COUNCIL NEWS
VOICES IN
COUNCIL WELCOMES INPUT FROM WORKING GROUPS
The College currently has four working groups that are established to provide insight and perspective on topics relevant to Council . The task forces may include representatives from the profession and government , as well as members of the public who have a keen interest or insight on a particular topic .
The working groups meet regularly to explore the topic with the objective of developing recommendations to present to Council .
The College ’ s current working groups are :
– Veterinary Care and the Beef Sector in Northern and Rural Ontario
– Public Health and the Future of Veterinary Medicine
– Shared Care and Animal Rehabilitation
– Standard of Care and Veterinary Medicine
At its December meeting , Council reviewed the recommendations from the Shared Care in Animal Rehabilitation working group . The working group was established last spring and includes veterinarians , technicians , physiotherapists , and chiropractors . The objective of the working group was to recommend opportunities for interprofessional collaboration between veterinarians and trained nonveterinarian professionals in delivering safe animal rehabilitation in Ontario . Council looks forward to collaborating with its partners to move forward with the working group ’ s recommendations .
Looking ahead , Council is expected to review recommendations from the Standard of Care working group and the Public Health and Veterinary Medicine working group early in 2022 . The recommendations from the Veterinary Medicine in the Beef Sector are expected to go to the Executive Committee for consideration in the spring .
The working group participants contribute their expertise to support Council in making informed decisions . Working groups are a valuable tool for the College to collaborate with stakeholders in developing potential solutions that serve the public interest .
Council appreciates the input from those who contribute their voices to professionbased regulation through participation on working groups , reference panels and consultations .
COUNCIL EXPANDING ROLE IN VETERINARY WELLNESS
At its December meeting , Council committed to expanding its visibility in raising awareness of the importance of mental health in the veterinary profession .
The College ’ s Quality Assurance Committee has been discussing the College ’ s role in support of the wellness of the profession . Council approved the Committee ’ s recommendations which will see the College increasing the visibility of its work in mental health , promoting access to training and skills development in wellness , and collaborating with the College ’ s partners to promote an integrated approach to health and wellness for the veterinary profession .
The College currently partners with Homewood Health to help veterinarians access services to support their health , wellbeing and resilience . Further , recognizing the emotional toll that accompanies its investigations and hearings process , the Council has embraced a just culture approach which acknowledges human error and focuses on at risk and reckless behaviour . As well , the Peer Advisory Conversation includes a conversation about wellness .
VCPR consultation coming soon
Council reviewed potential updates to its standard on the veterinarian-clientpatient relationship ( VCPR ). The VCPR is fundamental to the provision of safe , competent , informed and accessible veterinary care . Council approved changes to the standard relating to the expectations for discontinuing the VCPR , ease of reference to related documents ; and encouragement for discussions with clients related to scope of services . Council approved the draft document for circulation for public consultation .
President ’ s stipend approved
Following a review of compensation provided to the presidents of other regulatory bodies , Council decided to set an annual fixed stipend of $ 20,000 for the College President to recognize the exceptional contribution of this role . The amount will be reviewed every two years .
Instilling public confidence in veterinary regulation cvo . org 3