AVA SA Division President July Update

22 Jul 2022

Somehow it is July 2022. So, a quick summary of the highlights and key points from my attendance on your behalf of the Council of Presidents (COP) on the Sunday prior to the AVA conference. Then a few points on our focus for this year, including of course the Veterinary Practice Act and veterinary regulation.

HIGHLIGHTS/KEY POINTS from the AVA conference:

  • The conference VBG stream
  • The amazing hotel rates the AVA negotiated
  • catching up with so many graduates of the Uni of Adelaide, and colleagues from near and far
  • getting my feet in the local sand and some retail therapy.
  • The plenaries

HIGHLIGHTS/KEY POINTS from COP:

  • THRIVE’s launch (wellness in the vet sector) – this is fabulous and in addition to the EAP hotline and mental health hotlines – free service already in place and ongoing.
  • National and DIVISION LEVEL activities are in FOUR CATGEGORIES – governance, advocacy, education, membership. The below is a guide as to what is in each category

WHERE ARE WE GOING?
For our SA Division - I see advocacy as our main push this year - in particular with the VSBSA and the review of the Veterinary Practice Act. This is the main reason I accepted the nomination as president.

Ahead and along with the VPA review, I would like to look at the Nexus of the Controlled Substances Act of SA and the VPA of SA especially regarding the issue of filling scripts prescribed by other veterinarians, and how this relates to the “normal duties of the (dispensing) veterinarian”. i.e. The VSBSA and the VPA, regs, and codes, do NOT allow a script to be filled unless the client/patient relationship is a ‘bona fide’ one and the animal/herd is also under the care of the dispensing veterinarian.

Also membership value especially at the branch level – There is a move to re-open branch activities to non-members so can experience the AVA and then join. Branches e.g. Rural Vet Practitioner branch, Hindmarsh branch (non-clinical vets). Do we have one for companion animal practitioners? Or new grads? I hope to get our SA division demographic distribution soon from AVA national to see where our members live. In the bigger states (eg. VIC, QLD, NSW), branches are most often by postcode. WA has reinvigorated four branches that were active decades ago. Re: Making new branches – fit for purpose? Can be any member segment.

SA Committee 
My aim is to activley increease the number of recent grads and younger vets on the SA committee, as a measure of ensuring the committee is connected with the newer members of the profession, as well as those of us who have been in the profession longer.

We have two committee positions still unfilled – please feel safe in getting in touch with me to ask about what is involved.

WE NEED YOU (and would welcome you).
Please reach out to me or any of the SA Division Committee members to discuss any of above.
Best wishes, Adele Feakes
adele.feakes@adelaide.edu.au

SA Committee members:

  • Daniel Colella
  • Sonya McDowall
  • Michelle Lloyd
  • Sarah McGrath
  • Anne Fowler