FIVP Practice Matters

Welcome to Practice Matters , the podcast from FIVP exploring the trends shaping the future of independent veterinary care. In this episode, we continue our conversations around Human Factors with guests HELEN SILVER-MCMAHON and MEGAN DAVIS from Being Human, an organisation empowering high-pressure sectors to enhance safety and workplace culture. While clinical excellence is vital, how teams funct...

Welcome to Practice Matters , the podcast from FIVP exploring the trends shaping the future of independent veterinary care. In this episode, we do dive into Human Factors - the crucial intersection of communication, teamwork, decision-making, and wellbeing under pressure.   While clinical excellence is vital, how teams function together ultimately drives patient safety, client trust, and staff ret...

Welcome back to Practice Matters , the FIVP podcast where we explore the ideas, innovations, and frontline experiences helping independent practices thrive! In this episode, we tackle a major environmental footprint hiding in plain sight within our prep rooms and theatres: anaesthetic gases. Volatile agents like isoflurane and sevoflurane are potent greenhouse gases, but reducing their impact does...

In this episode of Practice Matters , we sit down with HANNAH GODFREY from VetLed to explore how simulations training is revolutionising team performance in independent veterinary practices. High-pressure emergencies can easily trigger communication breakdowns, clinical errors, and immense staff stress. Hannahexplains how independent practices can adopt immersive, aviation-style simulations to pra...

Welcome to a vital bonus episode of Practice Matters ,the podcast dedicated to supporting, celebrating, and defending the UK’s independent veterinary sector. Today, we are tackling a critical issue sending shockwavesthrough independent clinics nationwide: the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) draft mandatory poster. While presented as a push for transparency, its prominent claim that medic...

Suicide and mental health crisis are not abstract risks in veterinary practice — they are realities our profession must face head on. Since April 2026, the RCVS now requires every practice to have a formal Suicide Prevention Plan in place, andyet many teams still don't know where to start. In this episode of Practice Matters, we're joined by Dr HANNAH PERRIN, to explore what meaningful sui...

Welcome back to Practice Matters, the podcast that champions independent veterinary practices and the brilliant people within them. In this episode, we're reflecting on FIVP's recent appearance at the University of Liverpool Vet School's Career Fair in May. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to get in front of the next generation of veterinary professionals and share what makes independent prac...

In this ‘Practice Matters’ episode, we're joined by ANDY DONLEY from Practice Made Purrfect to tackle one of the most common - and quietly costly - problems in vet marketing: sounding exactly like everyone else. If your website says "we treat your pet like family," you're in good company.  But Andy explains why phrases like that have stopped doing any real work, and what practice...

In this special edition of FIVP Practice Matters, recorded at a landmark parliamentary reception at Westminster hosted by Cats Protection, Ian Wolstenholme is joined by JOHANNA BAXTER MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Cats, JOHN MAY, Chief Executive of Cats Protection, KIT STURGESS, Chair of Trustees at Cats Protection and IZZY HOCKING, vet and Senior Veterinary Engagement Manager....

In this episode of Practice Matters, we sit down with IMOGEN BURROWS, President of the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA), to explore the real landscape of equine veterinary practice today. With a career rooted in first-opinion equine work, Imogen brings a refreshingly grounded perspective to the role. From her presidential theme of "Everyday Welfare" to the pressures facing in...

They've been part of veterinary medicines legislation since 2005, yet the three letters SQP are still not as widely recognised as they perhaps should be. That's about to change. For the very first time, the profession is marking a dedicatedNational SQP Week, running from 5th to 12th June 2026 — a landmark moment for a qualification that has quietly underpinned the safe distribution of vete...

When a critical patient arrives and every second counts, access to blood products can mean the difference between life and death. But what does it actually take to keep thoselifesaving supplies available around the clock? In this episode of Practice Matters, we're joined by LARA HOWE, Clinical Supervisor and Veterinary Surgeon at Pet Blood Bank UK — the country's leading canine blood bank charity...

With 61% of the veterinary profession now female, personal safety has never been more relevant — yet it remains one of the most overlooked conversations in the industry.  In this episode, Ian Wolstenholme speaks with JESSICA JONES , founder of Amazonia School of Self Protection, about what it truly means to protect yourself in a caring profession.  From lone working and aggressive clients to bound...

Our veterinary profession is (fortunately) blessed in the modern age with lots of support for colleagues struggling with their mental health wellbeing.  Oftentimes, this care is drawn upon when problems have manifested.  Our guest onthis edition of Practice Matters, GEORGINA HILLS from Vetamorphosis, joins Ian to talk through how practice leaders and team members can look for the subtle signs of m...

It’s our 10-year anniversary!  To celebrate a decade of FIVP representing independent practices, Ian Wolstenholme and the FIVP team reflect on the organisation’s humble origins and look to the future for the sector. Joining Ian is chairperson Rita Dingwall, co-founder Jacqui Garrett and administrator Ruth Cleaver.    FIVP was founded in 2016 as a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to securing a...

On this edition of Practice Matters we hear about some of the latest practice support strategies around the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative.  The College Lead RAPINDERNEWTON tells us about the new Academy courses for Managers, MMI online workshops and Applied Mental Health Science, as well as guidance for the forthcoming requirement as part of the Practice Standards Scheme to have a Suicide Preventio...

In this episode of the FIVP Practice Matters podcast,we explore two recent developments shaping the veterinary and animal welfare landscape. The first topic comes from the BVNA Congress, where certified animal behaviourist Dr Andrew Hale discusses how modern understanding of pet behaviour has evolved. Andrew explains how shifting perspectives on animal emotions, stress, andcommunication are influe...

In this episode of Practice Matters , we explore how transparency within veterinary teams can transform client relationships and strengthen practice culture.   Drawing on expert insights from Dr Rebecca Maher from Inside Minds , we unpack why transparency isn’t just about pricing—it’s about communicating value, fostering clarity, and helping clientsfeel confident in their decisions.   Vet teams of...

In this episode of FIVP Practice Matters , we’rejoined by Sinead Bennett, veterinary surgeon and owner of MCR Vets in Salford, one of our new member practices. Sinead shares her journey of building a modern, community-focused practice and the realities of being a vet owner in today’s rapidly changing profession. We explore leadership, culture, and what it really takes to create a practice thatsupp...

In this bonus episode of Practice Matters , we bring together four independent veterinary practices to explore the real-world implications of the Competition and Markets Authority’s proposed actions following its ongoing investigation into the veterinary sector. From pricing transparency and client trust to operational pressures and professional autonomy, our guests share candid perspectives on wh...

Our guest on this edition is Mark Ware , the voice behind the Not A Vet Podcast – a refreshingly honest, no-nonsense show exploring life in and around the veterinary world. Mark isn’t a vet, but he brings a unique outsider’s perspective, asking the questions others don’t and highlighting the real stories behind the profession. From mental health and career pressures to the lighter side of animal c...

FIVP Practice Matters  dives into the issues shaping the future of veterinary practice, and in this first episode of the new series, we explore one of the most significant developments facing the profession today. We are joined by  Dr David Reader  and Dr  Scott Summers , who have used the  CMA investigation into veterinary household pets  as a central focus of their research. Together, they unpac...

Our guest on this episode of Practice Matters is JustinPhillips, the founder and director of Practice Made Purrfect , aveterinary marketing and business consultancy dedicated to helping practices across the UK and Ireland thrive through smarter strategy, clearer communication, and better client engagement. With over 20 years’ experience in veterinary marketing including roles growing independent p...

At FIVP, we’re lucky to meet countless vet students through careers fairs across the UK, giving us real insight into their EMS experiences and what they truly need as they prepare for life in practice. We’re currently working with the Edinburgh Dick Vet and the RVC on an upcoming forum exploring how independent practices can better support new graduates. Our guest on this edition is someone who un...

In this episode, we welcome HELEN BALLANTYNE RVN, VN —keynote speaker at the 2025 BVNA Congress. Helen’s powerful address explored the concept of One Health, emphasising the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental wellbeing. With her dual qualification in medical and veterinary nursing, she challenged delegates to embrace leadership and progression without relying on buzzwords, inst...