Radu Sirbu is the only candidate standing for the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) Council that has current expertise in veterinary public health, and is campaigning to shake up the industry.
After 15 years with Eville & Jones, Europe’s leading provider of official veterinary controls, Radu Sirbu has seen all sides of the industry. He has worked as a meat hygiene inspector, official veterinarian and now holds a senior managerial position as a regional veterinary manager. He was also previously both a clinical and farm vet when first graduating from the USAMV University in Romania.
Radu Sirbu is on a mission to modernise the veterinary profession. His top priority is mental health, paying importance to work life balance: “I passionately believe that vet welfare is essential for animal welfare.
“Well-being support should be offered to everyone regardless of specialism or background. I can’t see there has been much progress recently and this needs to be addressed so that there is a more joined up approach.”
Currently Radu feels there is a lack of mental health and well-being guidance across the profession and he wants to ensure that the support he provides to his own team becomes the norm.
Radu Sirbu loves his job and the sector he works in, which has made him determined to break down barriers and build awareness of veterinary public health, the largest growing area in the industry since Brexit.
Vets in this field are responsible for safeguarding the 1.2 billion animals that go through slaughterhouses every year. “There is no other job in the industry where you get to work so closely with animals and people and make a real difference to both,” he said. “You have enormous responsibility to ensure animals are treated correctly and their welfare is respected, right up until the end.”
To encourage others to join the profession, Radu Sirbu believes considerable changes should be made to modernise the RCVS statutory membership exam system: “The current exam is outdated and needs to be replaced by something that is more fit for purpose. It must be streamlined and aimed towards specialisms that vets genuinely care about. We also need to make people aware of the different opportunities available to them for interesting and challenging pathways.”
Improvements to the veterinary education system is also on Radu’s list; aiming for an increase in the number of overseas vet schools recognised by the RCVS, for additional practical skills to be included in the recruitment model and for UK Universities to have capacity for more vets.
On the election, Radu Sirbu commented: “I am proud to be standing as a candidate in this year’s RCVS election.
“There are simple changes that can make a huge difference to not only increase the number of vets in the industry but to rebuild trust of practitioners who currently feel devalued. I will work with other members of the board to offer more support to our vets rather than putting barriers in place.”
Voting for the RCVS Council election is now open and close at 5pm on Friday 22 April. For more information please visit: the election page on the RCVS website.
