BVA prioritises mental health and wellbeing for whole profession

27 October 2016

BVA continues its support for Vetlife

As part of its ongoing commitment to tackling key issues around workforce and wellbeing, BVA has made a donation of £10,000 to independent charity Vetlife (formerly known as the Veterinary Benevolent Fund).

BVA's Voice of the Veterinary Profession survey recently found that a third of vets had significant concerns about their mental health and wellbeing in the last year. BVA is continuing its support of Vetlife this year to enable the charity to provide ongoing free and confidential support to the veterinary community through a helpline, a health support programme and a fund for financial support. BVA is also providing, and signposting to, a range of other services and resources to aid professional development and personal wellbeing.

Derek Williams, Chairman of BVA Board, said:
“Vetlife is an invaluable resource for the veterinary community, offering confidential help and advice when vets may need it most. BVA is committed to supporting all veterinary professionals as they cope with the varying pressures of the job and its impact on their personal and professional lives, aiming for good mental health and wellbeing at every stage of a vet's career.”

Geoff Little, President of Vetlife, said:
“Vetlife is extremely grateful to the British Veterinary Association for its generous donation and continuing support over many years. The issues that Vetlife deals with can affect anyone, at any stage, and we need to come together as a profession to help and support each other, which is why the commitment of organisations such as BVA matters so much.”