The British Veterinary Association (BVA) is the national body for veterinary surgeons in the United Kingdom and is a not-for-profit organisation. Its purpose is that of knowledge dissemination, and not professional validation or academic competence. Knowledge dissemination is important in the veterinary profession to prevent a knowledge divide.

History

National Veterinary Association

A preceding organisation started out as the National Veterinary Association in 1882 after the first ever British National Veterinary Congress in July 1881. A vet, George Banham, had suggested the idea of a national veterinary association. George Fleming, the principal vet to the Armed Forces, was the first elected president. The association was open to any vet, no matter which country they were from, on the payment of half a guinea. Other previous veterinary associations still co-existed though. It had an informal organisation and meetings across the country were arranged on an ad hoc basis. This style of organisation did not suit many vets, who wanted an organisation where they could discuss matters which did not or could not be discussed by the RCVS. In 1909 at a meeting of the Scottish Metropolitan Veterinary Association, Professor Orlando Charnock Bradley of the Edinburgh Veterinary College, called for a 'one single British veterinary association'. The idea was generally accepted, but the First World War stopped anything from happening.

National Veterinary Medical Association

At a meeting on 31 October 1919 the National Veterinary Medical Association was formed. Orlando Charnock Bradley became this association's first president. The co-existent veterinary associations no longer continued. The NVMA became a coherent regulated organisation and started to achieve things for vets, the country, and not-least the world. It has profoundly helped animal welfare and food production.

In 1952, it became the BVA.

In 1984, it founded the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation.

Activities

The organisation issues advice and the consensus of professional opinion to members and to the general public about veterinary issues as they arise in current events or trends, such as Avian flu,^[1] foot and mouth,^[2] and Brexit.^[3] The organisation has over 19,000 members.

Structure

The current president is Malcolm Morley. The current senior vice president is Justine Shotton and the current junior vice president is Anna Judson. The association's headquarters is situated on Mansfield Street, Marylebone, London.

Publications

British Veterinary Association works with contractor Wiley to publish the BVA's journals, the Veterinary Record and In Practice. The latter dates back to 1979 and is published ten times a year. The Veterinary Record has been in publication since 1888 with members able to search within its voluminous archives dating back to 1996. BMJ also publish Veterinary Record Open and Veterinary Record Case Reports for BVA.^[4]