Castlemaine veterinary professionals are among those demanding something be done to address a widespread shortage of vets amid reports the problem has become a crisis.
Castlemaine Veterinary Clinic practice manager Athena Williams said vets were under increasing stress with compounding anecdotal evidence of a vet workforce crisis particularly impacting rural and regional areas.
“There is little empirical data in relation to vets’ health, their wellbeing and the challenges faced within the veterinary industry and workforce,” the local practice manager said in a paper she wrote highlighting the issue.
“However, it is well documented that vets are at a higher risk of facing mental health challenges and suicide,” she said.
“In essence there is a shortage of vets and an increase in companion and domestic animals.
“The industry is in crisis and a perfect storm is brewing.”
Ms Williams has raised the issue with federal member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters, providing the MP with a copy of the paper she’s written including a suite of suggestions to help tackle the issue.
“It has gone to Lisa Chesters and I understand that she has passed it on to (deputy Labor leader) Tanya Plibersek,” she told the Midland Express.
“It’s also gone to the vice chancellor of La Trobe University.
“I want federal traction on it.
“As a first step, what is needed is a supported round table discussion of interested organisations and people who have a role to play in a multi-faceted approach to the challenges facing the industry, the workforce and the domestic and production animals whose lives are ultimately at risk.”
Veterinary surgeon Dr Dean Bridgfoot of Castlemaine’s Healthy Pets Vet Clinic agreed it was an issue that needed to be addressed.
“It’s an issue for sure,” Dr Bridgfoot told the Midland Express.
“The Australian Veterinary Association had a paper out recently which found there’s a shortfall of 1000-1500 vets in Australia – at least 1000 unfilled jobs in Australia.
“We’re super busy during the day and exhausted at night and we just can’t do on-call all the time because we don’t have the numbers.
“We do have an excellent young vet working with us at the moment but we could definitely put another vet on full time if we could. But we can’t get anyone.
“Sometimes locums are available but you can’t just get them at the drop of a hat.
“It makes it very stressful for the vets who are working very long hours.
“Structurally, there’s a heap of things we probably need to do as a society.
“A re-evaluation of how we support jobs that are seen to be really important in our society would be a good place to start.”
Reconsidering the cost of educating vets – something that’s leaving newly graduated vets with big loans to repay, while struggling to secure affordable accommodation, could well be useful aspects of such a “re-evaluation”, Dr Bridgfoot suggested.
Back at the Castlemaine Veterinary Clinic, veterinary surgeon Dr Yvette Berkeley said the would put on two more vets straight away if they could.
Another option she would like to see become feasible would be sub-letting their clinic out to an after-hours veterinary services provider between the hours of 5pm and 9am.
“That’s what we’d love to do,” Dr Berkeley said.
“It’s one solution and we’ve advertised it in the past but the problem is no one wants to work those hours.
“It’s a real crisis.
“We’ve just had to stop our after-hours altogether.”
Ms Williams said regional and rural vets had plenty of ideas to help tackle the crisis.
“However we don’t have the resources or capacity to advocate or respond without assistance,” she said.
