Piera Ceschi
First Vets Achieve VMG/ILM Level 5 Award In Veterinary Leadership And Management
2 years ago 
801 views
The first four vets, including one based in Italy who studied for the qualification in her third language, have received the Veterinary Management Group’s (VMG’s) Group’s ILM-accredited Level 5 Award in Veterinary Leadership and Management (AVLM). The cohort includes other notable ‘firsts’ for the industry-leading qualification; including the first two veterinary school staff to achieve it, together with the first two RVN practice owners. In total, 50 veterinary professionals have achieved the AVLM since its launch in 2021.
Dr Piera Ceschi, Senior Veterinary Officer for the South Tyrol Health Authority in Italy, says she undertook the qualification in order to improve her professional skills in and knowledge of leadership and management. “I have already attended several programmes in leadership, management and project management but none was specific to veterinarians, she said. “I believe that the importance being an effective leader is under-valued in our sector and, based on my experience so far, I totally recommend this programme.”
Rebecca Dobinson, Senior Veterinary Surgeon at Westways Vets in Tyne and Wear and Director of Compassionate Paws International; Jade Hughes, Veterinary Surgeon at Maes Glas Vets in Rhondda; and Irina Gramer, Head of the Oncology Service at the Royal Veterinary College, were the other three vets to achieve the qualification.
Melanie Mace RVN, Senior Nurse at Mill House Veterinary Surgery and Hospital in Kings Lynn, who also secured the qualification, said: “I have achieved a number of additional clinical qualifications but, as I am now part of the practice’s leadership team, I wanted to ensure that my leadership and management skills were up to scratch and that I am the best leader I can be for the teams I lead.
“I enjoyed the AVLM course and found the content very interesting - I could really relate it to experiences I’d had in practice. Understanding different leadership styles and which work best in particular situations was particularly interesting. I use a servant-leader approach in leading our SVN team, for instance, as they need a greater degree of support at this early stage of their careers. In contrast, leading our experienced RVNs is more about helping them find their own direction and helping them, in turn, to lead others well.
“The AVLM course has certainly given me a better understanding of how to be an effective leader and helped me perform my role as part of our leadership team.”
Lyndsay Hughes RVN, Director of Drove Vets in Wiltshire, and Rachel Smith RVN, Joint Venture Partner at Vets4Pets Sunderland and Sunderland South are the two RVN practice owners to have received the award this time.
The VMG/ILM Award, Certificate and Diploma in Veterinary Leadership & Management, is a suite of contemporary online qualifications which equip and empower 21st century veterinary leaders. With an emphasis on flexibility, accessibility, and real-world relevance, the qualifications are accredited by the Institute of Leadership & Management and modular in format, enabling participants from the UK and around the world to build a qualification to suit their role, ambitions, and areas of particular interest.
Most of the awardees are now moving forward to the Certificate (CVLM) stage of the qualification. The final stage is the Diploma (DVLM), typically achieved after two years.
Dr Hannah Perrin, Learning and Development Manager and Course Director, said: “Great leadership is a crucial factor in building a happy, healthy, and successful team. Veterinary organisations are continuing to recognise the value of investing in personal and professional development for all staff, and we’re thrilled that this cohort is the most diverse yet in terms of job roles.
“We are now seeing practices and their people reap the benefits of upskilled and empowered leaders and managers at a time of continuing significant challenge for the veterinary sector. The CVLM programme addresses a range of contemporary issues, both sector-specific and affecting the wider business and social environment, as well as incorporating the latest thinking on leadership and management.
“We’re really proud of our new AVLMs and look forward to supporting them as they continue to learn with us.”
The next cohort will commence its studies in September 2022. More information is available here: www.vetmg.com/cvlm.
The VMG is the professional association for all those in leadership and management roles in the veterinary sector. It empowers and equips veterinary leaders and their organisations to learn, share, and grow.
Note to editors:
The full list of AVLM awardees in this cohort is:
- Emma Akehurst RVN, Practice Manager, Maltman Cosham Vets, West Sussex
- Louise Bambury, Practice Manager, Boness Vets, Bedfordshire
- Ruth Bennett RVN, Practice Manager, Castle Vets, Dorset
- Piera Cesci DVM, Senior Veterinary Officer, South Tyrol Health Authority, Italy
- Rebecca Dobinson MRCVS, Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Westways Vets, Tyne & Wear
- Irina Gramer MRCVS, Head of the Oncology Service, Royal Veterinary College, Hertfordshire
- Thomas Hallam RVN, Branch Practice Manager, Scarsdale Vets, Derbyshire
- Jade Hughes MRCVS, Veterinary Surgeon, Maes Glas Vets, Rhondda
- Lyndsay Hughes RVN, Director, Drove Vets, Wiltshire
- Tammy Inkpen, Practice Manager, Castle Vets, Cornwall
- Melanie Mace RVN, Senior Veterinary Nurse, Mill House Vets, Norfolk
- Natalie McGrath, Client Service Manager, Vets4Pets Bury, Lancashire
- Helen Moreland, Practice Manager, Clockhouse Vets, Gloucestershire
- Shirley Simpson RVN, Senior Surgical Nurse, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh
- Rachel Smith RVN, Joint Venture Partner, Vets4Pets Sunderland, Northumberland
- Christine Stagg, Clinic Manager, Thameswood Vets, Wiltshire
- Phillippa Turner, Practice Manager, Medivet Washington, Durham
- Tracy Volante RVN, Practice Manager, The Ark Vets, Warwickshire
- Denise Whitham, Practice Manager, Icknield Vets, Bedfordshire
- Claire Wilson RVN, Practice Manager, Derwent Valley Vets, Derbyshire
For further information:
Rebecca George, George PR
Tel: 01449 737281/07974 161108
More from Veterinary Management Group
- VMG Responds to the Competition and Market Authority Review of the Veterinary Sector
- Additional Representation for Veterinary Sector in the House of Lords
- Registration Opens for VMG Congress 2024
- First Awardee of VMG Level 5 Diploma in Veterinary Leadership and Management Announced
- VMG Urges Practice Managers, Clinicians and Clients to Engage with CMA Review into Veterinary Services Market for Household Pets
