Policy committee

Policy Committee team

Julie Gibson (Chair)

We are welcoming back Julie Gibson for a second term. Julie is a critical thinker, skilled at gathering and analysing evidence, considering multiple perspectives and challenging the potential assumptions of both herself and others. She is a practising equine vet and Quality Improvement Lead at RCVS Knowledge, and has also been involved in several BVA working groups, developing BVA policy positions on RCVS Governance, Legislative Reform, and Animals in Performance Sport.

Polly Compston

Following work in first-opinion practices, Polly has worked in research roles within private practice, for an animal welfare NGO and within the public sector and completed a PhD on the socioeconomics of transboundary livestock disease. Her work focuses on strengthening international animal health systems, through generating evidence-based resources, behavioural science and capacity development. Currently her role is as a technical specialist at the EuFMD, where she is responsible for supporting global efforts for improved livestock disease control.

Liz Cresswell

Liz has experience across farm and mixed practice in both the UK and Australia, as well as in academia, the pharmaceutical sector and agritech. A Nuffield Farming Scholar and farmer, Liz brings a strong understanding of agricultural policy and the relationship between veterinary practice, animal health and welfare and rural affairs. Combined with her work in AI agritech, she brings a practical perspective on emerging challenges across the profession.

Catriona Gibbs

Catriona is a recent graduate working as a small animal vet, and has long-term interests in One Health, veterinary policy and science communication. She graduated from Edinburgh in 2023, having completed an intercalated BSc in Global Health at King's College London. She was President of the University of Edinburgh Student One Health Society and was a member of the organising committee for the National Student One Health Conference 2021. As a student, she completed placements with the Vet Record, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, the Veterinary Policy Research Foundation and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, as well as her clinical placements. Catriona is passionate about improving awareness and understanding of chronic illness and disability in the veterinary profession and education, and looking at ways to reduce the challenges they can present.

Viliam Hoferica

Viliam is a Senior Veterinary Inspector at the Animal and Plant Health Agency, working in veterinary border control. His wider experience spans government veterinary work, mixed practice, public health, animal welfare and community veterinary care. As a committee member and treasurer of the Association of Government Vets, he reviews developing policy positions and contributes the perspective of government veterinarians. His work involves assessing evidence, risk and regulatory compliance, and translating legislative and policy changes into practical guidance. Alongside ongoing clinical locum work, Viliam is completing a Master’s in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and brings a One Health and One Welfare perspective, with a particular interest in biosecurity, access to care and diverse veterinary careers.

Nick Jackson

Nick has been the West Midlands representative on BVA Council for the past six years, and has a good understanding of the time, effort and stages required for policy development. He has developed skills in debating and critically evaluating policy recommendations, and recognises the importance of ensuring recommendations are evidence-based, a core priority of BVA policy, as well as actionable, ethical and equitable. Nick currently chairs a BVA working group on artificial intelligence, bringing together a range of stakeholders to achieve consensus on a developing challenge and opportunity for the veterinary profession.

Ifan Lloyd

Ifan worked in mixed clinical practice from 1988 to 2023, becoming a partner at St James Veterinary Group in Swansea in 1995. He has extensive experience of working with a broad range of stakeholders in the livestock industry, Government (both UK and Wales), and government agencies in policy and delivery. With a vast range of committee experience, Ifan was regional representative for Wales on BVA Council for six years, as well as President of BVA Welsh Branch 2019-2021. Still an active member of BVA’s Welsh Branch Council, Ifan brings the Welsh perspective to BVA policy development, as well as continuing to engage across an extensive list of stakeholder groups serving animal health and welfare in Wales.

Caroline Scobie

Caroline is a Clinical Director in small animal general practice and has almost 16 years’ frontline clinical experience. She was the inaugural Chair of the VetPartners Small Animal Clinical Board and now contributes to its Clinical Board Support Team, producing evidence-based resources for veterinary teams. Caroline holds an MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care with Distinction from the University of Oxford, where her dissertation was a systematic review of diagnostic accuracy. She also serves on the BSAVA Scientific Committee and contributes to evidence reviews and education, bringing a thoughtful, critical and pragmatic approach to policy and clinical decision-making.

David Torrens

David has been an active member of the North of Ireland Veterinary Association and now BVA’s Northern Ireland Branch for most of his professional life, serving on Council and for many years as secretary, treasurer, auditor and President. David worked in DAERA’s Veterinary Service for over 30 years, in field and HQ policy roles, across the full range of state veterinary work, as well as being responsible for export assurances and the delivery of Meat Inspection services, on behalf of the FSA.

Arabella White

Arabella is the Scottish Branch nominated member of Policy Committee. She works for Food Standards Scotland managing a team responsible for the delivery of Official Controls in fourteen abattoirs and game handling establishments across a diverse geographic area, covering the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. She regularly travels across Scotland on field visits, including the Outer Hebrides and Shetland, and is developing her involvement with the Highlands and Islands Veterinary Service Scheme.