Royal College Day 2019 speeches: New President Niall Connell

My Lord, ladies and gentlemen. I am incredibly proud to be standing here today.

Some years ago, when I suddenly couldn’t walk and I was getting lumbar punctures and an MRI, I thought my future looked bleak. I never dreamed that the highlight of my career was yet to come. Yet here I am, the 148th president of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

I pinch myself that I’m still part of this wonderful world of dedicated professionals. I’m so grateful for the support and hard work of my fellow council members and brilliant staff at the RCVS. I owe everything to my parents who sadly are not with us; my wife Colette, and my children, Andrew, Natalie and James.

I’m the 8th Glasgow graduate since 1844 to be president. I came into this profession having being inspired by another Glasgow graduate, a certain Alf Wight, perhaps better known as James Herriot.

And I continue to be inspired every day by the veterinary surgeons and the RVNs who I meet and work with. They are Jedi Knights who conduct themselves with impeccably high standards, with integrity and with the highest regard for animal welfare.

They are there for our animals 24/7. They work in a myriad of different roles. They always go the extra mile. They deserve the trust placed in them by the public.

I’m impressed by our undergraduates too. I’m privileged to have assessed the portfolios of vet students for the last five years and I get to see right into their souls. That is also an inspiring experience. I’ve attended vet and RVN graduations and I’m always amazed by the energy, commitment and abilities of our young people.

We need to nurture them, support them and help them to enjoy long fulfilling careers. This is especially important for those early years until they find their feet – a key focus of our ongoing Graduate Outcomes review.

As we’ve heard, one of Amanda’s key themes for her year was diversity, and I’m passionate about this too. I will continue to Chair the College’s new Diversity and Inclusion Group and we will dig into the issues that require looking at. We will work with other groups to do what we can to identify and break down the barriers to building a more diverse profession with regards to selection, recruitment and retention.

One way to break down such barriers is through role models.

I mentioned Alf Wight, who was a role model to me. He grew up in North Glasgow and his dad was a plater in a Glasgow shipyard. I was born in the East end of Glasgow and my grandfather and great Uncle were platers at John Brown’s on the Clyde.

We can all benefit from having role models throughout our lives, but children in particular need them the most. We should be encouraging diverse role models into schools, to improve awareness of our professions and help inspire youngsters from all backgrounds to join our professions. As the American activist for children’s rights, Marian Wright Edelman, said “It’s hard to be what you can’t see.”

We also need to improve, support and protect diversity in the workplace and not be afraid to call out if things are not right or safe for any individual.

There are so many other things on the shopping list too.

When Chris Tufnell became president in 2016, he mentioned Brexit in his opening remarks. We are still here, determined to make sure vital veterinary work continues to get done and looking after our non-UK colleagues who are an immense part of that.

We will be looking at the role of our RVNs and paraprofessionals, reviewing ‘under care’ and 24/7 cover, and many other issues besides. As ever, there will be opportunities for everyone, including students, to take part and contribute their views.

And, of course, a new home for RCVS is waiting for us out there somewhere, although whether this turns out to be Grand Designs, Escape to the Country or DIY SOS remains to be seen.

It’s certainly going to be a busy year.

As our professions face these big challenges ahead, it’s vital for us to collaborate. I’m convinced we are entering into a very good time indeed.

Thanks to communication, social media and the like, we are closer together than ever before and can listen, talk to and support each other. This is a call for us all to work together in the present and grab the future with both hands, seeking the best outcomes for us all and for our animals - as caring, team-working professionals.

Last year, when Amanda introduced me, she referred to my musical tastes. Led Zeppelin was mentioned. I’d like to use a phrase today, if I may, from a Led Zeppelin song called “Thank You”.

I would like to say this, for the welfare of our animals, for our wellbeing and for long happy productive careers for everyone. From the College, I say to you, Veterinary Surgeons, to you Registered Veterinary Nurses and to you, the public we serve. “Your hand in mine, we walk the miles.”

Thank you.