Veterinary Cardiovascular Society

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting 2023

 4pm-5pm 10th November 2023

Chesford Grange Hotel, Warwickshire

Present:

Apologies for absence: Claire Denny, Jonathan Elliott

  1. Matters arising from minutes of the AGM held on November 11th

No matters arising from AGM 2022

 Vote: Are the minutes a correct reflection of the AGM 2023– everyone in the room voted yes. Proposed Paul Wotton, seconded Emily Dutton.

  1. Chairperson’s report
  2. Contact with other BSAVA satellites

Regular contact with other BSAVA Satellite chairs is allowing for ongoing discussion on general animal health, welfare, arranging CPD session. There is a call for measures to liaise better/more efficiently with other satellites and Geoff Culshaw (GC) is hopeful there may be training for committee members of all satellite committees. Any members’ thoughts on how to utilise or link up with this initiative are welcomed by GC.

  1. Mentoring

Limited progress this year, with difficulty finding a mutual way forward with Petsavers with level of support of mentees. GC has approached VetLife and BSAVA with the potential for them to take this forward, upcoming meeting with BSAVA scheduled on 30th November 2023 to review progress

  1. VCS Grants/Awards

If you are in receipt of an award, there is an expectation to present. We have had  one grant awarded and paid with recipient subsequently absconding on duties. Large time burden, source of frustration and difficulty trying to rectiofy the issue.  ou are in receipt of their duties to present an update which causes large time burdens to chase.e GC reminded members of the expectations of those receiving a travel bursary.

  1. Katya Potter is now at the end of her tenure of treasurer. GC thanked her for her hard work and support of the VCS. Katya has agreed to stay on as an equine advisor for VCS for the next year.

 Secretaries’ report

    1. New members to vote in (56):

Election of new members; Adeel Khan, Adele Fryers, Adam Yates, Alexander Brown, Ana Almeida Warren, Becky Pritchard, Carlos Fernando Agudelo Ramírez, Chris Seal, Diana Azevedo, Dylan O Toole, Elizabeth Williams Louie, Ellen Gill, Ellie Gowshall, Emma-Louise Parton, Frane Ivasovic, Gavin McDonagh, Hannah Junge, Hazel Reid, Iryna Varkholiak, Isabelle Piotrowski, Jessica Sage, Jodi Burgess, John von Kieckebusch, Joshua White, Julia Maloney, Kostis Galanakis, Kristen Bush, Lindsay Wright, Luke Beeby, Luke Green, Michal Korcz, Michelle Mortimer, Mikkel Bjerknaes, Ólöf Loftsdóttir, Sally McGrath, Sam Barton, Sheena Lewis, Siddharth Sudunagunta, Stuart Drewrey, Sydney Harrington, Tamara Beatriz Lugo Ferreira, Tatiana Dias, Virginia Reef, Yaiza Falcon, Julia van Spijk, Claire Underwood, Myrran Hills, Jude Morton, Puspendra Jha, Hannah Battensby, Celine Loubiere, Struan Henderson, Charlotte Clements, Liza Ebeck, Christina Dollimore, Linda Williams, Abigail Stout, Eva Buschmann, Ingrid Vernemmen, Mackenzie Lynch, Karl Bouvenizer, Dina Dodic, Rajka Turner, Lindsay Ward

First and seconded by David Dickson and David Sewell. All new members voted in by the majority. Noted that some new members had lapsed membership and were rejoining the society.

  1. Congratulations to this year’s successful Diploma and Certificate candidates:

 Newly awarded CertAVP(VC): Emma Louise Waller, Candice Cadwallader, Hiu Chung Cheryl Chan, Ana Paulo da Silva Felix Pentel, Francesca Peter, Kyriaki  Tsikala, Jennifer Wright

Newly awarded Advanced Practitioners in Veterinary Cardiology: Mark Andrew Neall, David Alexander Evans, Siao-Shan Lim, Adam John Quigley, Laura Ida Korenchy, Charlotte Dawn Aspinwal

New ECVIM Diplomats:  Catheryn Partington, Domingo Casamian-Sorrosal, Inigo Sanz, Maria Oliveira, Frane Ivasovic

  1. Grants and Bursaries
    1. Reminder of grants available

Joint Petsavers/VCS Research Grants:

Petsavers will not be offering this in 2024 as it is their 50th anniversary in 2024 and they intend to fund a PhD post instead

Expected to resume in 2025

As a result there will be no joint Petsavers/VCS grants in 2024

Usually there are 2 grants: £10,000 per grant

One awarded to Jose Novo Matos in 2023

Joint Horse Trust/VCS Small Project Grant:

1 grant: £10000 per grant

Applications:

How to apply: https://horsetrust.org.uk/research/research-funding/

Deadline: Applications open all year round, considered on a quarterly basis

Alistair Gibson memorial fund/BreathEazy Ltd Bursary

1x Bursary: £1200 for a member to pursue further education

Application form available from VCS Secretary

Applications open soon. Deadline 28th February 2024

Successful applicants to be announced at VCS Spring meeting 2024

The successful applicant will be expected to provide a short presentation on their course/training activity and the benefits at the VCS Spring meeting the following year (2025)

ACVIM/ECVIM Travel Bursaries

2 x ECVIM travel bursaries: £800 each

2 x ACVIM travel bursaries: £1000 each

In person attendance amounts (reduced by 50% if on-line attendance only)

Applications open soon, deadline 28th February 2024

Successful applicants announced in April at VCS Spring meeting 2024

Expected to present findings in November at VCS Autumn meeting 2024

Applicants must be a VCS member

  1. Issues with awarding of grants/bursaries

 There has been one award where the recipient has absconded, not providing an update as per the agreed terms of the award. Despite numerous attempts at contact by email, telephone, and contacting centre of work, this recipient has not engaged or provided reasons for non-compliance with terms of the award. Discussion followed with the following key points:

  • Striking from membership may be too great a penalty for this form of abscondence
  • Caution with implementing rules for the minority when the vast majority (all but one) have delivered on the requirements of the grants/awards.
  • Those on low incomes may not be able to wait for the awards to be paid after the event, consideration of payment prior to presenting a report to VCS may be appropriate in some circumstances
  • Inclusivity of grants: there will be members who do not feel comfortable with live presenting, and they may prefer to present remotely/pre-recorded. To maintain an interactive live meeting the expectation would be live-presentation but other options would be considered for those who request it.
  • A vote was carried out to gauge how members would wish to tackle this issue:

VOTE: Are members in favour of penalising those who accept a grant and subsequently defer on their responsibilities to present?

Proposed by Rachel Blake, seconded by Geoff Culshaw

There was a vast majority against this motion and this was not carried forward at this time, the VCS committee will continue to work with the recipient to deliver on the award.

  1. Treasurer’s Report
  2. Accounts presented for 2022-2023. A small surplus was in the accounts for the past two years. Currently £157,981 in the account but reasonable expenses expected with the delivery of the new website and typical grant award costs (only one Petsavers-VCS Grant awarded this year, but each grant is a £5000 contribution from VCS)

VOTE: Approval of accounts by members

  • Proposed by Jo Dukes McEwan, seconded by Mike Martin
  • Approved with vast majority
  1. There is a global increase in costs of meetings; venues, catering, personnel, IT support, posters and travel costs of speakers, and this is resulting in an increase in costs passed on to members
  2. Membership fees will increase to help support ongoing maintenance costs of the website. It was pointed out that these costs are low for a society and with early bird rates still represent value for money.
    • Fees changing to
      • New members fee will go from £25 to £35 from 2024
      • Renewal will increase from £20 to £30 from 2024
        • VOTE for new membership fees
        • Proposed by Jo Dukes McEwan, seconded by Mike Martin
        • Approved with vast majority
  1. Membership will be revamped on the new website, likely to require a full reset in member registration, all direct debits will also move to be requested at the same time. Membership renewal planned to run April-Apriln but TBC
  2. Bookkeeper/ accountancy fees increasing marginally but essential spend to have accounts in order
  3. Investment in saving account; suggestion that we should try to move this to higher rate savings now interest rates have changed. Further exploration needed

 

  1. Breed Related Subcommitee Update
  2. Committee changes; headed by Hannah Stephenson, along with Dave Fisher, Vicky Ironside, Serena Brownlie, Dave Dickson, Julie Hamilton-Elliott
  3. A new name is coming for the BRSC but still under discussion
  4. Sponsorship of October 2023 breed screening practical meeting came from The Kennel Club, no charge to the VCS
  5. Request for those performing interventions; please get kennel club registration number and/or copy of pedigree of affected dogs of congenital heart disease. Will need consent from the owner to send these to The Kennel Club. Contact Committee for further information on how to get information to The Kennel Club.
  6. Proposed re/accreditation for screening
    • Standardisation of competency
    • Guidelines for performing screen echo
    • Assessment will be in person and on-line exam, re-accreditation every few-several years for members to stay active on the heart testing list
    • Open to all members may apply, current members not exempt
  7. Funding – no bank account for this subcommittee so underwriting of meetings by VCS is needed. The subcommittee and treasurers will monitor costs of these meetings and impact on VCS main accounts.

VOTE: Are VCS members happy that reaccreditation assessment sessions will be underwritten by VCS with the expectation the meetings are fully funded by those attending

Proposed by Hannah Stephenson, seconded by David Dickson

Passed with vast majority

 

  1. IT Update
  • Cost of website is estimated at £18,000, not yet included in the accounts
  • Further expenditure for ongoing costs will depend on functions of the website (breed screening, clinical audit etc etc)
  • Detailed instructions would be sent with reminders at the time this is ready to be launched.

 

  1. New Committee 2024 – 2028

Chairperson:

Gavin McAulay

Treasurers:

Vicky Ironside – to start 2023 vice Katya Potter

Claire Denny – to start 2024 vice Laura Koremchy

Website/proceedings:

David Hurley

Secretaries

Julie Hamilton-Elliott

Sid Sudunguntha

 

Proposed:  Geoff Culshaw

Seconder: Laura Korenchy

Voted in with majority

 

  1. AOB

 

  1. Clinical audit – proposal to explore this further and potentially publish individual centre, particularly for interventions. A way to compare and check on parr with peer group. For further details, please discuss with Mike Martin. Planning to reaudit PDA and compare to initial paper.

VOTE: Should we explore clinical audit further with plan to then be publishable on the VCS website for members in the future

Proposed by Geoff Culshaw, seconded by Jo Duke McEwan, passed by majority

 

 

Next meeting: VCS Spring Meeting, Manchester 20th March 2024

Next AGM: Autumn Meeting 8-9th November 2024