After-hours safety of veterinary staff – risk mitigation strategies

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Veterinarians are obliged to provide after-hours services at their practices or access to after-hours services, depending on the state or territory in which they work. 

Veterinary services delivered after-hours are often performed solo or with very minimal staff, and veterinary practice employers have both a legal and moral obligation to ensure adequate safety for their employees, which can be challenging for many practices when providing after-hours services.

There are financial, reputational and mental health costs and considerations that impact on the operational business of a veterinary practice to address and mitigate these risks.

More information on this topic and some helpful strategies to mitigate risks to staff safety can be found here.