Multi-Dimensional Approach to Veterinary Well-being at VET Festival 2020
5-6 June, Loseley Park, Guildford, Surrey
With research consistently highlighting the increasing pressures on veterinary professionals, VET Festival 2020 will take its commitment to improving well-being to a new level with a unique ‘Wellness and development for you and your practice’ theatre at this year’s event. Speakers will urge delegates to focus on their body and soul, as well as their mind – with topics under discussion including the importance of sleep, nutrition and keeping physically fit.
VET Festival’s ‘Mind, body and soul’ programme includes Catherine Quinn, President of the British Chiropractic Association, discussing ‘Keeping your back in action: What can Vets learn from Professional Football’; RVN Matt Rendle discussing approaches for dealing with workplace stressors and mindful leadership and ‘Mind coach’ Natalie Pennicote-Collier running a session called ‘Sleep for the soul: High performance rest and recovery solutions.’ Delegates can also expect an arena of well-being activities to run alongside lectures, offering them the opportunity to participate in yoga, movement, fitness and mindfulness sessions.
Following its popularity last year, MWI Animal Health will again be on-site inviting delegates to take a break from lectures and make delicious and nourishing smoothies using specialist smoothie bikes. The company, the lead sponsor of VET Festival, will also run a pub quiz to help delegates unwind before the keynote speaker and the VET Fest party on the Friday evening.
Research from the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) in 2019 confirmed that thousands of veterinary professionals around the world were reporting stress and diminished well-being and indicated that the most seriously affected appeared to be females, younger professionals and veterinary nurses.* Since its inception, the well-being of veterinary professionals has been a central focus of VET Festival and, each year, it offers innovative approaches to help delegates to get their very best out of their professional careers while also maintaining a clear work/life balance.
Speaker Matt Rendle RVN, said: "As veterinary nurses we spend a huge amount of time reducing the stress of our patients and trying to maximise their welfare. We regard this as an essential element of the care we provide, yet we rarely prioritise reducing levels of stress within our own teams. Nor do we discuss the key stressors affecting us and how we might mitigate them.
“I’m looking forward to discussing my own experiences at VET Festival. I’ll be sharing mistakes I’ve made, progress achieved and the benefits my team has felt as a result of adopting mindful leadership approaches. I hope that my journey will help delegates to avoid the pitfalls and adopt mindful leadership techniques more quickly and easily.”
Event Director Nicole Cooper said: “The well-being activities and this year’s exciting CPD programme have been curated to deliver a fulfilling and educational two days for the veterinary profession. We’re looking forward to meeting many familiar faces and those experiencing VET Festival for the first time in June.”
Global experts from all areas of veterinary medicine are on the programme for VET Festival 2020, the two-day learning event for the veterinary team, that uniquely combines world-class continuing professional development (CPD) with an inspiring, outdoor, ‘festival’ environment.
Tickets for VET Festival can be purchased here: https://www.vetfestival.co.uk/delegate-info/ticket-information
