The visit gave the local MP and animal lover an insight into the specialist care AURA Veterinary provides to pets from across the UK and around the world, showcasing its expertise in oncology, soft tissue surgery, internal medicine and interventional radiology.
Registered veterinary nurse (RVN) Sarah Holliday, Senior Vice President of the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA) and Senior Nurse in Medical Oncology, gave Ms Franklin a tour of the AURA Veterinary facilities, from consultation rooms and wards to surgical theatres, state-of-the-art CT imaging and diagnostics facilities.
Ms Franklin saw first-hand how vets and vet nurses offer tailored care to pets. She also took time to speak with some of the pet owners and meet their animals in the practice waiting room, including Charlene Lamb with her dog, Sammy. Ms Lamb spoke of the dedicated care provided by the vets and vet nurses at AURA, where she has been a client for many years. She especially spoke of the kindness and compassion shown by the whole AURA team, so that Sammy is always happy to visit the hospital.
During the MP’s visit, Ms Holliday also shone a light on the urgent need to change outdated veterinary laws governing the profession, something that the BVNA – the representative body for vet nurses in the UK – has long been campaigning for. Ms Franklin heard how advances in veterinary medicine, growing pet ownership, and the expanding veterinary team mean that the current legislation is outdated. While individual vets and vet nurses are regulated, veterinary businesses are not, and currently, anyone can call themselves a vet nurse. Ms Holliday urged Ms Franklin to back the profession’s calls to reform the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.
Sarah Holliday RVN, Senior Vice President at BVNA and Senior Medical Oncology Nurse at AURA Veterinary, said:
“We were thrilled to welcome Ms Franklin and show her the inspiring work that goes on every day at AURA Veterinary
“Our team works incredibly hard and cares deeply about every animal that comes through our doors. Much of vet nurses’ skilled and compassionate care for animals goes on behind the scenes, and so it was an excellent opportunity to showcase the dedicated care we provide throughout each patient’s treatment journey alongside our vet colleagues.
“Ms Franklin’s visit was also an opportunity to highlight the need for a new Veterinary Surgeons Act and urge her to back reforms that will better protect animal welfare, support veterinary teams, and provide greater transparency to our clients. At AURA Veterinary, as a facility with hospital status, we have voluntarily opted in to the Practice Standards Scheme to assure clients of the high standard of care their pets will receive. However, voluntary regulation of businesses is not enough – the pet owning public across the UK should be afforded the same confidence in any veterinary practice they visit.”
Guildford MP Zöe Franklin said:
“As a long-time pet owner, I’m no stranger to vet visits, but it was eye-opening for me to go behind the consult room to see the level of skill, care and commitment towards their patients and their owners from the team at AURA Veterinary.
“I was shocked to learn that currently, anyone can call themselves a veterinary nurse, and that while individual professionals come under mandatory regulation, veterinary businesses do not. That’s why I’m backing the veterinary profession’s calls to reform existing legislation so we can improve transparency, strengthen trust and give pet owners across the UK confidence in the care their pets receive.”
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