RCVS elections in March; vote early, vote often etc.

 

Dr. Gerard Henry, a long time contributor to Samizdat is standing for election to the RCVS Council in March. This is his election statement, we wish him well.

'There comes a point when you think, enough is enough.

Like most practitioners I've been too busy to involve myself with the College or with professional politics. For most of my life as a vet the RCVS didn't really feature on my horizon. Sometimes you'd see an old friend or mentor becoming President, a worthy end to a distinguished career. Local veterinary meetings might be attended by a Council member who would apprise us, informally, of what was going on or being said in London. That was then. 

In June 2022 I was disturbed to read an elected member had resigned from Council because of the imposition of a new 'how we work' statement, which in essence forbad the informal exchange of information which had existed previously. This new imposed secrecy benefits neither the public nor the profession although it might make administration a bit easier for the group at the top. I know from personal experience just how hard it is to get even basic information from 'our' College. A simple, innocuous question required two FOI requests (one prepared by a Barrister) to get an answer. This is unacceptable.

Not content with restricting what we are allowed to know, the College has now voted by a majority of 16-5, to abolish Council elections completely and move to an appointments based system. With this, any direct influence we once had within the RCVS will have gone. 

It is my intention if elected, to work hard at improving information sharing in general and to resist, tooth and nail, any attempt to deprive us of our right to elect Council members. This is a fight we cannot afford to lose.'

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