Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will be taking centre stage at London Vet Show, one of the biggest of its kind in the UK – as the organisation warns the profession is struggling to achieve self-sufficiency in generating and retaining homegrown talent.

SRUC will be showcasing its new School of Veterinary Medicine which, as well as preparing for a new BVSci degree course embraces the SRUC Veterinary Services and the new Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre in Inverness.

The organisation’s related programmes, including its range of Veterinary Nursing programmes, HND Rural Animal Health, and MRes Zoonoses and the Epidemiology of Animal Infection also now sit within the newly formed vet school.

Delegates at the event can find out more about how to get involved with the vet school and the leading SRUC Veterinary Services diagnostic testing, the latest veterinary CPD courses, livestock health schemes, and HerdPlan, a new dynamic health planning tool.

Overseen by Prof Caroline Argo, Dean of Veterinary Medicine and Head of School, the new team has been busy preparing for the first year rollout of the new curriculum which seeks to address a number of key issues within the wider rural and veterinary sectors.

Prof Argo, said: “It is now recognised that the UK veterinary profession is struggling to achieve self-sufficiency in generating and retaining homegrown talent. This has serious ramifications for Scotland’s farmers and rural communities. We are seeking to address this by training general practitioners who are essential for our food sector and mixed practices.

“The UK’s vet schools produce professionals of the very highest standard, but changes in the labour market mean that the veterinary profession remains on the Home Office’s ‘Shortage Occupation List’ and has a high turnover rate together with large dependency on non-UK, largely EU vets to address shortfalls in priority areas.

“These areas include remote and rural practice, veterinary public health, livestock health and welfare, and government services, including certification. In light of Brexit and border policy changes, it is now essential for Scotland that we build new home-grown talent pools for ourselves, and equip them with the specialist skills, resilience, and diversity that our rural communities, government, and food sectors require.”

SRUC’s veterinary and vet nursing programmes also embed students in real-life practices as part of their education.

The London Vet Show takes place at ExCeL London on 16 and 17 November and SRUC will be exhibiting at Stand E72, where our team will be on hand to meet you.