Six members of the Links Group teamed up with speakers from Women’s Aid, the NSPCC, the RSPCA, Cheshire Constabulary, My CWA, the Endeavour Project /Paws for Kids and Refuge4Pets at the Mercure Chester Abbots Well Hotel (a great venue with the most helpful staff), last Friday 29th November. They joined forces to deliver a compelling finale to the first series of the Links Veterinary Training Initiative.
Supported by BSAVA throughout their regional network, this series was interrupted by Covid. Since the re-start in 2023, we have delivered this unique training to over 250 people, including veterinary receptionists, veterinary nurses, vets, practice managers, representatives of BSAVA, BVA, VDS training, RCVS Mind Matters Initiative, RSPCA inspectors, students, universities, vet schools, the legal system, local authorities, devolved government departments, independent think tanks, the NHS, safeguarding teams, social workers and more.
In Chester, we had a truly mixed audience which created stimulating conversation, knowledge sharing and learning between these allied professionals. In true Links Group style, this started the evening before at an impromptu and informal dinner and chat. We were delighted to be joined on the day itself by a mix of vets, practice owners, the BSAVA Junior Vice President, social workers and safeguarding consultants, safeguarding paediatricians from Liverpool and Manchester hospitals, representatives from University of Liverpool School of Law and Social Justice, UCLan vet school, the Homicide Timeline, regional domestic abuse agencies and NAVP, and RSPCA inspectors, to name a few.
The Links Group are extremely grateful to the team at BSAVA for their essential support of these days, which facilitate bringing these critical messages to all members of the veterinary professions. Not only have BSAVA been instrumental in helping us raise awareness within the veterinary, animal welfare and allied “human” professions of non-accidental injury to animals and the link with abuse of people, their backing has helped us to share expert knowledge and support within the veterinary professions of domestic abuse and the potential impacts on our vet team workforce.
From our introduction to crisis charity Hestia at the Battersea BSAVA/Links training day, we have developed a partnership with Hestia’s Online Safe Spaces and Everyone’s Business. This has helped us provide a safe and free means of domestic abuse support for colleagues, employees and employers via Hestia’s online portal. We are delighted to say that we are supported in this venture by many more veterinary professional associations, so watch this space for more news on that soon!
Thank you to all our speakers who give their time and expertise so generously. For information on future learning opportunities, visit our training page here.
