It will promote the importance of protecting vets’ mental health.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons’ (RCVS’) Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) is attending two international conferences as part of its campaign to promote the importance of protecting the mental health of veterinary professionals.

MMI will speak at the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine – Companion Animal (ECVIM-CA) Congress 2024 in Lyon, France. It will then visit the Veterinary European Transnational Network for Nursing Education and Training (Vetnnet) Conference 2024 in Kolding, Denmark.

The ECVIM-CA Congress will be taking place from Thursday, 5 September until Saturday, 7 September at the Cité Centre de Congrès Lyon-France. It is the 34th annual congress.

Mind Matters ambassador Kate Richards FRCVS will present two sessions on 6 September.

The first session will explore how veterinary surgeons can communicate with their clients during challenging situations in an effective and compassionate way. The second session will address moral stress and moral injury, advising veterinary surgeons how they can tackle these issues.

MMI’s following international congress, the Vetnnet Conference, runs from Thursday, 19 September to Friday, 20 September at the Hansenberg Organia in Kolding, Denmark. It provides a European network for those involved with veterinary nurse training.

On Friday, 20 September, registered veterinary nurse Helen Silver-MacMahon will present a session on incivility.

Rapinder Newton, MMI lead, said: “We are looking forward to speaking at both ECVIM Congress and Vetnnet Conference this September on topics of great interest, bringing awareness to the kind of work that MMI does to support the mental health of those working within the UK veterinary professions, as well as sharing some of our resource so that more veterinary professionals can benefit.

“Both Kate and Helen are fantastic speakers, and we would like to thank them for representing MMI and sharing their knowledge with veterinary professionals on an international scale.”

More information about the events can be found here.

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