The One Health Initiative is a worldwide strategy that aims to increase collaborations between human medicine, veterinary medicine, science, agriculture and disease-control bodies, resulting in improved human and animal health. VN Futures – a partnership that began in 2016 between the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), to outline the future of the veterinary nursing profession – has One Health as one of its six ambitions. Likewise, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has a strong focus on the area too, with its current manifesto entitled, Vets at the heart of a “One Health“ government, acknowledging the vital role veterinary surgeons play in the protection and promotion of animal health and calling on the government to work with the veterinary profession on policy change that will benefit animals and humans alike.
So, it is clear to see One Health is a real priority for the veterinary profession, and rightly so. However, the Vet Futures Report (Vet Futures Project Board 2015) found that One Health did not resonate with many members of the veterinary profession, a theme echoed in the VN Futures project. So what, then, as veterinary nurses, should we all aim to know and understand about One Health and how can we be more involved with the Initiative?
Author
Sophie Beckwith RVN
Having worked in the UK veterinary industry for nearly 20 years, Sophie now combines her time between registered veterinary nursing and freelance journalism. Nursing representative for the Animal Welfare Foundation and lead nurse on an annual neutering programme for stray cats in Greece, Sophie is committed to good animal welfare. She is communications officer for an animal welfare organisation and writes and blogs about animals, nature and the environment.
Email: soph.beckwith@gmail.com
Keywords: Feature, One health
To cite this article: Veterinary Nursing Journal • VOL 32 (07) • July 2017 pp206-208
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