The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is warning of a severe shortage of veterinary surgeons and nursing staff in the UK due to the impact of Brexit and the Covid pandemic, as well as the surge in pet ownership.
Figures released by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) reveal that the number of new EU registrants coming to work in the UK has fallen by 68% in two years, from 1,132 in 2019 to 364 in 2021. BVA, which is the UK’s largest membership body for vets, is warning that this drop could result in wide-ranging direct and knock-on impacts across the sector.
The UK’s veterinary workforce has been highly reliant on EU registrants in recent years, with RCVS data from 2021 indicating that 29% of the total existing workforce graduated in the EU. In 2019, RCVS data suggested that nearly half of new registrants (48%) graduated in the EU, compared to 42% graduating in the UK and 10% in third countries.
At the same time as the number of new registrants is falling, demand for veterinary certification of animal products for export to the EU has rocketed as a result of new post-Brexit requirements, with applications for food-related export health certificates increasing by 1,255% from 2020 to the end of 2021 (APHA data). The true measure of the additional workload is likely to be even higher, as these figures do not include equine and pet certificates or movements to Northern Ireland.
BVA is now warning that a range of long-term solutions is needed to tackle recruitment and retention challenges in the profession.
BVA senior vice president James Russell said: “The nosedive in EU registrants since Brexit, coupled with soaring demand for veterinary certification, is creating a storm of shortages in the profession. It’s absolutely critical that vets get as much support as possible to keep on top of workloads and navigate continued challenges ahead.
“We know that the Government is alive to the situation, and measures such as more vet school places and better digitisation of the certification process will help to relieve some pressures in the long term.
“The potential consequences are worrying. If we can’t find long-term solutions to veterinary workforce shortages we will see impacts on animal welfare, public health and international trade.”
