Published: 21 Sep 2017 | Last Updated: 10 Aug 2023 11:05:08

Royal Veterinary College (RVC) Senior Lecturer in Dairy Herd Medicine, John Fishwick, has become President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA).

In that prestigious role, John will lead the national representative body for the veterinary profession in the UK. The organisation represents the views of 16,000 members on animal health and welfare, and veterinary policy issues to politicians and other key influencers in the UK and EU.

With over 30 years’ experience in veterinary practice and academia, in the UK and overseas, John is well positioned to represent the varied veterinary roles and diversity of BVA members. He served as President of the British Cattle Veterinary Association between 2010 and 2011.

After graduating from the University of Cambridge, in 1985, John worked in small animal and farm animal general practice. Specialising in cattle health and production, he became a lecturer in Farm Animal Practice at the RVC in 1990, where he was responsible for the farm animal side of the RVC’s Large Animal Practice (Ambulatory Clinic), serving clients throughout Hertfordshire and Essex.

In 1997 John moved to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where he worked as the Head Veterinarian to the world’s largest fully integrated dairy company, farming over 25,000 high producing dairy cows in a desert environment. He returned to the RVC in 2003. He became Head of the Department of Production and Population Health at the RVC in 2012 and prior to that was Head of the Biological Services Unit.

John’s term as BVA President began on September 21 at the Association’s annual Members’ Day, which was held in Belfast.

On becoming BVA President, John said: “It is a huge honour to represent my fellow members of BVA. I am constantly inspired by the tenacity and dedication of my colleagues and it is a privilege - particularly during this time of professional, social and political upheaval - to be so involved in a profession that is pivotal to animal health, welfare and protecting human health too. I am very much looking forward to the opportunities, and challenges, of the year ahead and the potential of the veterinary team if we all work together.”

John announced that the theme for his presidential year is ‘Team Vet, working together’. This will build on the success of the ‘Team Vet’ campaign launched earlier this year by BVA and the British Veterinary Nursing Association (BVNA), which champions the value of the veterinary team and aims to encourage support within the veterinary family, especially considering the issues that Brexit presents.

At BVA Members’ Day, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between BVA and BVNA to emphasise the importance of joint working by the two professions.