Reflections on Receiving the BVA Outstanding Service Award

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I was both surprised and deeply honoured to learn that I had won the BVA’s Outstanding Service Award in 2025. Receiving an award like this from my peers in a profession full of such smart, talented, impactful people is still hard to believe.

When I looked back to see the previous winners and saw that Alf Wight, aka James Herriot, was the inaugural winner, the ‘wow’ factor increased even further. He is a fellow graduate of Glasgow Vet School (and there are many more in the list!) and his books inspired me to become a vet, and I still find myself returning to his stories. I now watch the new series of All Creatures Great and Small, which showcases amazing professionalism and demonstrates just how far the profession has come in the 30 years since I qualified.

Curiosity has shaped my career - from full-time dairy vet to feline medicine specialist, from postgraduate study to founding director of the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine at the University of Nottingham, and to my current role at VetPartners. 

Evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) challenges us to examine why we do what we do, explore new approaches to clinical problems, generate new knowledge and ultimately improve animal health. EBVM supports us to be patient-centred and science-led, which is very empowering for clinicians.

I am hugely proud that my work in shelter medicine was also recognised as part of this award. My PhD in small animal clinical epidemiology fuelled my passion for population health, as well as that of the individual patient. I was fortunate to work and undertake research in shelter medicine as the field was emerging. Together with colleagues, we founded the Shelter and Charity Veterinary Association (previously the Association of Charity Vets) to help the profession focus on the unowned cat and dog populations in the UK. Being part of the beginnings of Vets in the Community - a mobile clinic caring for the pets of homeless and vulnerably housed people in Nottingham - was also a real ‘moment’ in my career. Seeing students and colleagues develop this initiative further still gives me great pride.

I keep the Outstanding Service Award certificate on my office wall to remind me it is real and it makes me smile when I see it. It says it’s for ‘outstanding contributions to the profession, to clinical practice and to veterinary education’. At times, I don’t feel very outstanding, when you challenge the status quo, break new ground and try new things, it won’t always work out. I have tried, failed, made mistakes and got back up again many times. I now mentor and guide many people in our profession as they explore where their careers might take them. Keeping an open mind, making the most of the opportunities you are given, following your passion, maintaining a sense of humour and being yourself are key to a rewarding career and life as a vet.

To me, it’s the people I have had the pleasure to work with past and present that are the outstanding part of my career. To all my friends, colleagues, clients and students, thank you for meeting the challenges alongside me. We have shared many laughs, and I look forward to what we will do next together.