RCVS Knowledge launches roadshows programme

RCVS Knowledge is to expand its CPD offering with the introduction of quality improvement roadshows, launching in October.

The roadshows programme will initially cover the clinical management of hip dysplasia and, in an industry first, continuous quality improvement (QI) dedicated to equine veterinary professionals. 

“We are delighted to launch these roadshows to the veterinary community,” said Chris Gush, Executive Director of RCVS Knowledge. “They are designed to provide focused and practical QI support that can be embedded immediately into day-to-day activities.

“The equine and hip dysplasia events are the first in our new roadshows programme, which we are launching this year to bring specialist continuous quality improvement training closer to veterinary professionals’ doorsteps.”

Approved by the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) and sponsored by the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB), the equine events will initially take place at Rossdales Equine Hospital in Suffolk on 22nd October and at Ashbrook Veterinary Hospital in Cheshire on 5th December.

The roadshow will see a range of speakers renowned in the fields of equine veterinary medicine and QI share practical examples of improving outcomes for equine patients. Interactive workshops, real-life scenarios and case studies will show how QI techniques can be applied in practice to help teams prevent and respond to errors.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Professor Debra Archer, Head of Equine Surgery and Professor in Equine Surgery, University of Liverpool
• Dr Alice Bird, Senior Clinical Anaesthetist, Animal Health Trust
• Dr Rachel Dean, Director of Clinical Research and Excellence in Practice, VetPartners
• Dr Tim Mair, Specialist in Equine Internal Medicine & Equine Surgery (Soft Tissue): Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic
• Pam Mosedale, Chair of Quality Improvement Advisory Board, RCVS Knowledge
• Lewis Smith, Partner and Veterinary Surgeon (RCVS and European Specialist in Equine Surgery), Rossdales Equine Hospital

President Elect of BEVA, Tim Mair, said QI can help equine professionals provide the best possible care:

“There are many challenges to being an equine vet and running a successful equine practice. Even in large practices and equine hospitals, there is a risk that we operate in our own little bubble and assume that what we are doing is best practice, whereas in reality we could often do a better job.

“Clinical governance and quality improvement are tools that allow us to critically appraise our day-to-day work and identify ways in which we can continuously improve what we do – to the benefit of our patients and clients, as well as to ourselves.”

Dr Alice Bird, who will be speaking at the roadshow, said:

“Our knowledge as a profession is forever growing and evolving and even when every action is done ‘by the book’ things don’t always go perfectly.

“Taking a step back to evaluate working practices and move forward with evidence-based improvements is beneficial to all, including both vets and our patients.”

The hip dysplasia roadshow, run in conjunction with the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA), will begin on 9th October in Gatwick, Surrey.

The event will review the condition prevalent in dogs, how best to investigate it and the available treatment options. Case examples will be used to show how the evidence can be evaluated, explain how to measure treatment outcomes and show how the use of checklists can help minimise potential errors.

It will be hosted by Mark Morton, RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Surgery (Orthopaedics).

“As vets we probably all undertake bits of QI on a day-to-day basis (whether we realise it or not!) but there is so much more we can do to embed it into our clinical work,” said Mark. “Checklists, treatment guidelines and clinical auditing significantly improve our patient care and our outcomes.

“Whilst looking at hip dysplasia and the treatment options in detail, hopefully this roadshow will show how we can apply these ideas to improve our management of this condition as well as using them elsewhere.”

For the full programme of each event and to buy tickets, visit bit.ly/RCVSKnowledgeEvents.

Anyone interested in booking an RCVS Knowledge roadshow for their region can do so by contacting [email protected].