NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into the Veterinary Worker Shortage: post-hearing responses - Questions on notice by The Hon. PETER PRIMROSE: Service NSW has significant resources and ongoing support for small businesses, including

One of the areas which is not well addressed in the veterinary industry is who is looking after the individuals who work in the industry? Whilst the AVA is the peak body representing the industry and predominantly the owners of the industry, we feel the AVA has a potential conflict of interest as it attempts to represent both owners and vets and staff who work for those owners. [...] We would like to invite the NSW Government to consider contributing funding to Sophie’s Legacy, as the South Australian Government has done, to continue the work it has started in May 2023 with the ‘We’re Only Human’ campaign and to assist with the follow-up ‘LOST’ campaign, which is in the planning stages. [...] Recommendation 13: The NSW Government provide funding to resource the development of prioritisation and planning of the longer-term strategies that will have the most effective workforce outcomes for all stakeholders the veterinary profession serves and the profession itself. [...] We are supportive of the funding measure, but the fact that the industry has known about the workforce shortage and the high suicide rate for so long now, it seems incredible that they are asking for the prioritisation and planning of the longer-term strategies which we believe should be known and articulated well before now. [...] Vet nurses are an underutilised resource within vet practices, and a review of the framework to include the registration of nurses and para-veterinary staff under the Veterinary Practitioners Board, would allow professional standards to be set for these groups, and assist veterinarians in clinic to reduce their workload, and as a result, the stress and burnout experienced.