In May this year, AVBC organised a Workshop session on psychological safety for its member veterinary boards. Led by Rosie Overfield from Mindpod Consulting and Mary Lydamore from the Veterinary Practitioners Board of New South Wales, the session emphasised the value of compassionate, open, and non-judgmental communication in interactions with complainants and veterinary practitioners. By promoting a culture of trust and empathy, we can achieve positive outcomes for all those involved in regulatory processes.
The Workshop aligned with AVBC’s November 2022 Council resolution, where all members unanimously embraced a unified definition of “an impaired veterinary practitioner.” Recommended by the Sustainable Practice Committee, this is a crucial first step towards harmonising the way in which the various jurisdictions support practitioners with impairments. By creating an atmosphere that promotes veterinary practitioners’ wellbeing and encourages them to seek help without fearing regulatory processes, AVBC’s member boards demonstrate their commitment to their registrants’ health.
Learning from Collaboration & Global Best Practices
AVBC is dedicated to a collaborative approach, drawing lessons from their membership of international organisations such as Mind Matters International and CLEAR. This proactive stance ensures that AVBC and in turn its member boards, are developing initiatives to support the mental health of registrants and remain up to date with the latest evidence and best practice in the field.
By prioritising registrants’ health and psychological safety, AVBC aims to promote a regulatory environment that fosters professional growth and wellbeing, benefitting veterinarians, and the animals and the public they serve.