In this podcast, Gudrun Ravetz, head of workplace engagement at Vets4Pets and Vicky Hill, people director at Vets4Pets, discuss the importance of mental health in the workplace and the support available to veterinary practice teams.

Gudrun will discuss her own experience of mental health first aid training, developed in partnership with Talkout, and Vets4Pets’ commitment to having a trained colleague in every practice.

It will cover factors that can influence a colleague’s mental health in practice, the impact of mental health on workplace culture, learnings from the findings of Vets4Pets’ Project Listen and measures the company has brought in to support teams.
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Gudrun has recently been appointed in the newly created role of head of workplace engagement with Vets4Pets to help support colleagues and partners in the group’s practices.

She has more than 20 years’ experience and has worked as a clinician in private practice and for charities, and is a former president of both the BVA and SPVS.

In addition to her clinical experience, she has worked in several veterinary-related roles in industry, management and as a consultant, as well as chairing the BVA’s Good Veterinary Workplaces working group.

She will work closely with colleagues and partners across Vets4Pets and Companion Care practices to support the implementation of the BVA’s Good Veterinary Workplaces code as it continues to be adopted across the estate.

The appointment follows Vets4Pets’ inaugural Project Listen report, which revealed an industry-wide need for increased support and recognition, and is part of an ongoing commitment to workplace engagement. Both the report and initiatives being implemented are discussed in this podcast.
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Vicky has been an HR professional for 25 years and has held Chartered CIPD Fellow status for 12 years.

She has been part of the Pets at Home Group People team for 11 years and during that time has worked with the specialist division, retail and support office teams.
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Vets4Pets, which is part of Pets at Home, operates a national network of practices that are run by partners who enjoy clinical freedom and have the independence to run their own practice.

Each practice offers a comprehensive range of treatments for small animals. From vaccinations, neutering and general health care advice to specialised services such as intensive care medicine and surgical procedures.