CVS Group Plc

@Severn Edge Equine Vets has introduced a quality improvement project to increase the use of clinical photographic images and videos stored in patient records within its practice management system. This project is designed to help improve case monitoring and management, aid formulation of clinical treatment plans and streamline case handover and discussion between vets. During regular vets meetings, vets will bring forward detailed clinical images to discuss. This has been extremely beneficial in sharing ideas for further treatment or to share success stories with each other. It can be very easy to focus on when things go wrong so it helps us celebrate each other’s wins! To date @Severn Edge Equine Vets vets have found the inclusion of images in patients’ clinical notes particularly useful for wound care, weight loss, skin and eyes cases. Anecdotally our vets have said this simple step is a great advancement. 👍 #CVSEquine #OutofHours #QualityImprovement

🌟Successful Lateral Suture repair in 13 year-old dog 🌟 Reggie presented to our team at Highcroft Veterinary Group as a routine appointment, having gone suddenly lame on his right hind limb. He was booked in for x-rays with one of our surgeons, Jamie Rahman, who diagnosed a cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Highcroft Veterinary Group and Reggie’s owner opted to try conservative management of pain relief and rest for 2 weeks before a review. Sadly, as conservative management doesn’t truly provide suitable healing, surgery was discussed with Reggie’s owner. Given his 13 years, the consideration for a TPLO and readjusting his bone angle seemed worrisome to his owner. So Jamie and Reggie’s owner opted to do a Lateral Suture repair in house conducted by our vet Jamie! Lateral Suture surgery for Reggie involved supporting his knee joint with a thick nylon lead that was placed through a bone tunnel in his shin bone and around his knee. Reggie had a smooth surgery and anaesthetic and went home after some well-deserved rest the next morning. Following a number of review appointments, Jamie and Reggie’s owner are pleased to say that he’s doing remarkably well in just a short window… and his weight loss journey is going well too! What a great job Jamie and team! #CVS Group #CareAtOurHeart [Visual description: An X-ray of Reggie's Lateral Suture surgery and images of him recuperating whilst at Highcroft and at home]

Our Dyfed Farm Vets team is delivering a project to improve the use of diagnostic testing of respiratory disease in calves to better manage herds, guide appropriate treatments and reduce the unnecessary use of antibiotics. Within a year it’s increased the use of nasopharyngeal swabbing by vets on farm by 55%. Similar increases in serology testing for respiratory pathogens were also seen. Bovine Respiratory Disease, or pneumonia, is the most common cause of morbidity and mortality in young cattle. It costs the UK cattle industry £50 million a year. It's caused by a complex interaction between viruses, bacteria and mycoplasma pathogens, many of which live harmlessly in the respiratory tract of healthy cattle as commensals. The disease is usually triggered during or following a stressful period by a viral infection and a subsequent infection of the airways with opportunistic bacteria. This combination of stress factors and infectious agents makes young cattle especially vulnerable. Dyfed Farm Vets hopes to reduce the level of BRD through increased use of nasopharyngeal swabbing, serology testing and resulting tailored farm management protocols. It hopes the project will lead to heathier and more productive animals, and have a positive impact on animal welfare. Great work team! #CVSFarm #bovinerespiratorydisease #qualityimprovement [Visual description: A picture of a young calf in a barn]

CVS’ Clinical Leadership Team has been named Quality Improvement Champion in the 2024 RCVS Knowledge Awards 🎉 The team’s project improved early identification and treatment of hypertension, a common condition in cats and dogs which can cause long-lasting damage such as blindness. Annual blood pressure screening is recommended for cats over seven years’ old and dogs in the last third of their life. However, research suggests this is rarely undertaken despite being relatively low-cost and readily available in practices. The project identified barriers to blood pressure screening and provided support including webinars, clinical frameworks, client resources, discussion forums and in-person CPD days. Results of the project revealed that the number of blood pressure checks more than doubled in participating practices. There was also a 22% increase in patients dispensed Amodip (a first-line antihypertensive) year-on-year, 85% of which were from focus sites. Fantastic work from the Clinical Leadership Team in supporting our practices to provide the best clinical care 👏 #CVSGroup #RCVSKnowledgeAwards #QualityImprovement #Hypertension

👀 Are you a Small Animal Vet that is keen on Dentistry? 🏄♂️ Looking to relocate to the south coast of England? 🏰 Then learn more about Chichester! ~Located on the South Coast, Chichester is the perfect mix of urban and county life. ~We benefit from a variety of restaurants so whether it's a proper Sunday roast or tapas there is an abundance of choice for all. ~The rolling hills of the South Downs are just up the road or if it's the beach you desire then West Wittering is a stone's throw away. ~Brighton can be reached in these than an hour on the train and London is only 1 hour 40 should the city lights call. ~Or for those who enjoy a rush the Goodwood Festival of speed is well worth a visit. Our collaborative team are looking to welcome a RCVS registered Small Animal Vet to our team. To find out more click the link below https://lnkd.in/eeZ6_kji

CVS’ Integrated Care Council has been named Quality Improvement Ones To Watch in the 2024 RCVS Knowledge Awards 🎉 The Integrated Care Council developed the Clinical Governance Framework, the first of its kind dedicated to animal healthcare in the UK. The framework aims to cultivate an environment in which high standards of care thrive, by helping us to understand current working practices and identify change where needed. It promotes a clinical improvement culture where people are safe to discuss concerns, and learnings are shared so that change can be effective in practices across our group and the profession as a whole. The Integrated Care Council is chaired by CVS’ Chief Veterinary Officer, Paul Higgs, and consists of clinical representatives from companion animal, equine, farm, referrals, laboratories, nursing, learning and development, and client care. This provides a whole system view and promotes inclusive input from all team members. You can read the full framework here: https://lnkd.in/e5hRSTNZ #CVSGroup #QualityImprovement #QualityCare #ClinicalGovernance

🙂 Face-to-face meetings are important 🙂 Our Phoenix Equine practice area covers most of Devon. Last year it introduced a QI project to increase the number of all vet and office colleague face-to-face meetings. With everyone together, these interactive meetings are ensuring everyone is kept up to date, enabling colleagues to compare what they do, and facilitating the pooling of ideas. Such a simple thing. Yet these meetings have ended up; changing clinical protocol – such as agreeing ways to optimise outcomes and reduce post-surgical complications after colt castrations; improving the client experience – such as improving continuity processes for case handovers; and reducing complications – such as agreeing to check insulin levels prior to intraarticular use of steroids. Six meetings have been held in the last 12 months. They have been so productive they are now an absolute ‘must attend’ for all of our Phoenix Equine colleagues! #CVSEquine #FaceToFaceMeetings #QualityImprovement [Visual description: A picture of the outside of Phoenix Equine practice in Devon]

Today is 'Thank You Day', and we particularly want to thank our colleagues at BVC Farm Vets who are hosting a fundraising run/walk at Knockmany Forest Park for our vet Ina Doherty, following an accident earlier this year. Ina first worked at BVC in the noughties and returned during Covid when there was a shortage of vets. A passionate and safety-conscious vet, she advised many farmers about safety on their farm. She kept cows and calves on her own farm, and on Easter Sunday morning was involved in a farm accident involving one of those cows. This has left her permanently paralysed from the waist down.    The possibility of returning to work in a consultancy capacity is keeping Ina focused and positive. The proceeds from the run/walk will go towards her rehabilitation and Air Ambulance Northern Ireland, who attended and helped her on the day of the accident. If you want to find out more or donate, you can visit the fundraising page here: gofund.me/0f25535b   #CVSGroup #ThankYouDay #CareAtOurHeart

👀 Fascinating Case 👀 A multidisciplinary effort by Northern Ireland Veterinary Specialists has seen a 2-year-old male Shih Tzu undergo successful treatment for an oesophageal stricture. The dog presented to Alison Irwin in Internal Medicine, with a history of anorexia, hypersalivation and repetitive swallowing - symptoms that began after acute choking while eating liver. On examination, the dog appeared dehydrated, exhibiting frequent swallowing attempts and noticeable hypersalivation. Diagnostic tests revealed signs of reactive hepatopathy and mildly elevated bilirubin levels, raising concerns of sepsis. Severe inflammatory responses were evident in blood tests and a soft tissue radiopacity near the heart suggested an oesophageal foreign body. Alison performed an endoscopy confirming the presence of the foreign body and successfully removing it. However, 10 days later, the dog began regurgitating his food after eating. A subsequent endoscopy was performed to localise and visualise the meatus of the oesophageal stricture. Here fibrous ring was visible. So Alison called upon her colleague Julie Hamilton Elliott in Cardiology, who treated the dog with a balloon dilation technique. Here, a microvascular balloon catheter was used to expand the narrowed oesophageal section under fluoroscopic guidance, significantly improving the passage without any complications of bleeding or mucosal tearing. Great teamwork Alison and Julie. What a fascinating case! #CVSGroup #CVSReferrals #teamwork [Visual description: the NiVS team with the 2-year-old Shih Tzu and the endoscopic appearance of his oesophageal stricture]

Hear our Chief Veterinary Nursing Officer Tara Ryan, talking about her vision for equine veterinary nursing at CVS.   Tara talks about how fundamental our equine nurses are to the running of the veterinary practice - and the huge variety of roles that are now available to them.    She explains how she wants every one of our equine nurses to have the opportunity to learn and progress - so that they have the ability to be the professional they want to be.   Tara also highlights what our equine nurses do clinically, operationally and in their continuing professional development - to support, drive and maximise the development of their role in our equine practices.   #CVSEquine #bethenurseyouwanttobe #lifelongcareer