and their role in delivering them. Strong leadership and good communication is at the heart of practice wellbeing. Another, much larger, practice ensured their team remained motivated and engaged through a very clear management structure. The vets have their spokesperson, as do the nurses and the receptionists, and they hold their own regular meetings, but also meet as a practice. The practice manager is empowered by the practice owners to make decisions and to lead the team. The happiest practices in my experience are those that feel that care of the animal is the number-one priority. In one practice I visited, two nurses had just done a sleep over in a new dog and cat home as a fundraiser, involving the whole team and their clients in supporting them. This was not only a fantastic morale boost for them, it made perfect business sense as it strengthened the relationship between the practice and an important local opinion-former, and it sent out a message that this team of vets, nurses and receptionists really care about pets. On the subject of clients, do you as a practice go the extra mile to keep your owners happy? Happy, appreciative clients go a long way to making your team happy and motivated! Do your nurses text clients with updates after operations, do the vets do follow-up calls? Do you have a “£75.00 rule” whereby vets bring up a conversation about price in the consult room if the bill is going to be more. And when there is a complaint, is there
a clear protocol for who steps in to deal with it? Do you share the plaudits with the whole team? Is there a board in the staff room with all those letters from happy clients? Then of course there is your social programme. Tell us about your summer barbecues and Christmas parties; leaving dos and celebrations for mums returning from maternity leave. Do you have a social secretary who makes this all happen? If so, give us his or her name and include a few photographs from the events he or she organises. Entering is easy, so give it a go. You may well pick up a few tips from the Wellbeing Check List and we’ll send a report to all those who enter, sharing the best ideas. And for those who win… what better way to boost morale and reward those individuals in your practice who make it a great place to work.
How to Enter • Identify the person in your practice who champions wellbeing. It might be you as practice manager or owner, or it might be a head nurse or younger vet • Direct that person to www.spvs.org.uk/wellbeing • Complete our simple online checklist. Don’t worry if you aren’t doing everything on the list. • Tell us in no more than 750 words (the length of this article) why your practice is a great place to work. • Include a few photographs if you want, of your practice having fun. • Deadline for entries is October 31, 2016.
Practice Life z September/October 2016 z www.practicelife.biz