Grant McCullough, NZVA President

Change brings new opportunities

NZVA President Grant McCullough welcomes new opportunities for the veterinary profession in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

AS WE’VE ALL seen lately, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have wrought a massive shift in the attitudes of society in general. People have responded by changing their behaviours, changing their mindsets and reassessing what’s important to them at personal, local, national and international levels.

At this stage New Zealand is in a very strong position, and there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. It’s led me to think a lot about the ‘new normal’ for the veterinary profession and for the NZVA.

For example, large animal veterinarians could help New Zealand out of an economic recession through the increased importance of the agriculture sector. The role of veterinarians involved in primary production (eg, as clinicians, with the Ministry for Primary Industries, as participants in market access and industry, and as pathologists) will be even more vital as they help clients achieve higher levels of animal production and performance.

For companion animal veterinarians, I’ve heard anecdotally that pet ownership increased during the lockdown and continues to do so. We certainly haven’t heard reports of pet abandonment, and pet adoptions have continued. The lockdown provided opportunities for people to spend more time with their pets, and many would have gained enormous value from the emotional support their pets provided. There has also been a strong uptake of veterinary services since the lockdown, as practices catch up on non-essential cases that were halted.

I encourage veterinary businesses to consider the ongoing use of digital technology to boost the local veterinary experience and create points of difference in meeting customer needs. Also, online transactions such as local ‘click and collect’ retail are growing. If your practice has products to sell you can put them online. Choose not to, and you risk losing a large chunk of your business as many others make the transition. Don’t be left behind!

I hope that the stronger links between authorising and dispensing restricted veterinary medicines will be part of the ‘new normal’ for veterinarians. The NZVA is working with various stakeholders and consulting members on this issue, so that we can better understand it and decide whether current laws and regulations are enough to support veterinarians in providing excellence in product stewardship.

Things are also different for NZVA staff. They’ve been hosting more Zoom meetings with members and stakeholders, communicating remotely more often, and working from home for more of the time – all while maintaining efficiency and engagement. They are determined to maintain support for and relevance to members; for example, members have been polled and most have told us that email is their preferred way of getting news from the NZVA. Webinars have also proven to be valuable time- and cost-effective ways of sharing information among members. They will continue, although in measured doses.

An economic recession is almost certain. Veterinary businesses need to plan well and with care, and know that the days of doing budgets on the back of an envelope are over. Business sustainability is a priority for the NZVA Member Advisory Group and therefore one of our key goals. Our team is working closely with the NZVA’s Veterinary Business Branch to support increasing veterinary training for members in this space.

In the short term, the return of Kiwis living overseas will slightly alleviate the shortage of veterinarians in the employment market. However, shortages are possible in the long term, especially given that, in a normal year, overseas veterinarians comprise two-thirds of new veterinarian registrants. The NZVA has been lobbying the Government with a view to ensuring there are enough veterinarians to provide services effectively for all New Zealand.

The NZVA Board is very pleased that the new strategic plan (which CEO Kevin Bryant covers in his column on page six) reflects the needs and priorities of you, our members. I believe its implementation will provide you with ongoing evidence and confidence that your association is here for you. And remember, you also need to be here for your association for it to be able to continue to work for you. I strongly encourage as many veterinarians as possible to become members, as a tangible way of enabling this.

Grant McCullough, NZVA President grant.mccullough@vets.org.nz

Welcome to the NZVA wellbeing hub

We recognise that a veterinary career can be stressful and demanding at times and there are periods, such as new and recent graduates and those returning to the profession after a break when veterinarians may be particularly vulnerable.

It is very important for the NZVA to provide members with wellbeing support. The Wellbeing Hub is a new member benefit initiative and will continue to be updated as more useful resources are added to the collection. It will provide access to valuable resources to help veterinarians remain healthy and well, as well as providing support to those who are struggling with stress, anxiety or burnout.