Comments BVNA NEWS
Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month
May is Veterinary Nursing Awareness Month( VNAM), when veterinary professionals recognise and celebrate veterinary nurses( VNs). The campaign aims to educate members of the public about the many things VNs do in the veterinary practice, including their important role in promoting animal welfare. The campaign also raises awareness of the training required to become a registered veterinary nurse and why the title‘ veterinary nurse’ should be protected in law.
BVNA hopes that as many VNs as possible will get involved with VNAM and encourage other members of their practice team to do the same. The campaign theme this year is‘ Passion and Compassion’, with weekly themes focusing on compassion, mental health, empathy and passion. Visit https:// bvna. org. uk / project / veterinarynursing-awareness-month-may-2026 / and see BVNA ' s social media for more details about how you can get involved with # VNAM2026.
How the Employment Rights Act 2025 could affect the veterinary nursing profession
USER-ALT BVNA Members Advisory Service( BMAS)
The Employment Rights Act 2025 introduces a substantial reform of UK employment law, with phased implementation from 2026 – 2027. From April 2026, Statutory Sick Pay becomes a‘ day one’ entitlement, with the removal of the lower earnings threshold, potentially affecting small clinical teams. Family-friendly rights are expanded through day one eligibility for paternity and unpaid parental leave, alongside the introduction of unpaid bereavement leave. The Act also strengthens whistleblowing protections, including safeguards against unfair dismissal and broader workforce coverage. Collective redundancy obligations carry increased penalties, while trade union recognition is simplified. Plus, the creation of a Fair Work Agency aims to improve enforcement of employment standards, with implications for practice governance and workforce management within the veterinary sector.
Read the full article on the BMAS blog https:// bvna. org. uk / blog / category / bvna-members-advisory-service
The BMAS team of trained HR professionals has been providing veterinary nurses with expert advice on employment law and other issues for 20 + years. Email advisoryservice @ bvna. co. uk or call 01822 870270 for a confidential chat. Please have your BVNA membership number to hand, which can be found in your profile on the BVNA website.
Volume 41( 2) • April 2026
7