The Veterinary Benevolent Fund

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VETS HELPING VETS Suicides Jerry
Lucke Veterinary Benevolent Fund
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Acknowledgements

• Lydia Brown Richard Mellanby
• Richard Halliwell Simon Orr
• Wendy Harrison Virginia Richmond
• Brian Hoskin David Wishart
• Austin Kirwan
• Other organisations BVA
• RCVS
• SPVS
• VDS

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Outline

• Incidence of Suicides
• Underlying reasons mental illness addictive
  disease
• Sources of help, advice and care
• The role of VBF
• A role for FVE?

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The Times (London)6 October 2005

• Suicide among vets nearly four times the
  national average and double that for doctors and
  dentists.

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PMR Proportional Mortality Ratio

• observed number of suicides
• expected number of suicides
• Suicides as determined by the verdict of a
  Coroners Court
• Expected proportion of total number of suicide
  deaths in the occupational group
• 100 PMR same proportion as in the general
  population
• 50 PMR half the rate
• 200 PMR twice the rate
• Office of National Statistics Data England
  Wales

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Data for England Wales1979 2000 (not
1981)Deaths aged 20-74 years
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Method of suicide as a percentage1982 - 1996
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Suggested underlying factors

• Stress with severe clinical depression
• Stigma of mental health disorders
• Shame/embarrassment
• Burden to family and others
• Reluctance to seek medical help
• Professional and social isolation
• Access to lethal drugs
• Different perception of life and death
• Profile of vet student intake

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Vet Helpline Callers Presenting Problemsby
SexOctober 2004 September 2005
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VSHSP - Veterinary Surgeons Health Support
Programme

• Provides for the relief of
• mental and physical illness
• associated with compulsive behaviour or stress
  or depression
• may or may not result from alcohol or drug
  addiction or other
• forms of dependence
• allowing vets to continue with professional
  duties safeguarding
• the public interest
• Since established 1 March 1999 227 people have
  been helped
• 34 new cases in 2005
• 23 single, 10 married, 1 widowed
• 62 vets, 15 nurses
• Range of problems including alcohol, drugs,
  depression, eating
• disorders, suicidal tendancy
• Expenditure in 2005 - 63,319 (92,445)

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Students the early years as a vet

• Does the selection process result in a high risk
  profile?
• Positive
• High intelligence
• Early focus on a vet career
• Committed and hard working
• Negative
• Demanding teaching programme
• Exclusion of social skills and self-awareness
• Transition from security of the vet school to the
  business of practice
• Tutoring schemes and help support mechanisms in
  vet schools
• Mentoring in the early years of practice

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Conclusions

• The concern is real about suicide mental
  illness diseases of addiction
• The Office of National Statistics confirms the
  high incidence in the UK profession
• The problem is not restricted to the UK
• More needs to be known about the predisposing
  factors
• The profession and the undergraduate students
  must understand the risks
• Men and women vets of all ages are at risk
• A co-ordinated approach at the national level is
  required and properly funded systems need to be
  in place for
• VETS HELPING VETS

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Veterinary Benevolent FundHelping Vets in need
since 1897
www.vbf.org.uk
Please contact info_at_vbf.org.uk for a copy of this
presentation