Supporting the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Veterinarians: AVA's Advocacy in South Australia

In its comprehensive submission to the South Australian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Veterinarians, the AVA has highlighted the urgent need for systemic change and government support. Read the full submission here. 

Veterinarians play a critical role in safeguarding animal health, supporting agriculture and biosecurity, and strengthening the human-animal bond. However, the profession is under immense strain due to workforce shortages, long working hours, financial pressures, and alarming rates of mental health challenges.

Despite their essential contributions, many veterinarians struggle with unsustainable working conditions. The profession has one of the highest rates of suicide among healthcare workers. In addition, client aggression and unrealistic expectations—exacerbated by financial constraints—further impact veterinarians’ mental wellbeing.

The AVA’s submission to the inquiry outlined the following major challenges:

• Workforce Shortages: The demand for veterinary services continues to grow, but the supply of professionals remains inadequate, leading to increased workloads and burnout.
• Financial Stress: Many veterinarians graduate with significant educational debt yet earn lower salaries compared to other medical professionals, making retention difficult.
• Client Aggression and Mental Health Risks: Rising incidents of verbal and physical abuse from clients contribute to stress and dissatisfaction within the profession.
• Uncompensated Public Good Services: Veterinarians frequently provide unpaid care for wildlife, stray animals, and during natural disasters, adding financial strain to private practices.
• Limited Government Recognition: Veterinary services provide critical public benefits, yet government support and funding remain insufficient.

AVA’s Recommendations for Change

To address these challenges, the AVA has put forward a series of recommendations aimed at improving the sustainability of the profession and the wellbeing of veterinarians:

• Recommendation 1: That the SA Government work with other Australian governments and key stakeholders to develop a National Veterinary Workforce Strategy. 
• Recommendation 2: The South Australian Government commit to supporting national measures to appropriately collect, manage, analyse, and share data on the national veterinary workforce. 
• Recommendation 3: The South Australian Government support further research to understand the economic value of veterinary services – particularly with respect to the impact of veterinary services on public health, biosecurity, as well as the broader economy. 
• Recommendation 4: That the SA Government support calls for the AVA Education Debt Forgiveness Scheme.
• Recommendation 5: That the SA Government explore measures to increase engagement between primary producers and veterinarians.
• Recommendation 6: The SA Government consider funding a public awareness campaign to address the rising rates of verbal and physical assault of veterinary teams and to educate the community on the impact of their actions.
• Recommendation 7: The SA Government commit funding to AVA’s wellness initiative, THRIVE to support veterinarians and veterinary staff to lead satisfying, prosperous and healthy careers. 
• Recommendation 8: The AVA calls upon the SA Government to explore solutions that support the veterinary sector in its role with stray animals, addressing the key issues outlined and promoting overall animal health, welfare, and public health.
• Recommendation 9: The SA Government commits funding to develop and implement a framework that provides regulatory and appropriate financial support to the provision of veterinary services for lost, stray and unowned animals, injured wildlife and during emergency situations provided by all sectors of the profession (charities and the private veterinary sector). 
• Recommendation 10: That the SA Parliament introduce regulation of veterinary nurses and technologists that includes registration, title protection, and defined set of restricted activities that can be done under veterinarian direction and supervision. 
• Recommendation 11: The SA Government provide resources to fund a think tank to develop an afterhours model that is sustainable for the profession and allows veterinary services to be delivered to the SA community in both urban and rural areas 24/7.
• Recommendation 12: The SA Government commit funding to AVA’s Cultivating Safe Teams program. 
• Recommendation 13: The SA Government work with key stakeholders to develop a strategy to support access to veterinary services (that utilises existing private veterinary businesses) for vulnerable sections of the community.
• Recommendation 14: The Australian Government increases government funding per Equivalent Full Time Student Load (EFTSL) by at least 30% to cover operational costs.
• Recommendation 15: That the SA Government provide a clinical placement support to veterinary students undertaking placements in rural and regional areas of the state. 

Without immediate and coordinated action, South Australia's veterinary workforce will continue to face unsustainable pressures, jeopardising animal welfare, public health, and biosecurity. The AVA remains committed to working with policymakers to implement these critical reforms, ensuring a thriving and sustainable future for the veterinary profession.

The AVA looks forward to continuing to work with the Parliamentary Committee as it investigates these issues.