Our Autumn Congress is hailed a success

CARING for each other, as well as clients and animals, was the key theme of the VetPartners Ireland Autumn Congress in Dundalk.

Over two days, practice managers, veterinary nurses and farm clinical directors gathered at Ballymascanlon Hotel.

The Congress provided the perfect opportunity for our colleagues to meet each other, share ideas and network, as well as hear updates from VetPartners Ireland Managing Director Gavin McCoubrey and Business Development Director Austin Donnelly, who hosted both days.

As a large group of veterinary practices and associated animal healthcare businesses, VetPartners is able to share expertise and experience from its practices.

One of the guest speakers at the event was Practice Manager Sean Dickson, who works at Galedin Vets in the Scottish Borders. There were also talks from event sponsors Boehringer Ingelheim on the care for pets and farm animals with their species leads. 

Gavin said: “We had a special focus on caring for each other and supporting our teams with their resilience in their role, as well as providing the best possible care for our patients and ensuring an excellent service for clients.

“It was a great opportunity to get our awesome people together and enable them to meet each other, discuss ideas in groups and network. There are so many ways we can work together to support the great work being done by our practices across the island of Ireland.”

Riverview Vets Practice Manager Paula Woulfe, pictured left, was attending her first VetPartners Ireland Congress after joining the County Cork practice six months ago.

Paula said: “It has been a great event, and it has been lovely meeting new people, learning about how they work and discussing ideas that I can take back into practice with me.”

Emily Slevin, Head Nurse at Newry Vets, said: “The care of animals, the care of pets and the care of each other is so important at VetPartners and it is important to all of our practices.

"Coming to the Congress has helped me to learn so much about nurse consults and lots of other ideas I’ll be taking back into practice with me. It has also been a good opportunity to meet other nurses and find out how they do things so we’re sharing best practice with other.”

VetPartners Farm Director Ian Cure co-hosted a Farm Roundtable event for practice farm clinical directors, right, with Gavin. As well as a business update, they were able to discuss innovation, new technology ideas and any challenges they face.

Cavan Vets Clinical Director Finbarr Kiernan, left, said: “Even for an experienced and long-serving farm vet like me, I am still committed to learning new ways of working, hearing about fresh ideas and innovation, and helping to use my experience to support others across the group.

“VetPartners Ireland Congress was a great opportunity for us farm clinical directors to come together and have great discussions, sometimes robust discussions, on how we progress and provide the best possible service for our farm clients and animals we look after.”

Article by Amanda Little, VetPartners PR and Communications Director (UK and Ireland). Email amanda.little@vetpartners.co.uk