Dr Mary Thomas

BVetMed BSAVA PGCertSAS PGCertEmerg(WBIS) MRCVS

Candidate 18 of 20

Proposers: Gillian Burkhill, Dr Sara Jackson

Contact details

E [email protected]

Candidate biography

Mary graduated from the RVC in 2006 and began her career in the small animal independent clinic in which she had completed the majority of her work experience and EMS. In 2009, she moved to a multi-site small animal first opinion and referral practice in the northwest of England where she worked for almost a decade, gaining a BSAVA PgCertSAS in 2016.

From 2019, after a period of maternity leave, and a move to North Wales to own a boarding kennels and cattery business, Mary locumed for over 20 independent and corporately owned practices, before taking up an operational management position within a national out-of-hours provider in 2021. Mary transitioned to a clinical leadership role in 2022; during the following year she was nominated and shortlisted in the Company's annual awards, and served on the Clinical Strategy Board. Mary gained a second PgCert, this time in Emergency Practice, in 2023, and remains inquisitive and passionate about continuous learning and development.

Candidate statement 

Why do you want to stand to be a member of RCVS Council?

I remain passionate about the veterinary profession and I would like to contribute more widely to animal health and welfare, and public health, especially during these times of transition, global challenge, and fiscal uncertainty. In my mid-career, I encourage evaluation and consideration of both the details and the big picture, perhaps benefiting from having been identified as having a neurodivergent condition via screening processes within the last year.

I believe in accurate promising and efficient, accurate delivery, with an overarching desire for simplicity and clarity. I believe the RCVS could do more to ensure its members know how to report integrity concerns and encourage wide participation, from the beginning of a career, for the benefit of the profession as a whole, by more regularly and simply communicating progress on matters such as mandatory practice regulation proposal work. Relatable and accessible communication with the public and the profession is essential and there is great room for improvement here.

Having participated in the ongoing exploration into veterinary clinical career pathways I am passionate about supporting those at any point in their career release their further potential and gain satisfaction from this rewarding career, minimising the barriers for hard-working professionals.

What do you think you can bring to RCVS Council?

I bring a lived experience of striving to fulfil potential and aspirations as a child with significant chronic illness followed by navigating the desire to maintain a high-standard career alongside subsequent disability and infertility, and family life; I would like to continue to understand, support and develop these aspects of the conversations within the RCVS' registration, professional standards, and education remits. I do not count myself as uniquely qualified for this role but bring a renewed determination to listen to, collate, and contribute wide-perspective ideas and champion alternative, easily digestible, delivery of information to maintain accessibility and clarity.

I have an enquiring and curious mind, aiming to crystalise the problem whilst maintaining a solution-based discussion based on the principles of equity and fairness, and the strength to make objective decisions.

What relevant experience do you have?

Running a small, animal care business honed my skills in interpretation of legislation and successful protocol implementation to comply with regulations whilst my employed experience encompasses individual and large audience multi-stakeholder internal and external communication, leadership, and collaboration.

Returning to clinical practice after three years primarily non-clinical has exposed me to another challenge faced by large sections of our profession, post lengthy career break, and this experience has been invaluable to highlight re-integration opportunities.

As a parent governor, I have a role in developing financial action plans, developing and supporting implementation of the school vision, ensuring head teacher accountability, advocating for the parents to ensure high standards of education, and primarily engaging with pupils' parents and guardians to develop openness and trusting relationships; I feel there are some clear parallels with the RCVS council role and this additional experience has given me tools I will need to ensure my understanding of the issues impacting the entire breadth of the veterinary profession, out with my own personal experience.

Is there anything else you would like to add in support of your candidacy?

Recently, Mary has returned to independent clinical practice in North Wales, enabling her to serve as a Parent Governor at her daughter's large primary school, volunteer as a chaperone with youth musical theatre and dance, and champion the access to STEM education and the development of confidence within the local next generation.

No conflicts of interest are declared.

Candidate answer to question from the profession

Question: What would the candidates’ vision be for the future of OOH pet care?

Answer: Access to high-quality, value for money, out-of-hours (OOH) pet care remains essential to maintain, and strive to improve, public trust in the veterinary profession.

Dedicated OOH first opinion work supports vets and RVNs requiring specific or flexible working patterns, aiding retention of dedicated and knowledgeable professionals, and provides opportunity for varied clinical case exposure and swift skill progression for newer graduates.

Ever-improving teletriage services and technology may allow greater access directly to OOH veterinary surgeons, who can, from the outset of the clients’ interaction, personally decide whether attention is required immediately, or can reasonably be delayed, based on clinical evaluation, as well as the holistic view of the in-clinic team capacity and client’s situation.

Changing client behaviour, increasing OOH appointments to fit with client lifestyle rather than in response to emergency, gives potential opportunities for alternative business models, and independent practice collaboration to cater for evening/early morning OOH appointments; expanding the hours of provision of reasonable cost contextualised care could improve the public’s perception of modern veterinary OOH provision.

However, increasing corporatisation of OOH facilities and outsourcing of OOH care, without adequate client communication regarding OOH care cost, quality, and options, could be detrimental to public trust in the profession, and is one focus of the CMA working papers. OOH costs rising beyond inflation may cause challenges for both OOH and daytime teams if they impact the ability to provide the treatment veterinary surgeons, and clients, may deem necessary for the welfare of the pet, and increase ethical dilemmas for veterinary surgeons determining what is reasonable.

These complex ethical dilemmas are best understood by veterinary surgeons themselves, with their depth of knowledge and experience, which is why I believe those responsible for key decision-making within the profession, both in business and within the RCVS council, should be veterinary professionals.