The British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) has welcomed Steph Worsley as its new president for 2026-2027.
Speaking at BVNA’s Annual General Meeting, which took place on Saturday, 10 October, Ms Worsley announced her presidential theme as ‘Unity’.
Steph Worsley has worked in the veterinary nursing profession for 28 years, including 18 years volunteering in different roles in the BVNA. She has worked in many different veterinary settings, including mixed and small animal practice, as well as a university teaching hospital.
She currently works as the head veterinary nurse at a two-branch small animal practice, which also provides charity services.
In her speech, Ms Worsley described how veterinary nurses needed to ‘unite as a profession’, as well as uniting with colleagues across the wider veterinary community. She said that the BVNA would be working alongside other veterinary bodies, stakeholders, policy makers and allied veterinary professional colleagues.
She said: “As a wise woman has said many times during my time on Council… ‘it is not I, it is we…’. Therefore I would like to ask each and every one of you to stand with me United in moving the veterinary nursing profession forward.”
The new president used her address to commend the work of former president Sarah Holliday, who she described as ‘a very supportive mentor both within and outside BVNA’. Following her twelve-month term, Ms Holliday has become senior vice-president and joined the BVNA’s advisory committee.
Ms Worsley’s investiture also sees Macauly Gatenby elected into the role of junior vice-president.
One of the key issues that will face Ms Worsley is the Veterinary Surgeons Act, which is moving further towards legislation. As the BVNA’s AGM reflected on its campaigning over the past decade, Ms Worsley described the reform as ‘pivotal’ for the veterinary nursing profession and the wider veterinary committee.
Ms Worsley said: “We will continue to work alongside DEFRA, plus veterinary bodies such as the BVA and RCVS. We will also draw on the views of our BVNA member working groups as needed, enabling us to represent the diverse individual voices making up our membership.
“Both the existing role and significant untapped potential of the veterinary nursing profession must be recognised, understood and valued within future legislative reform.”
Image © BVNA
Companies marketing medicines for small pets exempt from authorisation must submit their annual return to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) by 30 November 2026.
