The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters Initiative is continuing its series of ‘Campfire Chats’ this autumn and winter, providing members of the professions with the opportunity to take part in informal discussions about some of the crucial issues affecting veterinary health and wellbeing. The upcoming sessions are as follows: Thursday 28 October […]
The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters mental health initiative is announcing a new training collaboration on how to champion equality ahead of this year’s World Mental Health Day (Sunday 10 October 2021). The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’, and considers how societal […]
Back in May 2021, MMI launched a photo competition on the theme of the links between the natural world, and our mental health and wellbeing. Retired veterinary surgeon Ralph Slaughter was crowned the winner for his collection of photographs called ‘Why I Am a Gardener’ in which he highlighted some of his proudest horticultural achievements […]
Every moment Infinite When I was recovering from burnout, I took my camera out with me on every walk, and developed an approach which involved looking closely at what was around me, appreciating the natural light, colour and shapes which were constantly changing. There is so much to see which we so often miss when […]
Plan Bee Project It is too easy in the modern world to become detached from nature, to see it as an isolated concept rather than our environment and integral to us as human animals. It is too easy to go from long days in work, straight home, work some more and repeat the cycle daily […]
Decompression in the Wild (south) West In April 2020, during the early days of the pandemic, like most people, I struggled with what the world was throwing at me. Battling everyday alongside my team to provide the highest quality veterinary care was at first a challenge for which we had energy but soon that faded […]
I am the Mountain I am the mountain. I am the craigs and cliffs that I climb, not the career ladders up against unclean and uncared for windows that don’t always open to let you slide in and take a seat. I’ve been climbing many ladders and helping others ascend their mountains but they weren’t […]
Nature is simultaneously simple and complex, calm yet teeming with life, a safe refuge and an unchartered wilderness, secretive yet fully exposed for us. There is nothing quite like it. For me, nature is my pause and reset button. You step outside and yours is the choice; you can leave behind your ‘baggage’ or chose a […]
Finding the Courage to Flourish The funny thing about flowers and me is that they have always been there when I needed them. Just blooming. Teaching me how to thrive in the frozen depths of an English winter or through the cracks in the sun scorched California earth. No struggle, no striving, no pushing, no […]
A new survey of student veterinary nurses, recently graduated veterinary nurses and clinical coaches has revealed the prevalence of workplace stressors and unhealthy workplace culture issues across the profession, including concerns over the impact of widespread bullying and incivility within the veterinary workplace. Carried out by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters […]
Mind Matters’ third Mental Health Research Symposium is now open for registrations and will see veterinary professionals from across the globe attend to present their latest research and insight into veterinary mental health and wellbeing. The symposium will take place live online from 10am on Wednesday 24 November and will feature presentations from researchers based […]
MMI have collaborated with the Kite Program to bring you MMI Kite App – a wellbeing programme which takes a fresh approach to learning, based on scientific evidence. We know life can be stressful when it comes to working in the veterinary industry. People from across the profession are often met with information overload and […]
Today (6 September), the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters Initiative is pleased to announce the launch of a new mental health and wellbeing platform, which has been created specifically for the veterinary community. The platform, MMI Kite App, is one of the first programmes to provide mental health and wellbeing support, which […]
All veterinary professionals are now able to pre-register for a new mental health and wellbeing app being produced by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) ahead of the platform’s launch early this autumn. MMI has collaborated with The Kite Program to develop a mental health and wellbeing programme, called MMI […]
The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has teamed up with the RCVS Mind Matters Initiative and Two Roads Charity, to reschedule their emotional resilience CPD courses which were postponed due to COVID-19. Emotional Resilience Skills for the Veterinary Profession will be held virtually by the BSAVA Regions for the first time in the form […]
The RCVS Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) are relaunching their training programme and have opened the tender process that prospective providers interested in helping develop and deliver the new training sessions can apply for. The updated mental health training programme will provide participants with a broader range of topics to attend training on, including some new […]
Abi Hanson started working as the Mind Matters Initiative Officer in June 2021. She graduated from The University of Bristol in 2018 with a 2:1 in French and Italian before taking a year out to see the world. In 2019, she landed an internship at a public relations agency and later moved on to work […]