15/12/2024
The high emotional stakes, the staff shortages, the cost of treatment.
When did it become so acceptable to abuse other people who are trying to help you?
It has been reported in a survey by the British Veterinary Association - BVA that 51% of vets in clinical practice have to work over the festive season but only one in ten feel happy to do so.
Reasons for this concern included:
❄️Being away from family and friends
❄️Lower staffing levels
❄️Higher levels of euthanasia
❄️Lack of support for difficult cases
❄️Coping with upset clients
In an informal poll ran by Veterinary Voices UK a number of Registered Veterinary Nurses also reported they would be working at some point during the festive period with issues mainly arising from:
❄️Travel to family being difficult
❄️ Missing time with family and friends
❄️ Being an locum away from home and finding it difficult to find a good Christmas meal!
❄️ Night shifts on Christmas Eve causing broken sleep before Christmas Day
It's especially important this time of year to look after one another, as Christmas can be especially lonely for many.
Despite it being a tough time of year for many, it is made worse by increased levels on negative interactions - and this isn't just veterinary. Police, medics and retail workers are also facing this awful behaviour.
👮♀️The police quoted: "The run-up to Christmas means more people are out enjoying the revelry, and with alcohol consumption comes an increase in assaults, both physical and verbal. "Our ask is simple – emergency workers want to help you, so please treat them with respect and work with us, not against us."
🛍Retail Trust Quoted: The Retail Trust’s survey of 1,200 retail workers found 80% of shop workers and 90% of store managers have faced abusive incidents, with one in three experiencing this weekly. 47% of staff say they feel unsafe at work as a result.
❎Too add insult to injury, when disgruntled veterinary clients post negative and slanderous reviews online, veterinary teams are advised to not engage - this is often the right thing to do, but it leave teams with a huge amount of disillusionment when there is no ramifications for online abuse. We do not share the true story. We do not post the clinical history and the background. We do not share the facts. Because we are unable to.
❎Please, you do not have to agree, you do not need to hold the same opinions or have the same outlook on life. But you can still be polite. You can communicate dissatisfaction without shouting and intimidation.
💚As a result of the statistics around loneliness in the profession, and especially around Christmas when shift patterns may make people feel even more excluded and isolated, Veterinary Voices UK have set us 'Veterinary Voices - Save a Seat' where veterinary families can buddy up to people locally who have room for one more.
💚When they go low, we go high.
💚Be the person to make a difference, be the person to share some kindness.
Veterinary Practice caring for farm & equine animals, pets and wildlife across Cowal & Bute
