RCVS COUNCIL ELECTIONS

VOTE FOR BENJAMIN KENNEDY

Links:

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council/council-elections/dr-benjamin-kennedy/

Want to ask me a question:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2271440899906938

Candidate biography

Benjamin is a small animal and exotic locum vet based in Milton Keynes. He has an interest in invertebrate medicine and researches the application of clinical techniques in these species. He runs Invertivet Bearded Vets, a company that is tailored to facilitating veterinary care, telemedicine, and research for invertebrate and exotic species.

In addition to his veterinary medicine degree Benjamin has a bachelor’s in biochemistry and genetics and a master’s in molecular biology and pathology of viruses. Benjamin is involved in multiple societies. He is part of the steering committee for the Veterinary Invertebrate Society and the British Bee Veterinary Association and was previously a council member of the British Veterinary Zoological Society. Benjamin regularly publishes articles and presents his research at conferences to raise awareness of exotic and invertebrate medicine.

Please find my RCVS profile here:

https://www.rcvs.org.uk/who-we-are/rcvs-council/council-elections/dr-benjamin-kennedy/

Why do you want to stand to be a member of RCVS Council?

I stand for:

The continuation of an elected element on council for RCVS to ensure effective self-government that reflects the views of the people that are being regulated.
A sensible, fair, and proportionate disciplinary process.
A common-sense approach to under care guidelines that reflects the current challenges of veterinary medicine.

I value effective, practical regulation that supports veterinary professionals and the public. As a locum, I have worked across various practices, enabling me to articulate the concerns of diverse veterinary professionals and shape fair, functional policies.

Regulation plays a vital role in maintaining public trust in our profession and ensuring high standards of animal welfare. However, I believe that regulation should be based in common-sense, proportionate, and enable professionals to do their jobs effectively, rather than act as a barrier. I am a strong advocate for self-regulation and believe veterinary professionals are best placed to uphold the standards and responsibilities of our profession.

If elected, I will work to ensure that RCVS decisions are balanced, transparent, and reflective of the realities of veterinary practice, so we can preserve trust, support our colleagues, and ultimately safeguard the welfare of the animals under our care.

What is your understanding of the challenges that locum vets and locum nurses are currently facing?

Locum vets and nurses are facing many challenges especially as increasing vets and nurses are turning to locuming either due to childcare commitments or as they transition or because of the need for flexibility. The cost of living crisis is hitting this industry hard. Locums will always be the first to go so there are more extremes of when work is available! This is currently being felt hard but locum nurses in particular (many of whom are only trying to make ends meat!)

Many of the issues brought up by the CMA with respect to owners are also relevant to locums as big corporations attempt to manage and prevent competition with respect to where locums work and how much they charge. We think a lot about the customer’s issues but little about the issue of who is supplying veterinary services… which is also subject to pricing caps and pressure to engage under inequitable terms. Locums are getting better at speaking collectively (through the BVLA! and BVU) but it is still daunting to challenge large multi-million pound multinational companies that are trying to exert large levels of influence on the industry.

The fact that the RCVS specifically regulates individuals and doesn’t overtly regulate practices mean that in some respects locums take on the burden of responsibility for how a practice runs yet have little to no influence on what standards are in place.

I’ve been locuming on and off for my entire career and have working in over 80 practices so I have learned a lot about this industry and especially about the experiences that locums have. I think it is really important that we work together and learn to support each other. Collectively we are strong and we need that representation on council (definitely props to Will Wilkinson who has represented locums wonderfully!!!).

Given the huge variation in the needs of vets: in private practice, learning institutes, corporate owned practices, independent owned practices, employment, and differing models of ownership… how well equipped do you feel to listen to, and give a voice to, that whole population of vets experiencing such differing challenges?

As a locum vet who has supported over 80 practices, I have worked in diverse clinical settings across both corporate and independent environments – from general practice to referral and specialist centres. This is only one aspect of my career, as I have also undertaken, and continue to conduct, research into invertebrate medicine, regularly collaborating with academics. This research has even led me into various facets of farm medicine through insect farming. In addition, I have volunteered my time with organisations such as the BVZS, BVA, VIS and BBVA. These experiences have afforded me the privilege of engaging with many facets of the profession and establishing a wide range of contacts among vets from various backgrounds.

The variability and diversity of the veterinary experience is one of the reasons I advocate for an elected council. I believe that a good councillors can come from anywhere (to paraphrase Disney’s “Ratatouille”), and I trust my colleagues to identify where experience is needed on the council. We must tread carefully as we modernise our regulator, ensuring that we represent the entirety of veterinary medicine rather than only what is overtly visible.

I would consider a future role as an RCVS councillor an opportunity to represent my colleagues, their concerns, and their expertise. My primary role will be to listen carefully and ensure that their views are effectively represented on the council.

Given the rapid consolidation of veterinary practices by large corporate groups over the last 20 years (now upwards of 60% of the market), what role do you believe the RCVS should play in preserving market competition and ensuring that consumers have genuine choices in their local areas?

Corporisation is not inherently a bad thing! The consolidation of practices into larger groups has happened many times over the last 20 years (and this isn’t unique to the veterinary industry.)

I do think it should be clear when large corporations own practices so I would advocate for the PSS to require practices to display prominently when a practice is affilitated with a larger group. Many practices act under the veneer of a mum and pop independent practice without consumers being aware that they are run by large corporations. This was one of many issues brought up by the CMA investigation. The RCVS should regulate to allow customers to make informed choices about the veterinary services they are engaging with.

From a more birds eye view, Some of these issues are due to limitiations of the RCVS to regulate veterinary practices as the RCVS currently regulates MRCVS vets. I would advocate that we should be moving to
regulating not only individuals but also practices as this would allow the RCVS to meaningfully influence the behaviour of practices where non-vets may have significant authority and influence.

If elected, would you work to reverse proposed changes to an all-appointed council, and seek to maintain democratic elections for RCVS council?

If Elected i would seek to reverse the proposed changes and seek to maintain democratic elections for RCVS council.

I along with other candidates have penned a letter to the Vet Record indicating our stance on keeping democratic elections. There is a need for the RCVS to modernise its governing structure, but this doesn’t mean we should lose an elected component to council, nor does it mean we should move to an all-appointed council.

Publications

Benjamin has published several articles, chapters and other publications on invertebrate medicine which can be found below.

Invertebrate Medicine

Invertebrate medicine is one of Benjamin’s passions and something he can go on about for hours. To find out more then click below.

Associations and Memberships

Council member and webmaster of the British Veterinary Zoological Society

Member of the Steering Committee of the Veterinary Invertebrate Society

Member of the following organisations and societies: