By the time you read this article the Panorama programme on vets that we’ve all been waiting for since last autumn will have been and, hopefully, gone.
Although we’ve heard rumours about the content of the programme, and there has been much speculation on the various veterinary forums, at the time of writing the programme has not been seen by anyone except the BBC and a number of TV critics.
The weekend papers trailed it as “worrying viewing” involving “questionable practices”, “exorbitant bills” and “poorly treated animals”. Without knowing the detail it is difficult to examine how valid these claims are, but it’s important to remember that the BBC wants people to watch the programme and so a certain amount of hyperbole will have found its way into the press announcement.
We can never condone bad practice, but we should also remember that complaints are sadly part of running a practice. We are dealing with people at extreme times of stress and emotional upset; when their much-loved animals are sick. If you’re lucky you will have only experienced a handful of distressed or angry clients, but most vets in practice will have had their fair share – whether justified or not. And each of you will have dealt with those clients in the best possible way. The difference here is that an investigative programme that claims to unveil specific examples of bad practice can easily slip into widespread (and often unfair) generalisations. And herein lies my greatest fear for the fallout from the programme.
The BVA is well aware of the significant concerns amongst members that we will all be “tarred with the same brush”. I fear this is a legitimate concern as the media increasingly follows the tabloid formula of scaring viewers and readers, just as we have seen recently with the Daily Mailstories aimed at pet owners.
Those vets who have made it part of their general everyday practice to build up client confidence and trust (and I’m willing to wager that’s the majority of vets) will now be able to cash in that investment. For vets just starting out and for vets dealing with new clients, this could be more difficult.
In anticipation of increased client concerns and questions, the BVA media team has e-mailed all members with some advice ahead of the broadcast. We would be very interested to hear from members about their post-Panorama experiences with clients and I would encourage you to get in touch with us via the BVA’s online discussion forum or direct to BVA HQ.
A positive opportunity
The BVA has been working with the BSAVA and SPVS over the last few months to make sure we turn this potentially damaging incident into a positive opportunity to get the message out to the public that vets work extremely hard and provide an excellent service and good value for money.
I hope individual practices will also seize this opportunity within their local communities.
We’ve also spent some time collating various member resources so that you have as much help on hand as possible. You can find links to these resources on our dedicated Panorama webpage, www.bva.co.uk/panorama (see activity and advice). They range from advice on handling media enquiries to guidance on whistle-blowing, and from assistance on achieving PSS accreditation to a whole range of employment resources (including contracts of employment, development reviews, working time regulations and much more).
Also this month we’re re-launching VETS.TV, which features a short film in which BVA president-elect Harvey Locke answers questions on Panoramaso that we can reach as many people as possible with our key messages.
However you and your practice are affected by the programme, remember that you can access advice on legal and employment issues from the BVA’s legal advice line and on personal and emotional issues from the Vet Helpline – both excellent and highly-regarded services.
And I’ll leave you with these statistics from a recent Petplan survey of 8,500 customers: 98% said that they trust their vet’s advice and 98% believe their vet provides them with the right level of service and treatment. We must be doing something right.
