It shouldn't happen at a vets ?

[Shelley123]

Who saw the panorama programme about Medivets ?
It was realy shocking to see how staff treated the animals, the programme makers say they didn't witness any cruelty but what do you call it when a nurse hits a Dog that has just had an amputation.
This nurse was promoted to head nurse. I notice now the programme has been aired that medivet are saying staff have been suspended.
I was disgusted to see a newly qualified vet and nurse making fun of a cat that they were trying to anaethatise.
Sack the lot of them, i say !

[angieh]

I didn't watch it Shelley and I am glad I didn't if that was what went on. Shame on those people - you really have to take it on faith that vets we use are gentle, caring and humane.

[Elaine]

I saw it and my biggest concern is that people are going to begin to distrust vets and especially their pricing structure, resulting in more people turning to websites like this looking for veterinary advice rather than going to a vet.
I worry about the balance of it all, the programme did state that there were many good practices within the Medivets group but people will only remember the bad stuff that they actually saw on telly.
I was shocked and disgusted at some of the things I saw.

[Shelley123]

Originally Posted by Elaine

I saw it and my biggest concern is that people are going to begin to distrust vets and especially their pricing structure, resulting in more people turning to websites like this looking for veterinary advice rather than going to a vet.
I worry about the balance of it all, the programme did state that there were many good practices within the Medivets group but people will only remember the bad stuff that they actually saw on telly.
I was shocked and disgusted at some of the things I saw.

A very good point Elaine, i was only saying to O/H tonight that there will be bad practice and unproffesional people in other practices. I hope the programme will do some good by making vet practices think that maybe someone could come in undercover.
Maybe vets could be regulated by an organisation like ofted were thay could do spot checks ?
Did you see that vets now were mentioned with reference to blood donations ?

[PoshPuss]

I taped it to watch when I felt I could and now I've seen it. It wasn't as horribly shocking as I thought it may be although there were distasteful scenes of 'manhandling' and some bad practice by the staff at the surgeries where filming took place. The disclosure of payment fraud was infuriating if not surprising, insurance 'fiddles' and add-ons to itemised bills is easy when you are dealing with vulnerable clients.

What I couldn't get was there lack of accountability for the actions of the vet nurses and trainees, it seems that whatever the vet says goes. NOT GOOD ENOUGH! The vet can be brought to account by the Royal College but thats an old boys club it seems, but there doesn't appear to be a responsible body for the registration and regulation of vet nurses. As nurse/midwife I am bound by the rules and standards of the Nursing & Midwifery Council of the UK. I don't act on doctors orders as I am accountable for my own practice. The vet nurses in this case should be taken to task for their actions and not be allowed to take the Nuremberg plea ( I was told to do it) as they have their own profession to protect.

Maybe my vet nurse pals on here can let me know if there is such a heirarchy of command in vet. nursing, such as the NMC in 'human' nursing, Liz, anyone?

PS. Mike Jessop, the vet who looked into the cases disclosed, is a senior partner in my vet practice. Good to know, as I will be keeping a close eye now that he doesn't let his standards slip

[farthing]

I didn't see all of the programme, just the end bit about dodgy charges.
I do get annoyed at the assumption all vets and nurses are like this. I don't work in the main branch, but do help with handling as well as reception in my branch. That means helping with put to sleeps- the vets are always caring and gentle with the animals and if the owner leaves we do our best to reassure the pet. I often end up in the back at the main branch when procedures are going on, and the animals are always well treated. This programme could just have easily shown vets who take time to rehome animals who are stray or booked in to be PTS needlessly ( although if the owner insists they have to do it.). My vets amputated Triger's leg free of charge and rehomed him to me when the owner claimed she couldn't afford the bill and wanted him PTS, they did the same with Mallow the rabbit. They treat wildlife for free too. They are a business so to do these things are not sensible but they show caring and compassion in doing these things. I am also sure my vets are not unique in this. I do worry about the big 'supermarket' vets with a high turn over of staff, I can see things like this happening, because they don't get to know clients and its then easy to just think about money.
I would think that most small vet groups care too much about their reputation and clients to do these things.

[pinklizzy]

PP- I am a registered VN and as such my conduct is regulated by the RCVS, you can look me up on the register!
It is a voluntary scheme at the moment for nurses qualified before it's inception but it is a step in the right direction for Veterinary Nursing becoming a profession in it's own right. Prior to this, the vet in charge was always held accountable for the actions of a VN.
I watched the programme and unfortunately was not all that shocked by what I saw having been placed in a Medivet practice (one of the ones shown) as a student. I refused to go to another during my four year course and reported what went on to the course tutors.
It saddened me that this will be the impression that the public get of VN's, when the majority of people, when told what I do, look at me blankly!
As Farthing says, there are a lot of vets out there who are caring and compassionate, who go above and beyond to help animals and owners.
As a teacher of student nurses, there are times when they need to take bloods, place i/v's etc, this is how you learn but they should have been given the correct supervision. There should have been an experienced member of staff to step in and take over to minimise the stress to the animal.

[Shelley123]

What realy upset me was the lack of respect shown to the animals.
PL as you say staff need to learn and do procedures for the first time under close supervision. It was the attitude of staff including a newly qualified vet that got to me, in one scene it appeared they were mocking a Cat and in other scenes becoming angry with animals.
It must be upsetting for proffesionals such as your self that only bad things stick in peoples minds but i think the programme has served a purpose and at least hopefuly some staff will lose their jobs.
As people have pointed out there will be far more surgeries with good practice than bad.

[PoshPuss]

Liz, thanks for clearing that point for me and I'm sure you are like the majority of your professional colleagues, the epitome of good practice and have my vote every time. Glad to know there is body of knowledge that you have enrolled with and that you know to follow the code and practice of the RCVS.
It's like nursing, there's always places with a bad name for sloppy care and there the nurses, unfortunately, become disillusioned and standards fall.
We place our trust in institutions that care for our relatives and animals in our absence, these fly-on-the-wall documentaries can be a wake up call to us all in the caring professions to behave as we would wish others would do to us.
Shelley, I'm sure the good outweigh the bad, I still trust my vets practice, even the ones I've used in the past have been good, as far as I know

[pinklizzy]

Shelley-that was the bit I found the most disturbing.
The cat they were inducing under GA wasn't stable, there were lots of options available to them including giving anaesthetic gas and oxygen via a mask. I was shouting at the tv-'secure the airway for god's sake'! They were more interested in mucking about than ensuring the cat was safe.