BVA London Congress
The 2005 BVA Congress takes place at The Royal Society of Medicine, London W1 on Friday 30 September and Saturday 1 October, with the programme featuring two main themes, biosecurity and coping with change in practice.
While biosecurity did not feature prominently in the main political parties’ election campaigns earlier this year heightened concern surrounding avian ‘flu recently indicates how important the issue is. The first day of BVA Congress will therefore be devoted to a political forum, ‘Biosecurity – the Big Question’. Speakers will explore current challenges, the control measures in place at European, national and local level and the contribution the veterinary profession can make. The challenges of disease control internationally will be discussed in the plenary Wooldridge Memorial Lecture, which will be given by Professor Paul Gibbs of the Department of Pathobiology at the University of Florida, who will explain how increased movements of people, animals and produce, along with the effects of climate change and the ongoing threat of bioterrorism, are raising the stakes.
Biosecurity is necessary not only in relation to farm animals. Sporting horses travel the world and, following the introduction of the Pet Travel Scheme, new diseases of companion animals are finding their way into the UK. These issues as well as the lessons learned from the experience of West Nile fever in the USA, courtesy of Dr Maureen Long from the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida, will also be addressed.
As an alternative to the biosecurity programme, delegates can attend a one-day seminar on the new RCVS Practice Standards Scheme. Along with an introduction to web-based BVA guidance on meeting the requirements delegates will hear from a speaker whose practice has gone through the scheme and the impact it has had on the practice.
The second day of Congress debates will examine some of the forces impacting on practice, and under the overall heading of ‘Coping with change in practice’ will consider new medicines legislation, the effects of Government policies on higher education, the challenges arising as a result of the changing demographics in the profession, proposals relating to a new Veterinary Surgeons Act and the extension of the ‘veterinary team’ and the increasing demands of the provision of 24-hour cover. Saturday’s alternative
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sessions will be geared towards recent graduates. They include a debate on employment opportunities in
the context of increasing numbers of graduates and the burden of student debt, as well as a presentation on personal finance. There will also be an opportunity for a behind-the-scenes look at veterinary activity at London Zoo.
With its two main themes, Congress 2005 aims to highlight the pertinent and the practical. But it won’t all be serious. In addition to a lively mix of formal and informal social events, commencing with the BVA Congress Welcome Reception on the Thursday evening, delegates and accompanying persons will be able to take advantage of the wealth of attractions that London has to offer.
BVA Congress provides a unique opportunity for veterinary surgeons to make their views known. The debates at BVA Congress help to shape BVA policy and with Government and European decisions continuing to have an impact on the profession at every level, Congress provides an important opportunity for the profession to influence developments that will affect it directly.
ENDS
1. Free registration for members of the press is available by filling in the .pdf or Word form which also allows you to indicate the BVA Congress papers/notes you require. Please e-mail the form to media@bva.co.uk or post it to BVA, 7 Mansfield Street, London W1G 9NQ.
2. For further information please contact Chrissie Nicholls or Helena Cotton in the BVA Press Office on 020 7636 6541 or email media@bva.co.uk.
9 September 2005